A Trip To Greece - Finding Perfection Island Hopping

Planning a trip to Greece - go quiet or touristy?

When planning our trip to Greece, we wanted a mix of everything: a tiny quiet island with a few tavernas and a few donkeys, followed by something grand, dramatic and busy.

After hours of research, we settled on Kimolos, a tiny Cycladic island near Milos, and then Santorini, the tourist‑infested volcanic showstopper four hours away by boat.

The research paid off.

The Journey to Kimolos: A 12 Hour Odyssey

We arrived in Kimolos via a late‑night flight from London to Athens, followed by several hours sleeping on the airport floor, then a connecting flight to Milos.

From there we hired a scooter, rode to the ferry terminal and boarded a small boat for the final 15‑minute hop to Kimolos.

It had been a monster 12‑hour trip.

As we disembarked with the other scooter‑riding tourists, we were first off, meaning I took the lead. Everyone followed me with that “he looks like he knows where he’s going” confidence.

How foolish. After 500 metres the road came to a dead end and I had to laugh as I did a u‑turn past a dozen scooters lining up to do exactly the same thing.

My direction skills didn’t improve much.

We found the main road, rode for five minutes, and ended up at the opposite end of the island having completely missed the main village of Hora.

Still disorientated, we asked an old granny if she knew where our apartment was. She didn’t speak English but recognised the name “Faroh’s” and pointed to a building 20 metres away. Turns out we were pretty good at directions after all.

Kimolos: The Dream Greek Island

Kimolos was perfection.

A tiny island with a perimeter of just 16 miles, 700 inhabitants, 80 churches, one main road, a couple of villages, a handful of tavernas and stunning beaches.

And yes, plenty of donkeys. This is where time stands still. We had found the true dream Greek island.

We kicked back for several days, enjoying the slow pace of life, eating at amazing restaurants (some right on the sand), and cruising up and down the island on our scooter exploring tiny coves and beaches.

Hora was wonderful, with tiny narrow roads only wide enough for us both side by side, yet somehow the odd car squeezed through.

Classic Greek blue doors, windows and rooftops, brilliant white walls, and churches everywhere. We loved it.

Santorini: The Volcano That Rewrote History

Santorini is one of the most breathtaking sights I’ve seen anywhere in the world.

The island is all that remains of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in human history around 3700 years ago.

What remains today is an 18km long, 300m high wall of the crater rim.

Around 1640 BC, the eruption was so huge the volcano collapsed and sank into the sea, filling the caldera with water and leaving behind the crescent‑shaped rim we see today.

The eruption is believed to have triggered a giant tsunami that wiped out Europe’s earliest great civilisation, the Minoans on Crete.

The settlement on Santorini was destroyed too, leading many to believe the island is the resting place of the legend of Atlantis.

Today the crater rim is crammed with homes and hotels clinging to the cliffside overlooking the caldera, which now has a new island forming in its centre from more recent eruptions. Arriving by boat is definitely the way to go, as the sheer scale of it unravels before your eyes.

Santorini on a Budget (Sort Of)

A holiday here doesn’t come cheap. Caldera‑view hotels charge astronomical prices. Add a spa and infinity pool and you may need a mortgage just to go on holiday.

We managed to find a great place with its own private terrace overlooking the caldera and 360 views. We had a jacuzzi bath and a whole living room and kitchen downstairs, with our bedroom opening out onto the addictive terrace. All for a reasonable price.

And the sunsets here are incredible – like truly stunning.

We spent several days riding a scooter around the island exploring black‑sand beaches and wonderful villages. And of course, enjoying some of the local wine on our terrace.