Conjuring scenes of azure water, sandy beaches, and Cycladic architecture, the Greek Islands are a dream for vacationers seeking sun, sea, and ouzo. Whether you book a small hotel in the hills of Crete overlooking the ocean, or one tucked away down a Santorini side street, small hotels in the Greek Islands provide a cozy and personalized space to call your own while away on your dream vacation.

Small Hotels in the Greek Islands: Our top locations for a tailor-made vacation

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Infinity Pools and Natural History in Santorini

Iconic Santorini owes its unique landscape a 16th century volcanic eruption which decimated the island and formed the rugged cliffs to which its towns cling. With its white-washed walls and blue roofs, the Cycladic architecture of Fira, Santorini’s main town, is the perfect location to find a small and cozy hotel in the Greek Islands. Overlooking Santorini’s submerged crater, Fira is woven together by a web of narrow alleyways and stairs carved into the cliff-side. It’s also home to some of the Greek Island’s most luxurious hotels, featuring stunning infinity pools and sunset bars. To discover more of Santorini’s history, admire the antiquities at the Museum of Prehistoric Thera. Artifacts here date back to the 17th century BC and include natural wonders buried for thousands of years. Not far from Fira are the ruins of ancient Akrotiri, a prehistoric Bronze Age village that was destroyed during the volcanic eruption of the 16th century. Venture north along the coastline and you’ll find the small and beautiful town of Oia. This quintessential Cycladic village is the perfect place to catch the sun as it sets over the Aegean.

Legends Live in Crete

Located on the largest of the Greek Islands, small hotels along Crete’s northern coastline provide access to some of the region’s most beautiful and mythical sites. Travelers to Crete have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the Ancient Greeks at the palace complex of Knossos; the former capital of Minoan Crete and site of the famous ‘Theseus and the Minotaur’ legend. Further legends can be excavated at nearby Phaistos, the ruins of a Bronze Age settlement and where the mysterious 4,000-year-old Phaistos Disk was unearthed. If you’re looking to unwind on Greece’s golden beaches or bask on a sun lounger by the pool of your luxurious hotel, look no further than Crete. One of the most picturesque stretches on sand on this Greek Island is the beach of Balos. A long sandbank stretches out over tropical waters to an island where a Venetian castle still stands. Not far from the sun-kissed seaside town of Kissamos is picture-postcard Falassarna beach. It’s shallow, calm, and crystal water is ideal for those traveling with little ones and its golden sands are the best place to kick back and catch some rays.

Mykonos: Parties & Archeology

© Athina Luxury Suites Mykonos is the glitzy and glamorous jewel of the Cycladic islands. It’s the place to see and be seen, and small hotels on this Greek Island are the best way to get the most out of this exciting hotspot. Mykonos Chora is the bustling center and main port of the island. Traditional sugar-cube buildings line flower-filled streets which are peppered with intriguing souvenir stands, alfresco cafes, and waterside bars. From Mykonos Chora, take a boat out to the ancient and sacred island of Delos. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is littered with ruins; from markets and houses to amphitheaters and temples, all dating back to the 3rd millennium BC. Often referred to as the Ibiza of Greece, the best example of the island’s party scene can be found around Paradise Beach. Small hotels nearby provide access to pristine swimming, beach bars, and parties that go on late into the night. Nearby you’ll find the Mykonos Diving Center where boats will take you out to some of the Aegean’s most beautiful reefs, teeming with fish and coral to be explored by snorkel or scuba.

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