When you conjure up an image of Greece in your mind, you probably have visions of azure blue seas, white-sand beaches and hidden coves making up a labyrinth for your elegant sail boat, your vessel as you hop from island to island in search of beautiful tavernas. On an island hopping adventure with Not In The Guidebooks, you can make this dreamy imagining into a reality.

Whether it’s cliff jumping, swimming, and cave exploring on an island hopping experience in the Cyclades, hiking to a volcano crater in the Dodecanese, or discovering ancient Greek ruins on a Saronic Island adventure, Not In The Guidebooks’ island hopping holidays in Greece get you off the beaten track and pack your itinerary full of unique, local things to do you simply wouldn’t find yourself.

We’ll put you in touch with the local people who know the secret tavernas, the beaches only island residents visit, the hikes that take you to untouched villages where time seems to have stood still. By the time you leave the Greek Islands, you’ll have had more than just sun, sand and sea, you’ll have created precious travel memories that last a lifetime.

Explore the authentic Greek islands

The Greek islands provide the setting for one of the most compelling travel destinations on earth. Beautiful landscapes of pine-forested hills and quiet white-sand beaches, crumbling temple columns and ancient theatre ruins overlooking dramatic sea cliffs with centuries of history behind them, remote fishing villages boasting atmospheric tavernas and incredible cuisine, and this can all be on one island.

An island hopping adventure in Greece helps you understand the unique personality that each of them have. From the buzzing islands of Kos, Corfu or Mykonos, to the more remote spits of land at Paros, Myros, or Hydra, with Not In The Guidebooks, we’ll get you away from the crowded tourist areas and show you the regions many travellers miss altogether.

What is island hopping?

An island hopping holiday is essentially a trip that takes you beyond the confines of the mainland and helps you explore more than just one of the Greek islands. This allows you to experience the many unique characteristics that each island has, and is also useful for getting off the beaten track and away from Greece’s many areas that have fallen victim to overtourism.

With so many of the Greek islands within easy reach of each other by sailboat, it’s also an eco-friendly way to get the very best out of your holiday to the incredible Greek archipelago.

Enjoy the quintessentially Greek lifestyle of spending your days either out on deck, under the hot sun with the salt spray cooling off the crew members, or exploring magical island interiors where you’ll find small, traditional villages, great hospitality, and a way of life that’s been protected thanks to an island status and mentality.

Beautiful islands you can explore like a local

Boasting around 6000 islands and islets off its coast, Greece really is the perfect location for a sailing holiday. The only question is – where do I start?

If getting truly off-grid is your thing, maybe you enjoy hiking to abandoned villages and through magnificent hillsides, or perhaps you like the idea of setting foot on uninhabited islands that see hardly any tourists, then the Dodecanese could be the ideal isles for your island hopping adventure.

With a cuisine as fresh, seasonal, and local as you’ll find in the Saronic Islands, then any foodies should make a beeline for a Greek sailing holiday that’ll get you under the skin of each of these islands, with visits to lemon farms and stunning food walks.

For the active travellers, on the hunt for exploring by foot, by kayak or by bike, then the Cyclades are the ultimate island hopping destination. With great sea cliffs, beaches and rugged island interiors, the Cyclades offer a real adventure playground.

Of course in all of the series of islands, you’ll find incredible ancient architecture, wonderful food and wine, and warm local hospitality once you escape the main towns and cities and get to know the authentic side to the islands.

Why choose Not In The Guidebooks?

We’re passionate about helping people find the most amazing experiences on their travels, through meeting local people, exploring new places, and discovering alternative activities that make holidays special. We do this by carefully selecting partners in countries around the world who are experts in their local area, sourcing interesting people who can guide you through immersive experiences.

We’ve got local partners all across Greece, from the Mediterranean coast to the country’s touristic centre – Athens. Choosing a Not In The Guidebooks holiday in Greece means you don’t have to choose between a beach holiday or an activity-filled break, you can get the best of both worlds with a unique trip.