Fournoi

Fournoi, more fully Fournoi Korseon, is a little archipelago in the eastern Aegean, tucked between Ikaria and Samos. Its name recalls the corsairs, or korseoi, who once used its labyrinth of bays and coves as a hideout, preying on the busy shipping lanes nearby. Today those same sheltered inlets make it one of the finest small fishing islands in Greece, and its harbour village smells of the sea and of grilled fish rather than of any pirate menace.

The main island is long and mountainous, and almost everyone lives in the single lively port town, usually called Kampos or simply Fournoi, whose long central street runs from the waterfront up past cafes and tavernas towards an old windmill. It is an easygoing, unpretentious place, and its fishing fleet supplies some of the best-value seafood in the Aegean, with lobster, prawns and the day's catch turning up on every taverna table. Beyond the town, a scattering of smaller settlements such as Chrysomilia and Kamari cling to the north coast.

The island's glory is its beaches, dozens of them, reached by road, footpath or the small boats that ferry swimmers to remoter coves. Vlychada, Psili Ammos, Kampi and Petrokopio, the last named for its ancient marble quarries, are among the favourites, and the water everywhere is exceptionally clear. In recent years marine archaeologists have made Fournoi famous in a new way, discovering an extraordinary concentration of ancient shipwrecks in its surrounding seabed, confirming its long history at a maritime crossroads.

Despite growing renown, Fournoi remains small-scale and relaxed, with modest rooms rather than resorts and a nightlife that means a long dinner and a drink by the harbour.

Go to Fournoi for the seafood, the clear-water coves and the unhurried pace, and to island-hop easily to Ikaria or Samos. High summer is warmest and liveliest; late spring and early autumn bring quiet beaches and comfortable walking weather.