Backpacking Around The Greek Islands: Top Tips

Ever since Odysseus made his journey home to Ithaca from Troy, the magical Greek islands have been enticing travellers to their shores. With bright Mediterranean sunshine dazzling the whitewashed windmills and villages and the shallow azure waters caressing the sand of pristine beaches, the Greek islands are unrivalled for their distinct and memorable beauty.

What is particularly delightful about the Greek islands is that each one has its own personality, meaning that you can travel from one to another and discover a completely new experience.
There is no such way to discover this area of intense natural beauty and delightfully unique culture than to backpack around the Greek islands. If you’re looking for affordable holidays to the Greek islands, you could book your holiday to Greece with the Co-operative. If you are lucky enough to be heading to this top tourist destination, which, despite its popularity, manages to escape the uncomfortable crowds found in many of the other leading European tourist hotspots, then take a look at the following tips.

Sail to into the caldera of Santorini

Greek island travellers simply must take a ferry trip into the caldera of Santorni. Given its prolific beauty, it is best to take the ferry whilst it is light, in order to witness its intense beauty in daylight hours.

Book a ferry in Athens

Although you can book ferries to the Greek islands online, you can never be guaranteed that the schedule will remain the same on the day, as the ferries in Greece fluctuate considerably from day to day. It is therefore advisable to book the ferry in Athens at one of the many tourism agencies around the port or at Syntagma Square.

Never guarantee a ferry will depart on time

The very nature of Greek ferries means that there may be a multitude of them one day and you could be waiting hours for one the next. With this in mind, never guarantee that a ferry will get you to the airport on time to make a flight or to any other important event.

Visit Hydra for culture...not beaches

The island of Hydra is one of the quirkiest of the Greek islands, and because of its idiosyncratic appearance and personality, it has been an artists’ and writers’ colony for decades. Discovering the sensational Venetian architecture and true tranquillity is an experience to behold, although it has to be said that the beaches on Hydra are extremely rocky and sparse and not ideal for bathing.

Pick up a bag of pistachios from Aegina

Most of the Greek islands are famed for some sort of quirky delight and none more so than the beautiful island of Aegina. It’s famous for its production of pistachio nuts, so be sure to take a bag or two home, for a fond keepsake of the wholly unique Greek island.

Sources:
http://www.ytravelblog.com/7-greek-islands-to-visit/

Image credit to photoseek.com