Greek Islands Complete Guide 2026: Santorini, Crete, Mykonos, Rhodes, Naxos, Milos
Browse more guides: Greece travel | Europe destinations Greek Islands Complete Guide 2026: Santorini, Crete, Mykonos, Rhodes, Naxos, Milos TL;DR I spent five weeks island-hopping across the Aegean and Ionian seas to update this guide for the 2026 season, and I came back convinced that Greece is finally settling into a rhythm that rewards travelers who slow down. The headline shift this year is regulation: Santorini caps cruise arrivals at 8,000 visitors per day starting in 2026, and Mykonos has joined the same scheme. That single policy change, announced by the Greek government in 2024, means Oia's famous sunset terraces feel walkable again on most evenings outside July and August, and the cobbled lanes of Mykonos Town no longer flood with same-day cruise passengers between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. My recommended structure for a first visit is straightforward. Land in Athens, see the Acropolis in a single morning, then catch a Blue Star Ferries overnight to one of the bigger Cyclad...