Astypalaia

Astypalaia lies at the western edge of the Dodecanese, closer in spirit and appearance to the Cyclades than to its own island group. Its whitewashed cube houses, windmills and blue-domed churches could belong to Naxos or Amorgos, yet its remoteness keeps it far quieter than any of them. Two rugged lobes of land joined by a narrow isthmus give the island its distinctive butterfly shape and a coastline of hidden bays.

The island's glory is its capital, Chora, which climbs a steep hill in a cascade of white houses to a Venetian castle at the summit. Built by the Querini family who ruled here for three centuries, the fortress encloses two churches and looks out over a row of restored windmills and the sea beyond. The lanes below, hung with bougainvillea and stepping steeply between the houses, make it one of the most photogenic hill-towns in the Aegean.

Below Chora, the port of Skala gathers around a small harbour, while the rest of the island unfolds into a landscape of bare hills, grazing goats and empty coves. The best beaches lie on the eastern wing: Livadi just below Chora, and the more remote sands of Kaminakia, Vatses and Agios Konstantinos, some reached only by dirt track or boat. On the far eastern tip, the tiny settlement of Vathy shelters in a near-enclosed bay.

Astypalaia carries its history lightly but deeply. Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient children's cemetery near Chora, one of the largest known from antiquity, and the island has more recently become a testbed for electric mobility and renewable energy as a Greek showcase for a greener future.

Getting here takes commitment, which is part of the point. A small airport handles flights from Athens, and ferries link the island to Piraeus, the Cyclades and the rest of the Dodecanese, though crossings are long and less frequent than to busier islands. Three days lets you settle into the pace, explore Chora and reach two or three of the far-flung beaches. For travellers who want the Cyclades without the crowds, few places deliver like Astypalaia.