Greek Islands Photo Tour

Lindos, Rhodes with Acropolis in background

Continuing our tour through the Greek Islands, we launched Helios again in May 2024 after an 8-month break. This time we were smart and dry docked Helios in Didim, Turkiye so we wouldn't waste any precious Schengen days prepping Helios. From Didim, we sailed down the Turkish Riviera before crossing back over into the Greek Islands. Last summer, we visited over 22 Greek Islands and this year we revisited some islands and added 3 more unique islands (Astypalaia, Kimolos & Milos) to our list. We have barely scratched the surface of the over 2,000 unique islands of which only 227 are inhabited.

In total, we visited four out of the six main island groups in Greece, each with its own unique architecture, culture, history and activities:

1. Ionian Islands (Corfu, Paxos, Antipaxos, Zakynthos)

2. Dodecanese Islands (Crete, Rhodes, Symi, Tilos, Kos, Kalymnos, Astypalaia)

3. Cyclades Islands (Naxos, Paros, AntiParos, Amorgos, Thirasia, Santorini, Ios, Irakleia, Sikinos, Koufonisi, Kimolos, Milos)

4. Saronic Islands (Angistri, Poros)

5. North Aegean Islands (maybe another day?)

6. Sporades Islands (maybe another day?)
   

Below is a photo tour of most of the islands we have visited in reverse chronological order, with the most recently visited one being first. Milos was the last island in the Cyclades that we visited before heading to Kalamata, Greece, where we left Helios for a quick trip back to Chicago to get a break from the intense summer heat in July.

MILOS

Colorful, charming village near the main town of Adamantes.

Top Row (L-R): Helios anchored in midst of rock formations; Taking dinghy into caves and through arches; Goats! Can you spot all the goats on and between the cliffs?

Middle Row: Dale, our dinghy captain; Christine paddle boarding; View from inside cave

Bottom Row: We swam through this cave and ended up in these beautiful bays with crystal clear water and excellent snorkeling

KIMOLOS

Kimolos offered protection from the Meltemi winds en route to Milos. Winds clocked up to over 42 knots!

Top left photo is of Helios anchored in a stunning bay in Kimolos. The remaining photos are scenes that surrounded us while we sheltered here for a couple of days. No complaints here...

ASTYPALAIA

 Quaint village of Chora atop a steep hill with sweeping views of the sea from the castle & chapel

Astypalaia is a butterfly-shaped island in the Aegean, midway between the Cyclades and Rhodes. From our anchorage, it was a 30-minute walk up a hill past windmills and white-washed homes to reach the Venetian castle and Panagia Portaitissa Church.

SANTORINI

Oia, Santorini where we spent part of our honeymoon exactly 25 years ago

Row 1: View from Oia looking south towards caldera, Dawn in Oia

Row 2: Central Oia, Canaves Oia Hotel - door to room where we stayed on our honeymoon in 1998

Row 3: View from our Caldrea House hotel balcony, Night time in Oia

Row 4: 25th Anniversary breakfast on our balcony, View from hotel looking north

CELEBRATING DOUBLE ANNIVERSARIES ON SEPT. 5, 2023 IN SANTORINI

HAPPT 6TH TO DAVID AND KATHLEEN AND HAPPY 25TH TO DALE AND CHRISTINE!!!

Anniversary Dinner at Roka in Oia, Santorini

THIRASIA

Thirasia Anchorage, Helios is the second boat in the foreground, Santorini Island in the background

Row 1: Horseshoe-shaped bay, View of Helios from Captain John's Restaurant, Trail above village

Row 2: Christine on a steep trail, Trail from village to residential area, Dale in the neighborhood

SIKINOS

Tiny port of Sikinos

Row 1: Steep hike up to Church of Panagia

Row 2: Church of Panagia front entrance, One of the parishoners, Interior of church

Row 3: Entrance for midgets, Steep hike back down to harbor, Ferry wake near Helios

Row 4: Scenery by Helios, Helios anchored

IOS

View of Chora town in Ios

Row 1: Sunset dinner with panoramic view, Cafe in Chora, Greek Orthodox Church

Row 2: Cruising Ios in a dune buggy, Bee keeping boxes, Stunning bay view from outdoor theater

Row 3: Homer's Tomb, Octopus displayed at a seaside restaurant, Hot-rodder Dale

AMORGOS

The 1988 movie, "The Big Blue" was filmed here on Amorgos Island

Snorkeling around the Olympia shipwreck which sank in February, 1980

IRAKLEIA

Livadi Beach Anchorage

Dale displying a line that got tangled in our rudder, Livaidi Beach, Ram on the mountainside

ANTIPAROS

AntiParos waterfront

Row 1: Immaculate pedestrian walkways of AntiParos

Row 2: White-washed shop and church along the water front

Row 3: AntiParos harbor, One of many high-end shops

Row 4: Over 50 kite-surfers and wind surfers skimming the water, Residences in AntiParos

PAROS

View of residential area of Paros from our anchorage in Paroikia Bay

Row 1: Dale enjoying his daily gelato indulgence, Old Town Paros alleys

Row 2: Seaside dinner, Stunning sunset, Night out in Old Town

Row 3: St. Constantine Panoramic Church in Old Town

NAXOS

View of Naxos town from Temple of Apollo

Row 1: Naxos town waterfront, Helios in Naxos Marina, Metaxi Mas Taverna

Row 2: Hidden cafes and shops up and down twisty alleyways, where you can become disoriented

Row 3: Temple of Apollo, Dinner at Avaton on the roof of the Old Monastery of Ursulines, Naxos town framed by Temple of Apollo

KALYMNOS

Kalymnos busy waterfront. Kalymnos Island is just west of Kos.

Row 1: Kalymnos fjords, Stew preparing to snorkel, Christine paddleboarding by cave

Row 2: Kalymnos town harbor, Old town, One of many churches

Row 3: Town square with mosaics, Greek flag painted on mountain side, View from Helios

KOS

Kos Castle

Row 1: Kos Park Entrance, Stroll into Kos Old Town, Archeological ruins in Kos Town

Row 2: Lindsey Shopping in Kos Old Town, Old Market Kos, Sunset in Kos

Row 3: Kos waterfront, Kos Island Marina, Christine and Dale working hard

SYMI

Stopped by this quaint Greek Island of Symi on our way to Turkiye

Row 1: Overnight at this stunning anchorage with crystal clear water, just south of town

Row 2: Symi town, View of Helios from above (2nd from right), 500-Step stroll down from dinner

Row 3: Helios docked in town, Sponge and spice shop, Sunrise over anchorage

RHODES

St. James Bay on the west side of Lindos Acropolis

Row 1: Rhodes Old Town, Entrance to Palace of the Grand Masters, Palace of the Grand Masters

Row 2: Palace courtyard, Rhodes Street of the Knights, Plunge pool at Spirit of the Knights Hotel

Row 3: Town of Lindos, View of anchorage from Acropolis, Lindos beach front

Row 4: Lindos Acropolis, Christine and Dale at the Acropolis with Helios in the background

CRETE

View from our favorite berth in Chania, along a pedestrian walkway lined with cafes

Row 1: Mosque where the harbor master operates from, Helios in Chania, Chania waterfront

Row 2: Various scenes from Chania Old Town

Row 3: Cretian 3-tiered breakfast at Pallas, Christine about to feast, Dale scoping out the market

POROS

Charming Poros waterfront where you can dock stern-to in town

Row 1: Poros town, Traditional Greek boat, One of many tiny churches

Row. 2: Residential alley way scenes and a taverna

Row 3: Sailing alongside Poros, Helios in anchorage with Poros in background, Sunset in Poros

ANGISTRI

Anchored 1 night on this uninhabited island; Water was crystal clear and teaming with fish

ZAKYNTHOS

Blue Caves Agios Nikolaos near our anchorage

Row 1: Approaching Blue Caves, Crystal clear water, Dale on a jumping platform

Row 2: Stephanie, Cam, Megan & Christine inside cave, Cam & Megan, Dale and Sharon inside cave

Row 3: Dinghy ride through arches, Megan getting ready to catch our drone, Helios at anchorage

ANTIPAXOS

Cam and Megan paddle boarding at Lighthouse Bay South anchorage with many cliff caves

Row 1: Lighthouse Bay anchorage, Cam & Megan in a cave, Christine paddle boarding

Row 2: Karavi anchorage, Megan securing stern line to boat, Dale securing line to shore

Row 3: Captain Dale at the helm, Crew helping to hoist sail, Cam enjoying tradewind sail

PAXOS

Anchored and swam at Lakkos Beach

Row 1: Gaios, Paxos stopover for lunch and shopping, Dinghy from Gaios day anchorage into town

Row 2: Dinghy parking, Gaios waterfront

Row 3: Gaios cafes, BFF's Megan & Cam in Gaios town square, Gaios port

CORFU

Entrance to Mandraki Marina, Corfu, our first taste of the Greek Islands

Row 1: Mandraki Marina, Sunset over the fortress, Moat surrounding fortress

Row 2: Fortress clock tower, Entrance to Citadel and marina, Tunnel entrance leading to marina

Row 3: Corfu Old Town, Old Town view from window, View of Citadel from our anchorage

Worth Special Mention: Corfu Mandraki Marina

Walking the plank: Christine's absolute least favorite part about this marina was embarking and disembarking Helios. Note the 45 degree angle of this narrow, cracked plank and imagine that it is bobbing with the boat as she sweats bullets trying not to lose her balance and risk plunging towards the sharp boulders lurking just below the surface of the water. Due to the shallow rocks along the quay, we could not dock stern-to. This is the first and hopefully last time we would need to dock bow-to.