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Imagining Greece you imagine the sea.
The Ionian Islands
  
On the west coast of Greece and near Italy , there
are seven main islands
Corfu, Paxi, Ithaki , Kephalonia, Zakynthos,
Leukada, and Kythera.
Under British Rule until 1864 and under Venetian rule
before that, these were the only part of Greece that was never seized
by the Turks (including Mt. Athos ). The blue waters of the Ionian
Sea give these islands an idyllic quality which was appreciated from
the Europeans since the 18 th C.
The Saronic Gulf Islands
Egina, Hydra, Poros , Spetsae.
  
Easily accessible islands also known as the Argo-Saronic
islands because of their proximity to Argolis . Hydra and Spetsae
are close to Peloponnesian coast and no cars are allowed in these
two islands.
Northern Aegean Islands
Lesvos,,Limnos, Samos, Hios, Ikaria .
  
These islands are close to Turkish coast are very green
and fertile thus the population is prospering from cultivating the
land and the tourist industry. The islands are served by air and
sea from various mainland ports.
Sporades
Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, Skyros.
  
These four islands lie close to the mainland and are
very popular with tourists for their beaches, the Byzantine monasteries
,their little fishing villages and the relaxed way of living .
Cyclades
Andros, Kythnos, Kea, Syros, Tinos , Mykonos,
Santorin, Delos, Amorgos, Paros, Antiparos, Naxos,
Sifnos, Ios, Folegandros, Kimolos, Milos, Serifos.
  
They were called Cyclades by the Ancient
Greeks because all the islands form a circle around the wholly island
of Delos . The island's terrain is barren and this adds a certain
beauty to them.
Some islands are volcanic in origin ( Milos , Folegandros,
and Santorini) giving them astonishing landscapes.
The sun bathes these islands generously and is fringed
by beaches some of which are fantastic .
Dodecanese
Rhodes, Patmos, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kos, Leros,
Nissiros, Tilos, Kassos, Kastellorizo, Astipalea, Simi.
  
Close to Turkish coast lies a group of 12 main islands
called the Dodecanese (name given in 1908). These mountainous and
picturesque islands played an important role during the middle ages
when they were the front line of the western world facing the Turkish
threat.
Crete
  
Close to Turkish coast lies a group of 12 main islands
called the Dodecanese (name given in 1908). These mountainous and
picturesque islands played an important role during the middle ages
when they were the front line of the western world facing the Turkish
threat.
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