Let´s face it, most people flock to the 227 inhabited islands of Hellas because of their thousands of gorgeous beaches. But many also offer history buffs plenty to admire, and there are a number which are also worth visiting for their historical marvels alone, dating back millennia. Here are the five most important ones:
Corfu: Showcasing a Plethora of Eras
The most important of the Ionian Islands on the western side of the country was one of its earliest vacation stars, and remains one of its best islands for beaches, which number more than a hundred, from castaway coves to full-service extravaganza. But Kerkyra is one of Greece´s historical troves, with a legacy dating at least as far back as the 7th century BCE (although much of what we see today is rooted in the Middle Ages). The narrow cobbled streets and charming squares of the eponymous capital are a delight to wander, and its Old Town (above) is packed with historic palazzos and churches as well as interesting museums devoted among other things to archaeology and Byzantine history. It´s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the most notable landmarks including the Old Fortress (aka the Citadel, also shown above), occupying a promontory apart from the main town and largely built in the early 15th century during the Ionian Islands´ rule by the Republic of Venice (1363-1797), and the New Fortress, built beginning in 1572 to defend against incursions by the Ottoman Turks (though most of the buildings left here today were built by the British during their own "protectorate" rule of Corfu in 1815-63). Visitors also enjoy visiting Achilleion, ten minutes outside town in the village of Gastouri, a neoclassical palace built in 1890 as a summer retreat for the Austro-Hungarian empress Elisabeth (better known as Sissi).
Out in the countryside outside Corfu town, meanwhile, are sites from the island´s ancient Greek, Byzantine, and Venetian past. Just south town, the ruins of Paleopolis marks the site of ancient Kerkyra, founded by settlers from the city of Corinth in the 8th century BCE, including sections of fortifications, public buildings, and sanctuaries. Within the same grounds stands Mon Repos Palace, built in 1826 during the British protectorate as a neoclassical villa for the High Commissioner (and incidentally, the birthplace in 1921 of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh); the surrounding parkland contains archaeological remains integrated into landscaped gardens, blending ancient and modern history. Near Mon Repos, the walls and foundations of the Kardaki Temple are a rare surviving example of an Archaic Doric temple dating to around 500 BCE; dedicated it´s thought to either Apollo or Poseidon and demonstrating Corfu’s importance as a maritime power in classical antiquity.
Other notable sites well worth a visit include a pair of defensive fortresses on the north coast: the well preserved Angelokastro, perched dramatically above the sea near the town of Paleokastritsa, and the imposing Kassiopi Castle on the north coast, both built during the Byzantine rule of the 13th century; nearby you´ll also find the Greek Orthodox Paleokastritsa Monastery, dating back to 1225 and still in operation today. And yet another Byzantine fortress, in the southwest near Lake Korission, Gardiki Castle sits on flat terrain, with well preserved walls and a distinctive decagonal (10-sided) layout. You can also have a look at the remains of the Venetian shipyard (Arsenale) in Gouvia, just north of Corfu Town, constructed in 1716 immediately after successfully repelling a major Ottoman siege. And finally, on the slopes of Mount Pantokrator at the island´s northeast corner, Corfu´s oldest village Palia (Old) Perithia, was once a thriving Venetian-era settlement with various churches and stone houses, finally abandoned for good in the 1960s but now around 40 percent restored.
Crete: A Beautiful Blend of Nature and Ancient History
Even more packed with beaches than Corfu - more than 400 - Greece´s largest island also boasts diverse landscapes (including the breathtaking Samaria Gorge) and some of the most ancient history of all the Greek islands. That´s because 3,000 to 5,000 years ago it was the heartland of the Bronze-Age Minoan civilization - regarded as Europe´s first - and a number of UNESCO World Heritage Minoan sites can be visited today. The most famous is Knossos (above), on the outskirts of the capital Heraklion. Europe´s first city was founded around 1900 BCE, and this five-acre complex still has the remnants of colorful frescos labyrinthine architecture (in fact, it´s connected with the classical Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, in which a labyrinth plays a central role; a fraction of the palace has been (controversially) reconstructed. You can also visit other Minoan palaces on Crete: Phaistos, Malia, and Zakros, as well as the settlement of Hagia Triada near Phaistos, which among other things features an impressive royal villa.
Other ancient sites on the island include Gortyn, Crete´s capital when it was Creta et Cyrenaica, a province of republican then imperial Rome (67 BCE-267 CE); Aptera, near the city of Chania, with copact ruins from various periods, including the Roman and Byzantine; and Lissos, a Hellenic coastal settlement known in ancient times for its healing thermal baths.
The island's lively modern capital - especially its Old Town - also has quite a bit to offer history buffs, such as the Heraklion Archaeological Museum with the world´s largest collection of Minoan artifacts; the Historical Museum of Crete covering what came after the Minoans; the 16th-century Koules Fortress, Venetian Loggia, harbor, and fortified walls, dating back to the centuries when it like Corfu was ruled by the "Serenissima" Republic of Venice; the city´s oldest church Agios Titos (founded in 961), and a pair of Greek Orthodoz cathedrals, St. Catherine of Sinai (also founded in the 10th century) and 19th-century Agios Minas, one of Greece´s largest.
Though uninhabited today, the tiny island of Delos—just 1⅓ square miles—was once one of the most important sacred and commercial centers of the ancient Greek world. Reached by a 20- to 40-minute ferry ride from Mykonos, depending on sea conditions, Delos was revered for millennia as a pan-Hellenic sanctuary. According to myth, it was the birthplace of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis, and its religious significance drew pilgrims from across the Greek world.
In 478 BCE, Delos became the headquarters of the Delian League, the confederacy of city-states led by Athens in the aftermath of the Persian Wars. Tribute from member states was stored here before being moved to Athens, marking Delos as both a spiritual and political center. By the Hellenistic and Roman periods, the island had also grown into a thriving port and cosmopolitan trading hub, populated by merchants from across the Mediterranean.
Today this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of Greece’s most evocative open-air museums. Visitors can wander along ancient marble streets lined with the remains of houses, markets, and temples, including sanctuaries dedicated to Apollo. Highlights include the iconic Terrace of the Lions, the remains of an amphitheater overlooking the sea, and even a rare ancient synagogue, reflecting the island’s diverse population. Though windswept and largely barren now, Delos still conveys a powerful sense of its former grandeur and sacred importance.
Rhodes: A Medieval Marvel
In the Dodecanese, one of Greece’s most historically significant islands (pop. 115,000) is one of the Mediterranean’s richest destinations for history lovers. Its capital, Rhodes Town (pop. 50,000), is anchored by a remarkably preserved medieval Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of cobbled streets, stone houses, and massive walls built by the Knights of St. John. Walking through it feels like stepping into a living fortress, especially along the Street of the Knights.
Human settlement dates back to the Neolithic period (c. 4000 BCE), and by the 8th century BCE Rhodes was a major Greek center. It later became famous for the Colossus of Rhodes, a giant bronze statue of the sun god Helios erected around 280 BCE near the harbor—one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, though it stood for only a few decades before collapsing.
Key sights include the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, a vast 14th-century fortress-palace with grand halls, mosaics, and medieval artifacts, and the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes. One of the few remnants of the ancient Hellenic times is the Acropolis of Lindos (founded in the 10th century BCE), about an hour´s drive outside Rhodes Town, which rises above the whitewashed village of Lindos, with the Temple of Athena Lindia and sweeping sea views.
Beyond history, Rhodes offers a tasty menu of food and wine and is full of charming villages (besides Lindos, other notable examples being Afandou, Archangelos, and Embonas; more than 40 fetching beaches, ranging from sandy stretches to clear, pebbled coves; and varied natural landscapes (great for hiking and biking) from pine forests to rugged hills. All of which makes this island as appealing for dining, relaxation, and nature as for culture. (For more on Rhodes, click here.)
Santorini: Romantic and Ancient
Down in the southernmost Cyclades of the Aegean Sea, the volcanic island the Greeks call Thira or Thera (with a population of around 15,000) offers history lovers a dramatic blend of archaeology and landscape shaped by one of the ancient world’s most powerful volcanic eruptions. In the Bronze Age, the island was part of the Minoan civilization I talked about above in Crete, and around the 16th century BCE an eruption buried the settlement of Akrotiri in ash, preserving it in remarkable detail. Today the Akrotiri archaeological site, just 20 minutes south of the island's capital Fira, is often compared to Pompeii. Visitors walk through a covered excavation of multi-story buildings, streets, and drainage systems, with vivid frescoes and everyday objects revealing a sophisticated prehistoric society.
Another key historical layer is Ancient Thera, a Hellenistic and Roman city perched on a ridge between the villages of Kamari and Perissa. Founded in the 9th century BCE and developed in later periods, it offers sweeping views along with extensive ruins, including the Sanctuary of Apollo Karneios (6th century BCE), the Theater (3rd century BCE), the agora, the Royal Stoa, the Temple of Dionysius, and the distinctive Sanctuary of Artemidoros, carved into the local rock.
As for museums, in Fira the Museum of Prehistoric Thera displays many of these finds, while its Archaeology Museum focuses on later Greek periods; just outside town, the Lignos Folklore Museum of island culture is also well worth a visit. In the island's other main town, Oia, you can find smaller galleries as well as a Maritime Museum showcasing the island’s seafaring past, while the village of Pyrgos Kallistis is home to the Santorini Traditional Museum, housed in an old former winery, and the village of Megalohori has the Museum of Lost Atlantis.
Beyond its history, Santorini’s appeal is undeniable: whitewashed villages with blue-domed churches cling to caldera cliffs, offering some of the Mediterranean’s most spectacular views. Dining is a highlight, with fresh seafood and local wines enjoyed at sunset. The island also has up to 20 beaches, often volcanic in character, with white, black, and even red sand, and there are also around 20 wineries—of which you can visit about a dozen—producing distinctive wines from grapes grown in volcanic soil, especially the crisp, mineral-rich Assyrtiko variety.
Sadly, the island has in recent years become notorious for overtourism, so to avoid this the best times to visit are April–May and September–October, when crowds thin and the atmosphere is more relaxed.
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