GR-eco Islands: Greece's unknown island paradises far away from the tourist crowds

Greece is a place of longing. With his, the excellent food and its unmistakable charm, Hellas is at the top of our list of holiday favorites. Unfortunately, we are not alone with this preference. In 2023, around 33 million people came to Greece from abroad, and the tourism industry is booming. Even small Greek islands are now served by international scheduled flights in the summer. This is practical, of course, but has little to do with sustainable and relaxed travel. Hotspots likeor Santorini are bursting at the seams. That's why the Greek government wants to counteract this with a new conceptGR-eco Islands. This is what is meantInselparadiese, which provide real travel insider tips and really relaxed holidays. We'll tell you where you can find them.

The GR-eco Islands is a national initiative by the Greek government to transform selected islands into sustainable and eco-friendly communities. The aim is to not only make the islands more ecologically sustainable through renewable energies and electromobility, but also to improve the quality of life of the residents and prepare tourism for the future. So far, four islands are part of the initiative, which is not only quite progressive, but also realare. And this despite the fact that they are at least as beautiful as the hotspot islands plagued by mass tourism. So next year maybe just try these alternatives:

Why always fly to Rhodes for an all-inclusive holiday when you can have a much more relaxed and original experience. Our travel insider tip: still fly to Rhodes, get on the ferry and go to Chalki. Life here takes place far away from mass tourism and is also part of the GR-eco Islands campaign. A lot will be done here in the next few years in terms of electromobility, solar systems and energy efficiency. And until then you can just make yourself comfortable on the beach or rent a sailing boat, sail along the shore in peace and quiet and be happy that you don't have to share this fantastic view with thousands of other tourists.

Anyone who has a longer oneand at some point you've had enough of the hustle and bustle and crowds, you should go to the port in Piraeus, get on a ferry and sail to Poros. In just under an hour you can arrive on this paradise island, which is a small travel insider tip compared to many other islands in this corner. Poros is not particularly big. The island measures just 23 square kilometers and consists of the main town of the same name, Poros, and is also made up of olive groves, citrus trees and pine forests. Here you can go through thestroll, enjoy good food and even better wine in the tavern and finally jump into the sea before driving back to Athens in the evening. Pretty relaxing day trip, we would say.

Astypalea shines with a special mobility concept. The island is part of the Southern Sporades in the Aegean and is intended to become a model for the use of electric mobility. In 2020, the Greek government reached an agreement with VW to make the island's transport system climate-neutral. Car sharing is intended to expand the bus networkreplace the old combustion engines. The energy required for this should be generated exclusively from solar and wind power. An ambitious project that also boosts tourism. Until now, the island was still quite underdeveloped compared to the mass tourism hotspots and is therefore considered an insider tip among the Greek islands. Otherwise, there is no reason not to spend your 2025 summer vacation on the GR-eco Island. With its white houses and deep blue water, Astypalea is reminiscent of Santorini, but is significantly cheaper and more relaxed. You can reach Astypalea either via the small regional airport that connects the island with Athens, or by ferry from Kos, around 44 kilometers away.

The remote island of Tilos is not actually one of the GR-eco Islands, but it is also pursuing a sustainable project (there is the country's first hybrid power plant here, in which energy is generated from wind farms and solar systems) and is an insider tip for Greece, which you should definitely remember. Nature lovers in particular will get their money's worth on Tilos, as a large part of the island is designated as a nature reserve. There are also numerous archaeological sites and ruins that you can visit if you ever get bored. With its picturesque landscapes, pristine beaches and crystal clear waters, Tilos offers a tranquil and relaxing environment. Really winding down and living the authentic Greek island life – sounds exactly like we like it.