I’ve been to 14 Greek islands, but there’s only one I keep going back to

Traditional whitewashed villages and spectacular scenery await here (Picture: Rawf8/Getty Images)

Duncan Greenfield-Turk is a British travel consultant with 30 years of experience. He tells our Travel Editor Alice Murphy about the Greek island he loves most.

I’ve visited so many Greek islands over the past 20 years, it could be as many as 14 now, depending on whether you count the ones reached by short ferry hop in the same afternoon.

I’ve just been in Athens and the Peloponnese as well, which only reinforced my view that the mainland is too readily dismissed in the rush to the islands.

That said, when I am asked for a lesser-known island that genuinely repays the effort of getting there, my answer is always Tinos.

Just 30 minutes by boat from Mykonos, the contrast with its famous neighbour is one of the most interesting things about it.

Tinos is a little off the beaten trail — no bad thing in the ever-popular Cyclades (Syros, Delos, Paros…). And it really is magnificent.

Kardiani, a village on one of Greece’s most beautiful Cycladic islands (Picture: Apostolos Giontzis/Getty Images)

Still relatively undiscovered, on this island you will find elegant Venetian -influenced architecture, a tradition of extraordinary marble carving that survives to this day in working ateliers, and a landscape of granite hills, dovecotes, and charming villages that have remained largely unchanged for generations.

The gods are fond of Tinos.

It was once a centre of worship for Poseidon, a famous shrine to the Virgin Mary was established in the main town in 1823 and a grand Orthodox church – Panagia Megalochari – settled over it, swagged in red satin like an Edwardian wedding cake.

Tinos still receives pilgrims year-round for the Church of Panagia Evangelistria, some of them literally crawling on their knees from the ferry along a carpet flowing up to the church.

Fishing boats in Panormos harbour on Tinos, where the pace of life is blissfully slow (Picture: Marc Bruxelle/Getty Images)

It has quietly become one of the most exciting food destinations in the Aegean, with a handful of restaurants doing serious work with local ingredients.

It’s the kind of place where you’ll see chef’s hanging octopus tentacles to dry outside tavernas, and plates being smashed through the door.

I also do not think it has reached the point where the experience of being there has been managed away.

These days, people who long owned homes on Mykonos are selling up and relocating to Tinos, drawn by the slower pace of life.

From the UK, the most elegant route is a direct flight to Mykonos from London Gatwick or Luton with easyJet, or from Heathrow with British Airways, followed by a high-speed ferry across the blue.

The cheaper (more arduous) alternative is flying direct to Athens from a wider range of airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Bristol, then connecting via Piraeus on a ferry of approximately five hours.

Duncan Greenfield-Turk has visited some 14 Greek islands, and knows what makes each one tick (Picture: Duncan Greenfield-Turk/Getty Images)

It may be off the usual tourist’s radar, but there is nothing basic about Tinos. There are plenty of accommodation options to suit every budget.

Odera is the island’s flagship property, a five-star Autograph Collection hotel in a converted neoclassical mansion with a pool and views across the town and harbour.

For something with more local character, Pnoēs Tinos is a small three-villa property in the hills with a lovely, quiet atmosphere.

Finally, Under the Sun Cycladic Village offers well-considered four-star villa-style digs that sit more naturally within the landscape.

All of that said though, if Tinos doesn’t tickle your fancy, I point people to my favourite wildcard: Ikaria.

The village of Armenistis on Ikaria (Picture: Gatsi/Getty Images)

This Blue Zone island in the northern Aegean has villages that run nocturnal hours, panigiri festivals that start after midnight and last until dawn, and geothermal springs that flow directly into rock pools at the sea’s edge.

It’s the kind of place that reminds you what the Greek islands were before they became a product. You can get there via Athens with a connecting flight or overnight ferry.

Other places I encourage people to explore instead of Mykonos and Santorini are:

Milos: it’s being positioned as Santorini’s successor right now by many travel magazines. Porto Heli: a well-protected deep-water marina in the Peloponnese region. The best way to describe it is a turquoise bay with almost no current tourist infrastructure. Hydra: a neoclassical harbour town (and birthplace of five Greek prime ministers!). Dokos: it has one of the oldest known shipwrecks in the world in its waters, outstanding anchorage for yachts for an overnight stay. Ermioni: a mainland port town that has an authentic fishing village feel and is excellent for a lunch stop. Nafplio: accessible as a day excursion from the Argolic Gulf stops, and proof that the mainland rewards the detour.

As told to Alice Murphy.

Duncan Greenfield-Turk is the founder of luxury travel studio, Global Travel Moments.

From urban escapes to serene natural retreats, they design joyful experiences and foster meaningful connections.

As part of the LGBTQIA+ community and proud members of IGLTA, they also specialise in crafting journeys for queer travellers and allies, ensuring every moment is indulgent, memorable, and empowering.

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