As we wandered along a path overlooking the sea, it was easy to believe we had the whole Greek island to ourselves. We could see a few boats, a distant town, but no other people not in our little group. I’d had similar experiences on other quiet Greek islands and was feeling fortunate We had managed to avoid the madness while island hopping and exploring beautiful places, not sharing the views with 2,000 others jostling and posing.

If you’ve been dreaming of taking a vacation or holiday in Greece in the future but you’ve been put off by the focus on huge crowds and overtourism, I’ve got some advice for you on quiet Greek islands and less crowded destinations to consider. Last year I spent more than two months in the country and only ran into lots of tourists a few times. Apart from Athens, that was usually on the way to somewhere else.

Read more Converting a Foreign Driving License in Greece

Granted, I was there from mid-April to mid-June, which helped, a lot, so there’s the first piece of advice to consider: avoid the peak summer months. I actually think September and October would be better times to go than when I was there for the islands and coasts because the water is warmer in the sea.

However, I did enjoy all the blooming wildflowers when we were hiking around Meteora:

My other overall advice would be to set aside a huge amount of time for research (starting with finishing this article) or go for an easier approach and let an expert help you plan. There are so many Greek islands you can stay on that I doubt there’s anyone alive who has been to them all. Then there’s the Peloponnese Peninsula, which is overwhelming on its own because it’s so packed with highlights. That and the huge island of Crete could take up two weeks just seeing half of what’s worth seeing.

So if you have the means, the best solution would be to bring on a professional travel planner who specializes in the country for your Greece vacation since they can make the experience much smoother and more personalized. The one highlighted in that link is Greece Insiders, with a team that knows the options inside-out.

There are ferries that will get you to pretty much any island you want to visit, though some slow down their frequency a lot in the winter. Some larger and more popular islands have their own airport and you can get to them direct from all over Europe. Most of the airlines that get you to them are budget airlines known for selling all their seats and then some though, so look into overbooked flight compensation if you get bumped.

Even with two months to roam, I only saw a fraction of what’s available, but here are a few places we went where crowds were thin and there wasn’t a cruise ship in sight.

Quiet Islands We Visited

The Island of Hydra

Pronounced HEE-dra locally and sometimes listed on maps as Ydra, this is the kind of idyllic Greek island you’ve probably dreamed about if when you pictured the ideal spot for sipping a glass of wine or a coffee while staring out at the sea. It’s a car-free island, first of all, so you need to hire a guy with a donkey or two if you need help getting your luggage to where you are staying.

There’s a main port and marina area where lots of day-trippers land each day, but then in the evenings it’s just locals and overnight visitors staying there, so it quiets down a lot and most of the restaurants aren’t full. The town extends way back from there though along flagstone paths and stairs.

Then there are other neighborhoods and a few resorts scattered along the shore in each direction, all connected by footpaths. So if you want to be alone, it’s not difficult.

We spent a whole week on this island in a cute house with a view of the water and mountains and were sad to leave. We hiked up to the monastery, walked along the shore, and ate leisurely meals at local tavernas. We visited the main museum and watched a crew filming a movie about Leonard Cohen, who lived here for a while before he became famous, but otherwise we just relaxed and enjoyed the atmosphere.

It’s the kind of setting that makes you understand why so many couples dream of getting married in Greece.

Other islands nearby are Paros and Spetses, which we heard good things about but didn’t visit. You can get to all of these in two to three hours on a ferry from the Piraeus port near Athens. These are all part of the Saronic Islands group just off the Peloponnese Peninsula.

The Island of Symi

Symi is in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece, a patchwork of specks in the ocean that have changed hands many times through the ages and in some cases are within sight of the mainland of Turkey. Two of the islands are fly-in, fly-out holiday destinations on their own: Rhodes and Kos. While not on the level of Santorini and Mykonos, they do get quite crowded in peak months, especially in the historic centers. In between though, it’s a different story, starting with Symi.

Symi has a perfect-looking monastery in Panormis Harbor and it gets boatloads of visitors each day coming to check it out, as well as its naval museum with interesting sailor stories. There are several other harbors that boats can dock in though for visitors on a Greek island-hopping trip as there are plenty of hotels and apartment rentals in the main port town of Gialos and further up in Chorios, where you get great views.

You can climb up 500 steps to get to Chorios from sea level and it’s possible to hike from one side of the island to another. Or hire a boat to explore some of the uninhabited islands and beaches nearby. Some of the beaches on the island itself are only accessible by boat or on foot. Note that this island is sometimes called Syme or Simi.

Tilos Island

That photo above is from Tilos Island, on hike we did with panoramic views the entire way. It was so gorgeous that day that it was hard to believe that what we were seeing was real. I definitely didn’t need any filters for the Instagram shots.

We passed five or six other humans going the opposite way on the footpath, but otherwise didn’t see anyone until we got to the main port town. Even there though, it’s not like we had to wait in line to get into a bar or risk getting whacked by a selfie stick when taking a sunset photo. There are a few small hotels and the highest one is probably three floors high.

Nisyros Island

This is another Dodeconese Island that gets a few boatloads of day-trippers coming from Rhodes and Kos, but most of them get on a bus and head up to the volcanic caldera at the top. There you can walk around an otherworldly landscape where sulphurous steam is hissing out of vents. They check out the pretty church on the edge and then head back to where they came from on a boat.

We were more impressed with the Paliokastro fortress we hiked down to from the top, with its giant stone blocks dating back to BC times, with writing on it from 2,300 years ago, a place mentioned in The Iliad.

It has a great view of the surrounding landscapes and the main town below. That pretty town of Mandraki has some nice shops, restaurants, and places to get a drink, but with a population barely above 600.

Naxos and Paros

I am mentioning these two Cyclades islands because we had them on our short list when researching home exchange options but never made it to them because our schedule filled up. Hopefully next time. I’m also mentioning them because they are located between two of the most famous and overcrowded places in the country: Mykonos to the north and Santorini to the south.

If you can bypass those packed islands and head to one of these instead, you’ll have a much calmer vacation and won’t get stuck in a crowd of thousands. We had these on our list because a lot of people I know who have been to Greece multiple times mentioned them, including a guidebook writer, so dig into them a little more if you want a Cyclades Islands destination that you can get to on a ferry.

Zakynthos Greek Island

As with the two above, I’m mentioning this island because I heard about it so much from others. In this case not before our trip, but during the trip. Multiple times during the trip, Zakynthos came up as either a “Have you been to…?” question or as a “You should go to…” suggestion.

This is part of the Ionian Islands to the west of the Peloponnese, in the Mediterranean rather than the Aegean. It is known for pretty hilltop towns and gorgeous beaches, including the most famous one: Shipwreck Beach (Navagio).

You’ll want to skip the Laganas Beach area if you’re trying to avoid the crowds though. It is definitely on the radar of those who want to party late into the night. Thankfully, this is a big island.

Quiet Greek Mainland Areas to Consider

There are some parts of the Greek mainland that are the opposite of quiet, especially in the summer. Meteora in April wasn’t bad when we were there, but during the summer the place gets mobbed. Athens has had to put caps on the number of daily visitors to the Parthenon because it’s so mobbed.

You don’t have to go far to find more mellow settings, however

The Peloponnese Peninsula

I’ve mentioned this already in this article and the photo at the very top is from this area. If you want to really get a feel for Greek history while finding some nice beaches to explore as well, the Peloponnese Peninsula is ideal for a vacation without the massive crowds.

It’s a huge area, first of all, with a lot of areas to visit, so the tourists are spread out nicely. You could just fly into the land of black olives and take day trips from Kalamata and see a lot of what’s on offer.

A better bet is to rent a car and spend a few nights elsewhere, however, since that gets you away from the tour buses easily. If you head down to the quirky Maniot lands to the south, there will be towns you’re walking around where you feel like you’re the last person left on Earth.

If you can, I’d strongly advise spending a night somewhere in The Mani and also on the enchanting island of Monemvasia. The latter has buildings that have been there since medieval times in the sixth century. This is another place that gets lots of day-trippers but turns magical at night when it’s just hotel guests still on the island.

The Athens Riviera

Also known as The Apollo Coast, the Athens Riviera is where Athens residents go for a quick beach trip, or where the ones who can afford to live on the coast commute from to their job in the city. It’s a string of beach cities that all run together for the most part from the port of Piraeus until you get to the Four Seasons and a highway to the airport. It thins out after that, down to the Temple of Poseiden archaeological site at the southeastern end.

We ended up here because we did a home exchange for a week and were really glad we experienced it as a base. We would alternate between working our remote jobs, beach time, and eating at cafes, sometimes taking the tram up or down the beach to check out other areas. We spent most of our time in Palaio Faliro and the beach clubs to the south of there, but then we also spent a couple of nights in Glyfada, which is the ritziest part of the Athens metro area. This is where the Greeks go for designer shopping and celebrity chef dining, rather than in the center of Athens.

So the big appeal here is that you’re surrounded by locals, not foreign tourists. They’re the ones hanging out in the beach clubs and swimming in the ocean, sitting in the tavernas, drinking ouzo or wine by the pebbly beaches. Yet most of the places up to Glyfada you can get to on a tram ride from Athens or the port.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of where to go in Greece to get away from the crowds. I’m just one guy who spent a couple of months exploring. Read a hundred more articles on what’s out there if you really want to see the options, or pull in a Greek expert to help you narrow it down