If you’re anything like me, the main thing that you want from a trip is a small place by the beach with an authentic vibe, clean sea, and a couple of good tavernas. Bonus points for a picturesque harbour and a smattering of good hotels. It can be a challenge finding these places within easy reach of international airports though, as coastlines build up and more commercial forms of tourism take over.
But, much as I love travelling around the Greek islands by ferry, transferring to another island can up eat a big chunk of a short trip – and introduce an element of weather risk too.
I’m lucky enough to live near London Stansted which has great flight options, so I’ve visited nearly all of the destinations in Greece with direct flights from the UK. If you love Greece but don’t want a long transfer, here’s where I recommend.
All of these places have a transfer time of 1 hour or less, and no ferry required (but if there’s somewhere great just over an hour away or a short ferry hop I’ve mentioned that too). In these places you’ll find plenty of traditional apartments and small family-run hotels, but I’ve also included standout luxury options where they exist.
Athens
Athens is a coastal city and has its own ‘Riviera’ but the bits nearest the city are mostly suburban sprawl. It’s not comparable to proper beach cities like Barcelona. However, the surrounding peninsula does have plenty of quieter areas with better beaches and clearer seas. I’m not sure I’d recommend spending an entire trip here, but if you want to spend a few days by the sea before flying in/out or you want a city+beach combo break then there are some options.
For beach time before/after flights, head north/east from the airport to the area around Porto Rafti, a popular summertime spot. The journey from the airport is only around 15-20 minutes. The downside is that public transport is not great so don’t use it as a base for visiting the city. If you have a car there are endless bays up and down this side of the coast.
Nicest hotel? ZEUS Dolce by Wyndham Athens
For a beach + city combination, there are some great (albeit not cheap) resort hotels along the Riviera. The further away you get, the nicer the beaches are. My favourite place along the coast is upmarket Vouliagmeni – it has a proper seaside feel, pine trees, great food, scenic beaches, and thermal bathing at the incredible Lake Vouliagmeni. There are good main roads both into the city and to the airport – both drives take around 1 hour.
Nicest hotel? Four Seasons Astir Palace
One of the best places on the Athenian Coast is picturesque Sounio. There’s not much here but a beach, a couple of tavernas, a hotel and an ancient temple which is a popular sunset spot for daytrippers. This is the closest you’ll get to island vibes without actually going to an island, and it’s one hour from the airport. That said, there’s not much else in the area and it’s almost easier to go to an island.
Nicest hotel? Aegeon Beach Hotel
Chania
The Chania area in Western Crete is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Greece thanks to its mix of city and amazing variety of landscapes and things to do. The city itself is a fantastic place for city break. That said, the Old Town is small and can feel crowded and hot in the summer.
I have a few more articles about Chania in more detail:
> Where to Stay in Chania Old Town
> The Best Beach Resorts near Chania
The coastline west of Chania is built-up with beach tourism. If nipping into Chania in the evenings is a priority, then Golden Beach/Agii Apostopoli is my favourite of the beach areas – great sandy beaches, popular with locals, with a few upmarket hotels like Domes Noruz, close enough to the city that you can walk/cycle/taxi. Everywhere beyond has more of a mass tourism vibe, with typical strips of businesses like ATV rentals and sports bars. Stalos and Agia Marina have the best bit of beach and are solid bets for a cheap beach break. Buses are regular but busy.
If you’re looking for more of a beach-focused break, the Akrotiri Peninsula (around the airport) is surprisingly nice and has some incredible beaches like Stavros and Seitan Limani. Bus routes are scarce though – this is villa + rental car territory, but worth it if you’re looking for somewhere with the feel of a smaller island. Look around Marathi, Kalatha and Stavros.
If you don’t need to be that close to Chania, the resort towns on the coastline east of Chania – like Georgioupolis and Kalyves – have charm and variety. Iff you don’t mind renting a car, the Drapanos Peninsula (the bit between Kalyves and Georgioupolis, where the main road goes inland) has many traditional villages with traditional tavernas and crafts.
I do love Crete’s south-west coast but it’s further than 1 hour from the airport.
Nicest hotels? Domes Noruz, Domes Zeen
Read more: Where to Stay on Crete: Beach Resort Guide
Corfu
Corfu was the first Greek Island I ever visited and I still think it’s one of the most beautiful and versatile islands. Despite the huge number of tourist arrivals, most visitors are fairly spread out around the island and mostly it’s free of the big-scale coastal development that you see in Crete and Rhodes. There are so many lovely beach resorts around the island, the hardest part is choosing one. Most of the island can be reached in under an hour too.
Corfu Town is so close to the airport you can actually walk it. It’s a gorgeous town, hasn’t been completely taken over by tourism, and is well worth staying a night or two at the start or end of your trip. If the Old Town is too hectic for you, have a look in Garitsa Bay (Acanthus Blue and Mon Repos Palace are walkable from town), or Kanoni, the area running parallel to the airport.. The coastal sprawl north of Corfu Town isn’t my favourite area but there are some great luxury resort hotels (like Kontokali Bay)
For more detail on areas and hotels in Corfu Town check out my Corfu Town Guide.
Looking for a quiet and authentic base for a beach break? For scenic bays with lush pebble beaches and plenty of nice villas, look at the North East Coast. For bargains, tavernas, and an easy bus into town, Benitses. Further south, Moraitika and Mesonghi have traditional vibes and an increasing number of boutique/luxury hotel spots.
If a sandy beach is important though, you’ll need to stay on the west coast – I like Agios Gordios, Glyfada, Agios Georgios Pagon, and Arillas. For quiet, windswept beaches, check out the SW coast (around Gardenos, for example).
Ever-popular Paleokastritsa is beautiful but is more of a day trip destination in my opinion – although it is good for outdoors activities.
Check my full guide to all the resort areas – Corfu – Beach Resort Guide.
Nicest hotels? Domes of Corfu, Angsana, MarBella
Crete – Heraklion
Crete’s northern coast around Heraklion is one of the most built-up and busy beach areas in the country. But there are some options for you.
Bali is just under an hour from Heraklion Airport by car. It’s a small but lively beach resort with a bit of a package-holiday bucket-and-spade vibe, but really pretty scenery, bougie beach bars, and a couple of different beaches. Best suited for younger couples and families.
Panormos is smaller, it feels a bit wedged in between the main road and the sea but has more of an independent and authentic vibe.
On the outskirts of Heraklion there’s a cluster of nice beaches around Agia Pelagia–Ligaria–Ammoudi. You’ll find a good selection of small resort hotels and villas on the surrounding hills (such as Seaside a Lifestyle Resort, and a handful of tavernas by the beaches.
And you can (just about) reach the beach town Elounda within an hour – Crete’s most upmarket coastal area, home to its top luxury hotels – or the cosmopolitan harbour town Agios Nikolaos.
Nicest hotel? Domes of Elounda
Kalamata
Flights to the city of Kalamata in the Peloponnese are your entry point to one of the best areas in Greece for authentic vibes without massive crowds. The downside? Buses aren’t so great, so you’ll have to rent a car or get a few taxis. Roads are quiet and easy though.
The city of Kalamata itself is small and friendly, but the kind of place that you’ll probably only want to spend a night at the start of end rather than a whole trip, especially on a first trip. But the city does have a big shingle beach with resort hotels at the far end – the Grecotel Filoxenia has had a recent refurb. It’s a good place to land after a flight but for a longer stay look further afield. Got a car? Keep going to Kitries for lovely scenery and good-value coastal hotels.
Then drive south from Kalamata to find the area’s hotspots. The main beach resort is Stoupa – it’s small but has a sandy beach, great tavernas, and a UK tour operator presence. It’s small size means it can feel too busy in the summer though. Nearby harbour town Agios Nikolaos has charm and is walkable to Stoupa in under an hour (although currently the path is under repair).
Neighbouring Kardamyli has an upmarket vibe, traditional stone buildings, fantastic scenery, great tavernas, but a shingle beach rather than sand. It hosts a jazz festival every May.
There are some incredibly beautiful seaside towns further south but they clock in over an hour from the airport.
Alternatively, head west to Messinia – I think this is a massively underrated (and under-visited) region. Koroni, Methoni and Pylos are all likeable coastal towns – great for DIY holidays exploring castles and gorgeous coastline.
Nicest hotel? Luxury hotel The Westin Resort Costa Navarino in Messinia is amazing if you like quiet sandy beaches and upmarket facilities (like golf and spa) – you can check out my post about it here (the complex contains a choice of different luxury hotels, the Westin was my favourite).
Read more: 10 Great Places to Visit from Kalamata Airport
Kefalonia
Year after year, I’m consistently served up incredibly cheap flights to Kefalonia (Argostoli Airport) from Stansted. I nearly always go somewhere new to research for this website, but I’m always tempted. Kefalonia is a great choice that the direct flight/low crowd combination, as its rugged landscape has kept mass development at bay.
The downside is that travel times can be surprisingly long and bus routes are not great. It’s best suited to the rental car crowd, with a few package holiday hotspots (Skala and Lassi, both of which are too busy for me although I would pick Skala of the two).
My favourite area is the north. Posh Fiskardo is too far to reach in one hour (and is a bit Marmite), but stunning village Assos is doable (although the amount of daytrippers always scares me off staying here).
Sami and smaller Agia Efimia on the north coast both have fishing harbour vibes and are much less pretentious than Fiskardo. It’s a good area for exploring by car.
If you want to chill out on a sandy beach, look at Lourdas and Katelios on the south coast.
For good value and proximity to the airport, consider Svoronata. It’s very spread out and a bit bland but has a couple of quiet beaches and lots of traditional hotels with pools like Astra Village and Electra. It’s a bit bland but ok for a simple inexpensive break.
Nicest hotel? F Zeen (Lourdas)
Kos
I think Kos is underrated and reckon it will see a boom over the next few years – the beaches are fantastic (granted, some of them can get quite windy), it doesn’t feel overrun like Rhodes, and beach hotels are slowly being updated to cater to modern tastes. It’s a good place to look for a deal on resort hotels.
There’s a big package tourism presence on the island, so there aren’t too many coastal spots that feel authentically Greek.
Mastichari is definitely my favourite spot. It’s got a little bit of the European hippie-windsurfer vibe. It’s also the main jumping-off point for ferries to Kalymnos, which is popular with rock climbers, so there’s more DIY tourism than in the other coastal resorts. It’s super close to the airport too.
Just looking for a package deal by the beach? Tigaki and Mamari have amazing sands.
Nicest hotel? Ikos Aria
Read more: Where to Stay on Kos: Beach Resort Guide
Lefkada/Preveza
I think Lefkada might be one of my favourite Greek Islands for scenery, although exploring is not without its challenges if you don’t have a car. The coastal towns and villages are a funny thing though – they’re all nice enough but none of them are outstanding. I’d skip Lefkada Town which is functional rather than charming.
Most resort areas are on the east coast where beaches are pebble and usually pretty narrow. Vasiliki, on the south coast, is my favourite town, but journey time is over one hour. The beach is a mixed bag but I think it’s worth the extra miles for its charming waterside tavernas.
Nydri is the biggest and busiest of the resort areas. It has its fans but I found it too busy (also the tavernas were… not great?), however I did fall in love with the little beach next door at Perigiali.
Nicest hotels? Crystal Waters
From Preveza Airport (which is on the mainland) you can also reach the popular resort town Parga in around 1 hour. Parga has a stunning setting but it can feel a bit claustrophobic in the summer. I’d stick to shoulder seasons for a relaxed break, or stay at one of the beaches around it like Valtos or Lichnos.
Nicest hotels? Parga Beach Resort, Lichnos Beach Hotel
Lesvos
Lesvos is a cult favourite with people who are really into holidays in Greece. The flights are not the cheapest, but it’s good value once you’re there (although don’t expect a choice of fancy hotels). Beaches are mostly volcanic pebble/dark sand but the swimming and snorkelling is fantastic.
However, Lesvos is a big island with long transfer distances. Molyvos, the most popular spot in Lesvos (think wisteria-covered alleys, neoclassical mansions, and amazing waterfront tavernas) is nearly 1.5 hours by car. Skala Eressos is even further. If you like your beach holidays with certain trappings (nice beach cafes, organised excursions, boat trips, etc.) then it’s probably worth the travel time.
But Plomari, the capital of Ouzo, clocks in at about an hour from the airport. It’s a bit more rough-and-ready than the north coast hotspots, but you’ll definitely find authentic vibes and amazing food. Nearby Agios Isidoros is a relaxed beach resort with a pebble beach. If you’re happy to rent a car, there are some really nice beaches between here and the airport – Agios Ermogenis, Tarti, Ligonari.
Skala Kallonis is also about an hour’s drive – it’s on the edge of salt pans and is very popular with active older travellers who enjoy its birding, fishing, cycling and walking, calm sea and shallow beach. Traditional hotels offer great value, and it’s right in the middle of the island so a perfect base for exploring by car.
Read more: Where to Stay on Lesvos: Beach Resort Guide
Mykonos
Mykonos is a great choice for amazing sandy beaches a stone’s throw from the airport – as long as you don’t mind the price, or the summer crowds. It hits all the basics – golden sands, good, low-rise whitewashed development, traditional food. But the busier beaches also come with a champagne-and-dancing vibe and extortionately-priced sunloungers. If this sounds like hell to you, avoid Ornos, Platis Gialos, Elia, Paradise and Super Paradise.
Beach hotels here definitely come at a premium, but if luxury beachfront hotels are your thing there’s plenty of choice. For quieter beaches, and a (slightly) more traditional vibe, rent a car and head north (though the beaches are less sheltered from the wind) or east. No car? Go west of the port to Agios Stefanos, or look around the Ornos Peninsula and Agios Ioannis which is upmarket but not clubby.
Read more: Where to Stay on Mykonos
Rhodes
Dodecanese island Rhodes is one of the most popular and built-up coastal areas in Greece. For fans of authentic coastal towns, it’s a tough brief here. Much of the coastline is dominated by large hotels and scrappy beaches.
If you had to make up a Greek beach village it would probably look like Lindos – golden sands, whitewashed villages, topped with an ancient ruin. It’s the prettiest place on the island by far. But it’s a huge attraction for daytrippers so expect it to be busy and expensive. I’d say it’s still worth it if you can afford one of the more spacious resorts so you can retreat to your hotel when the crowds are in.
If you’ve not got the funds of the patience for Lindos, nearby Lardos was my favourite of the resort villages. It’s not likely to pop up on Instagran anytime soon, but its tree-lined shingle/sand beach is great for lounging. There’s also a small village, a castle, water taxis to Lindos, and a Folklore Museum. To the south, Gennadi also has an old village area and some great tavernas. The beach is made up of small colourful pebbles and is one of my favourites for swimming.
Read more: Where to Stay on Rhodes
Skiathos
The beach resorts in Skiathos fan out along the coast west of Skiathos Town, with superstar beach Koukounaries (so beautiful) at the other end. They are some of the most gorgeous beaches I’ve ever seen, but a high proportion of package tourism means most of the coastal areas lack vibes for me (although they’re all small with plenty of tavernas, Skiathos is nothing like Rhodes).
I loved the scenery on the Kanapitsa Peninsula. Apparently Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell own a home around here – and I can see why! It’s hilly and lush, there are a few beaches, water taxis, a smattering of great beaches, and one or two tavernas. It’s only 15 minutes from the airport.
My other pick would be to stay in Skiathos Town itself, which is lively but not claustrophobic and has a picturesque harbour, and is a super quick drive from the airport..
The ferry to Skopelos from Skiathos Town is very easy and takes an hour or less – if you’ve got the time, I think it’s worth it. A couple of days in Skiathos Town and a couple in Skopelos Town is a perfect way to get the feel of both islands.
Nicest hotel? Luxury beachfront resort hotel Elivi is just beyond Koukounaries.
Read more: Where to Stay on Skiathos
Santorini
If you haven’t been to Santorini you might think that you need a big budget, or that you’ll get lost amongst crowds of cruise-shippers and Instagrammers. The truth is, it’s easy to avoid the crowds and the high prices, and the high demand means there’s no shortage of accommodation for all budgets. Look beyond the caldera (the volcanic rim) to the flatter east coast and beach towns for bargain hotels, or the wine villages.
Perissa (including the Perivolos area) is the nicer of the beach villages. But don’t expect golden sands here – all the beaches on Santorini are volcanic and have some sort of black sand or rocks. They have everything else you need from a beach break though – relaxed beach clubs, souvenirs shops, mini markets, sun loungers, tavernas, bars, and international food.
For a quiet upmarket vacation, look towards Aktrotiri which is on the south side of the caldera, or the inland wine villages such as Emborio or Pyrgos where you can stay in fabulous wineries.
If you do want to stay in the main caldera area, Firostefani and Imerovigli are the quieter villages (although the caldera road is always chocka). Fira is the capital and main transport hub and so is always lively, it’s the easiest place to stay if you’re just in Santorini for a night or two before ferrying somewhere else, or if you want to explore a lot of the island by bus. Oia is insanity in the evenings and feels a bit cheesy.
The airport can be chaotic in the summer, I recommend booking an airport transfer or shared shuttle ahead of time to keep it chilled.
Samos
Jet2 have started direct flights to Samos from London Stansted this year which I’m particularly excited about. Samos is a large green island very close to the Turkish coast with a solid reputation for holidays that hit the rustic-and-traditional spot.
There is a long-standing tour operator presence, and it has been popular with European holidaymakers for a while, so don’t expect it to be devoid of other tourists. But there’s plenty going on beyond tourism.
The airport is just outside Pythagoreio, which is a picturesque harbour town and the main tourist epicentre. If you enjoy lively harbours it’s a good choice, although the waterfront does get extremely busy in the summer evenings.
There’s a long pebble beach to the west of the town and the airport – this is where you’ll find several modern resort hotels like Casa Cook and Doryssa. And there are several beaches and islands you can visit on boat trips from the harbour, including Psili Ammos which is one of the best (and sandiest) beaches on Samos, and gorgeous Samiopoula.
The other main tourist area is scenic and smaller Kokkari on the north coast.
The bus service on Samos is sadly not great, so if you want to explore the island (and there’s plenty to explore – epic beaches, waterfalls, quiet coves, vineyards, and ancient sites) or stay somewhere quieter, then you’ll need a car. Beaches are mostly pebble and shingle.
Nicest hotel? Casa Cook, Doryssa Seaside Resort
Kavala/Thassos
You can fly straight to the city of Kavala in northern Greece from several UK airports. Most use it to reach the gorgeous green island of Thassos – it’s a short ferry ride and a very easy journey. The airport to Keramoti port is a 10-minute drive, the ferry itself takes 35 minutes, and in high season it runs every 15 minutes or so.
Thassos isn’t as well known to Brits as most of the other Greek islands with an airport, but it’s very popular with visitors from Bulgaria and Romania who can drive down in a relatively short time. This means the beaches get very busy in the summer peak, and you’ll need a car to find the quieter areas.
But outside the summer, it’s a treat – great food, spectacular scenery, reasonable prices, and traditional studios. To reach the nicer beach resorts in Thassos will take just over an hour, but to keep your transfer time down, stay in Thassos Limenas (the main port town), and take day trips to the better beaches.
It’s not necessary to go to an island though, the underrated city of Kavala itself has plenty of great beaches nearby. Stay in the old town Panagia and hit the town beach, or day trip further afield for amazing sands like Batis, Iraklitsa, and Ammolofoi.
Thessaloniki
Good beaches close to the city are in short supply, but the airport is on the south side of Thessaloniki which makes for a quick getaway to the beautiful peninsulas of Halkidiki. If you want your transfer to clock in under an hour, you’ll have to look at the northern part of Kassandra and the bits between the fingers.
This is a great area for Greek-owned luxury resort hotels, fine sandy beaches, and beautiful scenery. You’ll also find plenty of smaller traditional family hotels with pools. However, the resort hotels are often very spaced out along the coast – you will find Greek food but there aren’t many places with that traditional fishing village feel, especially in Kassandra. Sithonia is a better bet for scenery, small hotels, and vibes, but requires a longer drive from the airport (up to two hours).
Nicest hotels: Sani Beach, Ikos Olivia
Read more: Where to Stay in Halkidiki
Zakynthos
I’m going to come straight out and say that Zakynthos is not my favourite island – the main town is a bit bland, and some of the main attractions and beaches illustrate the worst excesses of overtourism.
BUT there’s still plenty of fine scenery and quieter corners, and I really loved the atmosphere in the tip of Vassilikos Peninsula, which is only 30 minutes from the airport. There are a few popular/busy beaches nearby (skip Banana Beach and Porto Zorro), but head inland and it feels a bit like… Tuscany? This is olive grove/posh villa central and there are some great restaurants (and very cheap studios) if you’re prepared to explore.
The north has some equally lovely spots but you’ll need a car. Alykes has fine sands and relaxed beach bars, and you’ll find lots of interesting villas and hotels up around Agios Nikolaos port. The scenery here is stunning, there’s lots to explore, and it feels miles away from the mass tourism in the south.
For sightseeing, skip Shipwreck Beach (it’s currently closed due to landslides anyway) but do take a boat trip around the coast. The main excursion boats can be a bit unpleasant (diesel fumes, smoking, terrible music) so instead check out speedboat tours with Nefis Travel. They can also organise eco-friendly turtle spotting tours (irresponsible turtle tours are unfortunately rife on the island).
Nicest hotel? The Bay
Read more: Where to Stay on Zakynthos
Read more:
50 Picturesque Beach Destinations to Visit in Greece
10 Best Sandy Beach Resorts in Greece
Greek Islands By Public Transport – Rated!
Image credits:
Kavala: © CreativeVista / Adobe Stock
Porto Rafti: © moofushi / Adobe Stock
Chania, Golden Beach: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Stavros, Crete: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Nissaki, Corfu: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Bali, Crete: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Kardamyli: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Assos Kefalonia: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Costa Navarino: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Mastichari, Kos: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Nikiana: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Parga: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Plomari: © CCat82 / Adobe Stock
Mykonos: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Lindos, Rhodes: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Skiathos: © The Mediterranean Traveller
Perissa: © kelifamily / Adobe Stock
Pythagoreio: © pkazmierczak / Adobe Stock
Thassos Limenas: © Balate Dorin / Adobe Stock
Ammolofoi Beach: © oleg_p_100 / Adobe Stock
Sani Beach: © Aleksandar Todorovic / Adobe Stock
Vasilikos, Zakynthos: © The Mediterranean Traveller