Alonissos – National Marine Park

Nea Moni Wall (Chios)

Panormos Reef (Skopelos)

The Petrified Forest (Lesvos)

The Arch (Skiathos)

The Tunnel (Samos)

The NE Aegean is famous for ouzo (Lesvos, Samos), sardines (the "gouna" of Lesvos) and seafood with herbs. The Sporades add good cheeses and honey, and the region’s tavernas are relaxed and very local. Across Aegean – Sporades & North-East Aegean, the table leans on olive oil, lemon, herbs and the day's catch, with grilled fish, horiatiki salad and slow-cooked stews appearing everywhere. Mezedes — small shared plates — are the social heart of an evening, best washed down with a chilled local white or ouzo. Vegetarians are well served by dishes built on wild greens, pulses and cheese, and bakeries turn out savoury pies through the day.

Skiathos Palace Hotel

Skopelos Village Hotel

Alonissos Mare Hotel

Lesvos Inn Hotel

Samos Sun Hotel

The Sporades and the North-East Aegean are the green, pine-scented counterpoint to the bare Cyclades. Alonissos guards the National Marine Park, Europe’s largest protected sea area and a refuge of the monk seal, with steep walls and abundant fish. Skiathos and Skopelos offer gentle arches, reefs and corals ideal for training and relaxed diving, while the North-East Aegean islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos add geological and cultural variety: Lesvos’ submerged petrified forest, Chios’ red-gorgonian walls and Samos’ light-filled tunnel. The region mixes pine forests, traditional villages and very clear water, and is a favourite for divers who want nature, easy conditions and a strong sense of "real" Greece away from the mass resorts.

Aegean – Sporades & North-East Aegean