Sirens. Not the kind that signal emergency, nor the femme fatales that lit up Hollywood in the golden age of film, but the ones that people cannot resist, no matter what. In ancient Greece, the malevolent half-woman, half-bird sirens that haunted its seas lured sailors to their deaths with their song. So powerful was the pull of those melodies that the mythical hero Odysseus had to be tied to the mast of his vessel so he wouldn’t jump ship to follow them.
I often think of that tale when my own sirens – the benevolent, welcoming islands of Greece – call me be back there. The hypnotic melody of their very names, Syros, Sifnos and Serifos; Paxos, Paros and Patmos; Crete, Corfu and Kos promise peace, and that is what they deliver.
Visitor numbers surging
It seems others feel that same need to return as I do: the country and its islands are consistently in the top 10 destinations visited by Brits, with 2024, 2025 and, indeed, the first half of 2026 showing significant upsurges.
According to Greek Travel Pages, which has reporting on the country’s travel industry since 1975, hotel bookings for January to May 2026 were 33.3% higher than for the same period past year.
Chris Wright, Managing Director of Sunvil, says the country’s enduring popularity is down to the desire to gain a deeper knowledge of all that Greece offers. “First visits often focus on familiar islands or iconic sights, but many clients return in search of something quieter or more immersive – a lesser known island, an inland region or travel outside the peak summer months when the pace slows and local life comes to fore.”
In other words, the sirens that call them back are the culture and history; the people and the welcome they provide; the diversity and authenticity, and the food and wine.
Changing behaviours
Wright has been visiting Greece for decades, but is still surprised by its variety and charms. “The distinct identity of each island remains rooted in traditions, in the landscape, and the history, rather than being shaped by tourism. There is such diversity, and I feel that if agents were to add quieter, less-visited islands to a client’s itinerary they would greatly enrich their experience.”
Tinos, Folegandros and Sifnos have long been cherished by those in the know, but they are now attracting travellers who are keen to travel beyond Santorini and Mykonos, says Wright. “Tinos has welcomed its first genuinely luxury property in Odera, and Folegandros now has the five-star Gundari Resort. What makes these islands so compelling is that they are the ‘real’ Greece, rather than a version of it curated for tourism.”
Besides these selling points, Greece is also an ideal choice for anyone wishing to enjoy a slower way of travelling, or to travel out of peak season. There is increased interest in both, says Eleni Skarveli, Director of the Greek National Tourist Organisation (GNTO), UK and Ireland, with visitors keen to experience Greece in a more authentic and regenerative way.
“After the summer rush, travel agents can promote different types of getaways, among them agri-tourism and nature-based breaks, including mushroom foraging in the Pindus Mountains in Northern Greece, or the olive harvests and tastings on Crete and Naxos; special-interest holidays, including Greek cooking on Ikaria, and cultural events such as February’s nationwide Apokries Carnival.”
For visitors wishing to experience slow travel, a train journey is an excellent choice. The country’s rail network is not expansive, but does include some spectacular routes, the most notable one of which is the 120-year-old Odontotos rack railway, from the coastal town of Diakopto, in the Peloponnese, through the through the Vouraikos Gorge to Kalavryta. The journey is just 60 minutes, but the memory of it will last a lifetime.
What’s new
The 1,730km Peloponnese Hiking Trail will open between now and late October and will make the Peloponnese an all-year-round trekking destination. Running through the rugged peninsula and connecting ancient Mycenae and Epidavros, it will take walkers through mountain villages, along coastal paths and past architectural sites.
Eight museums have recently opened, including the National Museum of Underwater Antiquities, Athens, highlighting Greece’s maritime heritage with over 2,500 exhibits; and Thessalonikeon Mitropolis, Thessaloniki – archaeological remains discovered when the city’s metro was built. The Tatoi Palace Museum, which is the former royal family summer home, will house recovered royal artifacts and opens in autumn.
Many new hotels, including 61-suite Fouquet’s Mykonos, the first property to be opened in Greece by the prestige Barrière Group and OVEA Paros, on the outskirts of Naoussa, has 21 suites, all with their own pools.
The scaffolding around the Parthenon has been up for so long – 200 years, give or take – that it’s almost become part of the monument. But this summer, it will be finally be removed when the last phase of the restoration is completed. This is likely to drive more visitors to Athens.
Book it
Sunvil’s 14-night Chios, Lesvos and Samos island-hopping itinerary costs from £2,340pp (two sharing), including return flights to Athens, B&B accommodation throughout, local flight connections or ferries and transfers throughout.
