Ask a few New Yorkers where they’re going for the summer, and you’ll usually notice a theme. Summer is one of the best times to escape Manhattan and its surrounding boroughs, and city dwellers are zeroed in on the best places to seek refuge—it’s usually somewhere with a great beach. For summer 2024, Greece was one of the most popular destinations to visit, and more specifically, the Greek Cyclades Islands, a surrealistic cluster of 200 inhabited islands in the Aegean Sea, each with its unique personality, all accessible by ferry. You can visit just one or plan a trip to multiple islands in one go. While summer is undoubtedly a great time to visit the area, fall is when those in the know plan a vacation there. Crowds are sparser, the sea breeze is stronger, and in some cases, you’ll feel like you have the islands all to yourself. But with hundreds of localized towns, deciding which ones to visit for the first or even second time can be tricky. You’ll want to return to some repeatedly, while others will be in your memories for years. But one thing is sure—you’ll never get tired of the country's picturesque Mediterranean landscape, fresh seafood and local olive oils, exceptional wines, and heartwarming people. Here are the best Greek Islands to visit this fall—from the closest to Athens to the farthest—plus where to stay and what to put on the itinerary.
