6
of the of theBESTBEST
ISLAND CAPITALS i
A Greek island holiday isn’t just about the beach – these towns offer the best of both worlds, writes Alice Barnes-Brown
f you’ve ever island-hopped in Greece, you’ll have noticed each island has its own capital – the chora. Though they are sometimes overlooked in favour of
beachfront resorts, these towns and cities are as diverse as they are plentiful. In Ionian isles such as Corfu and Zante, clients will find a distinctly genteel vibe, but if they head south to the Cyclades, rugged and historic settlements seem to cling to cliff edges. For a Greek island getaway with a cultural twist,
they’re the ideal base. Spend mornings in archaeology museums, stop for an iced coffee in a bustling square, then hop on a local bus to go hiking in the hills or spread out on the sand – these cities put clients at the heart of it all.
DESTINATIONS ISLAND CAPITALS | GREECE & CYPRUS 1
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Visitors to Chania, the cultural heart of Crete and its capital until 1971, won’t fail to miss its huge medieval harbour. A 16th-century lighthouse watches over a port that once hosted up to 40 galleys – today’s travellers, however, are far more likely to board a would-be ‘pirate ship’ or glass-bottomed boat tour. The waterfront is lined by a rainbow of old warehouses, transformed into restaurants and shops. A pink-domed Ottoman-era mosque now houses a peaceful art space, but if clients are looking for something livelier, they can head into
Chania’s maze of alleys to hear street musicians and sip local wine. Book it: Inspiring Travel sells a seven-night stay at Domes Zeen Chania from £2,329 per person, based on two sharing a Tropical Bungalow. Includes breakfast, transfers and flights departing August 15.
inspiringtravel.co.uk
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Spetses
Stepping off the ferry in Spetses’ pretty port, clients will see palatial buildings, peppered with the eccentric mansions of wealthy merchants who made their fortunes on other shores but left a legacy here. Perhaps most interesting is the 17th-century Laskarina Bouboulina house, designed by a Mauritanian architect and now a museum dedicated to its formidable eponymous former owner, believed to be the first woman to become an admiral in the navy. Staying in a villa means travellers can indulge in a little old-world glamour themselves: Villa Spetses is a 10-minute walk from the Bouboulina mansion and just
20 minutes from a pebbly swimming cove. Book it: Oliver’s Travels sells a seven-night stay at Villa Spetses for £9,160 per villa (£763 per person based on 12 sharing). Includes transfers from Athens and flights departing October 4.
oliverstravels.com
26 JUNE 2025
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PICTURES: Shutterstock/David Ionut, Georgios Tsichlis
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