Whether it's the hedonistic nightlife of Mykonos and Ios, the dramatic caldera of Santorini or cricket in Corfu, there is an island for every style and season. With world-class beaches, a tradition of warm hospitality, great food and a fascinating history, the lure of Greece's stunning archipelagos has never been stronger. Take the guesswork out of finding your perfect island paradise with this best-selling guide.
EXPLORE - detailed descriptions of more than 70 Greek islands
ISLAND HOP - inspirational itineraries and comprehensive transport information
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES - diving, windsurfing, walking and cycling uncovered
OVER 100 MAPS - so you can go further afield
IN-DEPTH LANGUAGE SECTION - go on, have fun talking to the locals
OUR STORY A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.
This was a worthwhile resource for helping to plan a trip to Greece. I had a very difficult time beforehand trying to narrow down destinations, and prioritize time for a 15-day trek. This Lonely Planet helped by giving me a decent synopsis of each island and its highlights, as well as some biased preferences.
Beyond this high-level perspective, however, I found it lacking. Greece and its Islands provides a multitude of experiences, appealing to a wide range of preferences in activities, accommodations and dining. It is a huge challenge for any guide book to address most of these. For that reason, on-line travel forums, offering more detailed personalized information, and immediacy, seem to be better resources for individualized itineraries.
One other shortcoming of this guide was its lack of information on the mainland; my own fault for not spending another $35 for mainland Greece, but, for what ended up being 2 of our 15 days spent outside Athens and the Islands, I didn’t feel it worth it. The guide would have benefited from a few pages of more detailed information on the mainland, tho.
Pretty good for almost all of the isles. If we were going to stay longer than a few days on any one island, I would have looked into finding a guide book specifically for said island. (If there are such books out there.) But we referred to this one on each island we traveled to and found out the basics and a few special place/things to see and do. Naxos and Santorini were spectacular!
So the weirdest thing is that on the cover of this book there is an undershirt blowing in the wind and a church in the background. Is this symbolic? I have perused this book and am certain that it will be the bible for our Greek Islands tour. I will be using the pages to wipe the olive juices from my chin.
I haven't finished it - of course how can u finish a guide book without start packing and enjoying your own trip ? However I love the beautiful words the authors gave to Greek Islands, because I also love Greece very much
Lots and lots of great information to help you plan your trip. Well organized by island groups with nice details and historical perspectives, not-too-be-missed sites, and good recommendations on places to stay and especially places to eat.