The Greek cuisine is not only one of the world’s greatest cuisines but you can find fresh food cooked simply and traditionally anywhere you travel in Greece. Tavernas line up the ports and you can eat the day’s catch. Octopus is fried on the grill right in front of you. Plus, choosing a Greek culinary vacation is an amazing idea for any foodie.

It is safe to say that regardless of what island you decide to visit, you’ll have an incredible eating experience. However, some places are famous for the wines or other spirits produced there or you can find excellent olives. So let’s take a lot at some of the best islands for food in Greece.

Booking.com

Santorini

Santorini deserves to be in the list thanks to the wines of Santorini, which are unique in Greece. The best wine grape in Santorini is Assyrtiko, which produces dry Appellation wines. One of the well known Santorini dessert wines is Visanto, which is naturally sweet. These are all white wines as the island is not particularly known for the red varieties.

Don’t worry about the food either. Stay away from the tourist hot spots and look for hidden tavernas where you can try the traditional Greek food.

How to get to Santorini

There are two ways to get from Athens to Santorini: by plane or by ferry. If your vacation time is limited, do choose the flight. Book ahead of time and you can fly from Athens to Santorini on Ryanair, for prices starting at €19 one way, depending on the season.

During the summer season there are plenty of flights, including offered by low-cost carriers, into Santorini from different European cities.

>>read more about Flights to Santorini

But the most romantic way to get to Santorini is by ferry, either from Athens (Piraeus) or from other Greek islands. Plus, you can get to see the superb views along the way. An economy seat on a high speed ferry from Athens starts at €84.70 per person one way and you can book ferry tickets here.

>>read more about Ferries to and from Santorini

Where to stay in Santorini

Santorini is not exactly the cheapest Greek island. In fact, it’s one of the most expensive. Still, you can find affordable Santorini hotels especially if you avoid the hot spots such as Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli and Oia. Those offer the best views of the volcano so the rooms are always more expensive.

Also you can check out the hostels in Santorini which are quite affordable..

Please remember that some hotels and hostels are only open between May and October.

Lesvos

Lesvos is known as the island where the best ouzo is produced and that’s one good reason to add the island to this list. And ouzo goes hand in hand with mezedes, so you are guaranteed some excellent meals during your vacation here.

How to get to Lesvos

You can get to Lesvos from Athens either by plane or ferry. The island’s capital is Mytilini so make sure to look for it in the timetables. Book your ticket ahead of time and you can fly from Athens to Lesvos on Sky Express for prices starting at €46 one way.

>>read more about Flights within Greece

The island is also served by ferries, which link the island with Athens, Thessaloniki and other Greek islands. An economy seat on a regular ferry from Athens to Lesvos starts at €43 per person one way and you can book ferry tickets here.

>>read more about Ferries from Thessaloniki to Lesvos

Where to stay in Lesvos

The third-largest Greek island doesn’t lack hotels and the rates are affordable.

Crete

Crete scores very high when it comes to food and drinks. The Cretan cuisine is one of the healthiest in the world. Studies have shown that showed that the residents on Crete have the lowest mortality rates in the world, less cancer, and heart attack occurrence. Scientists linked the results to the locals’ way of life and diet: healthy extra virgin olive oil , fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, herbs, and honey.

Traditional Cretan dishes include: dolmades, spanakopita, tzatziki, fassolatha, horiatiki salata and baklava.

How to get to Crete

There are two ways to get from Athens to Crete: by plane or by ferry. The quickest way is by plane. There are two airports serving Crete: in Chania and Heraklion. Book ahead of time and you can get a one-way ticket to Heraklion on Volotea for prices starting at €30 per person. Or fly on Ryanair to Chania for prices starting at €24 per person

During the summer season there are charter flights and flights offered by low-cost carriers from many European cities into Crete.

You can also get to Crete by ferry either from Athens or from other Greek islands. It’s romantic but it takes quite a long time. An economy seat on a high speed ferry from Piraeus to Heraklion starts at €36 per person one way and you can book ferry tickets here.

Read more about:

>>Ferries from Athens to Crete
>>Ferries from Santorini to Crete
>>Ferries from Mykonos to Crete
>>Ferries from Crete to Gavdos (and return)

Where to stay in Crete

Hotels in Crete cater for all kinds of budgets: you can find high-end resorts but there are also affordable places to stay.

Note: This article includes links that may qualify as affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a small commission.
The article was originally written in 2010. The prices have been updated as of March 2023.