55 Best Sights in The Northern Aegean Islands, Greece

The old village of Eresos, separated from the coast by a large plain, was developed to protect its inhabitants from pirate raids. Along the mulberry tree–lined road leading from the beach you might encounter a villager wearing a traditional head scarf (mandila), plodding by on her donkey. Equally you might meet a former hippie reliving their youth; it is that kind of place—a community of spiritually minded people you would not expect to find in a remote Greek island village. The settlement of two-story, 19th-century stone and shingle houses, often restored by Northern European second homers and retirees, is filled with superb architectural details. Note the huge wooden doors decorated with nails and elaborate door knockers, loophole windows in thick stone walls, elegant pediments topping imposing mansions, and fountains spilling under Gothic arches.

Stroll the main street, Ermou, which goes from the port on the north side of town to the port on the south side. Scruffy but characterful, Ouzo wholesalers rub shoulders with clothing boutiques. Walk past the fish market on the southern end, where men haul in their sardines, mullet, and octopus, and explore narrow lanes filled with grand old mansions in varying states of romantic ruin.

An end-of-the-world atmosphere prevails at this lovely stretch of sand at the far west of the island just north of Sigri, punctuated by a rocky outcropping and fronting a green river valley, where you're likely to see waterfowl and turtles. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: nudists; solitude; sunset; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

A 15th-century palace of the Genoese, who ruled Chios until the Turks drove them out in 1566, is one of the most venerable landmarks on the island, with a loggia and external staircase. Situated between the main square and the central gate of the fortress, it is believed to have belonged to the chief magistrate. Inside are some glorious Byzantine murals of the prophets from the 13th century, as well as icons and sculptures.

The early Samians worshipped the goddess Hera, wife of Zeus, believing she was born here beneath a bush near the Imbrassos stream. Several temples were built on the site in her honor, the earliest dating back to the 8th century BC. Polycrates rebuilt the To Hraio, or Temple of Hera, around 540 BC, making it four times larger than the Parthenon and the largest Greek temple ever conceived, with two rows of columns (155 in all). The temple was damaged by fire in 525 BC and never completed, owing to Polycrates's untimely death. In the intervening years, masons recycled the stones to create other buildings, including a basilica (foundations remain at the site) to the Virgin Mary. Today you can only imagine the To Hraio's massive glory; of its forest of columns only one remains standing, slightly askew and only half its original height, amid acres of marble remnants in marshy ground thick with poppies in spring.

At the ancient celebrations to honor Hera, the faithful approached from the sea along the Sacred Road, which is still visible at the site's northeast corner. Nearby are replicas of a 6th-century-BC sculpture depicting an aristocratic family; its chiseled signature reads "Genelaos made me." The kouros from Heraion was found here and is now in the Archaeological Museum in Samos Town.

This popular beach fronts a large bay, and its golden sands and shallow, warm waters make it a good spot for young families. Many tavernas and hotels line the built-up shoreline, and there is a bus service to and from town. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; swimming.

At the eastern corner of Pythagorio lie the crumbling ruins of the Kastro, probably built on top of the ruins of an older acropolis. Revolutionary hero Lykourgou Logotheti created this 19th-century edifice; his statue is next door, in the courtyard of the church built to honor a victory. He held back the Turks on Transfiguration Day, and a sign on the church announces in Greek: "Christ saved Samos 6 August 1824." On saint days the villagers light votive candles in the church cemetery, a moving sight with the ghostly silhouette of the fortress and the moonlit sea in the background. Nearby are some fragments of the wall that the ruler Polycrates built in the 6th century BC.

Calm, turquoise waters wash onto this beach of sand and pebbles that is shaded by pine trees. Kerveli provides a quiet escape from the beaches near the more populated centers, and getting here involves a pleasurable final stretch through some of the loveliest forested parts in eastern Samos. Just offshore there is an uninhabited island called Kasonisi easily swimmable from the mainland. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; swimming; walking.

The second floor above the impressive Korais Library, Greece's third largest, houses artifacts celebrating life on Chios. Meticulously designed costumes, embroideries, pastoral wood carvings, furniture from a village home, and rare books and prints are the legacy of Philip Argenti (1891–1974); a Renaissance man who studied at Oxford, he was a diplomat and scholar, and for many years chronicled island history from his estate in the Kambos District.

Some of the best beaches on the island are in the vicinity, including Limnos and Lefkathia, with calm, turquoise waters surrounded by steep cliffs. A small scene has grown here with beach bars, tavernas, and a marina. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

This stunning 16th-century complex outside of Molyvos houses 40 chapels and an impressive collection of precious objects. Founded by St. Ignatios Agalianos on the ruins of an older Byzantine monastery, Limonos earned its name from the "flowering meadow of souls" surrounding it. The intimate St. Ignatios church is filled with colorful frescoes and is patrolled by peacocks. A folk-art museum with historic and religious works is accompanied by a treasury of 450 Byzantine manuscripts. Women are not allowed inside the main church.

Discover how the nearby Petrified Forest was created in this interesting museum whose exhibits are scrupulously labeled and clearly laid out. The museum's own patch of the forest transports viewers 20 million years back in time to violent volcanic eruptions. Alongside the giant sequoia trunks there are also unique fossils of animals like the Deinotherium, an early ancestor of the elephant, and tiny vegetation remnants preserved on volcanic rock that resembles delicate Zen art.

Lemonakia, Tsamadou, and Tsabou all are just a few minutes' drive from one another, forming a continuous string of sand and pebbles separated by pine-clad headlands. They are all delightful places to lounge and swim, and are well supplied with sun beds and concessions. The stretch is to be avoided when the summertime meltemi (northern winds) blow, unless you are a windsurfer. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming; walking; windsurfing.

One of the smaller mastic villages with a characteristic 20-meter (66-foot) tower-keep right in the middle of the square, it was established in the 13th century, and the outer walls are conjoined so that there is only one entrance in and out of the village. Narrow alleys, cobbled streets, and simple architecture add to the sleepy romance. Just south of Olimpi are the Caves of Olimpi, also known as the Caves of Sykia, dating back 200,000 years. Galleries of stalactites and stalagmites seem to defy gravity due to the unique airflow through the caverns.

Enter this spacious cave and descend 95 steps to the tiny church of Panagia Spiliani (Virgin of the Grotto). Half church, half cavern, this most unique landmark is also called Kaliarmenissa ("for good travels"), as it houses an antique icon of the Virgin Mary that, according to legend, was stolen from Samos and carried to a far-off land. Miraculously, it fell from the boat during the journey and broke into pieces, all of which washed ashore back on Samos. A pool in the grotto, once the sanctuary of a Roman cult, is considered to contain miracle-working water, and some have posited that it was here that Pythagoras taught and held discourse with his peers.

This walled compound in the village center was founded in the 12th century to house an icon of the Virgin Mary, believed to be the work of St. Luke, and it remains a popular place of pilgrimage, with many walking the 27 km (16 miles) from Mytilini on August 15. Built into the foundation are shops whose revenues support the church, as they have through the ages. The church museum has a little Bible from AD 500, with legible, elegant calligraphy.

One of the island's more popular beaches is pristine and sandy, protected from the wind by cliffs. There are a handful of tavernas and a beach bar. Organized with umbrellas and sun beds, it can get extremely busy during high season. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; swimming.

Samos is famous for its internationally awarded wines, particularly its delectable vin doux liqueur and other sweet wines such as Nectar, Anthemis, and, more recently, its dry whites such as Phyllas made with organic muscat grapes. All wines produced on Samos are by law made by the Union of Vinicultural Cooperatives, who created this museum on a winery's grounds in tribute to the island's wine-making history, and it is the best place to dive into the island's wine culture. Start by perusing the photo exhibition of local wine making over the last century and proceed to see the tools used in production, as well as early-20th-century casks, and finally the French oak barrels used today. Lastly, head to the main hall to indulge in a wine tasting of the union's wines, which are also sold at the museum shop.

The 4-km-long (2½-mile-long) town beach at Skala Eresou is a wide stretch of dark sand lined with tamarisk trees. A small island is within swimming distance, and northerly winds lure windsurfers along with the swimmers and sunbathers. There are many rooms to rent within walking distance of the beach, and in the section that skirts the town, many appealing bars and cafés front the sands. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; sunset; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

The black icon of archangel Michael is in the 17th-century monastery dedicated to the island's patron saint, Taxiarchis Michail. The gruesome legend has it that the icon was carved by a monk who used mud and the blood of his comrades, slain in an Ottoman attack, to darken it. Believers used to make a wish and press a coin to the archangel's forehead; if it stuck, the wish would be granted. Owing to wear and tear on the icon, the practice is now forbidden.

The home of Stratis Eleftheriadis, better known by his French name, Teriade, houses a luminous collection of French art, much of which appeared in his highly influential Paris publications Minotaure and Verve. Among the works on display are lithographs done for the publisher/collector/critic by Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, Rouault, Giacometti, and Miró. The house is set among the olive trees of Varia and is worth the detour; it is also home to the Museum of Theophilos.

Sitting amid olive groves this dusty pink museum houses a large number of the eponymous artist's naive, precise neo-Hellenic works, detailing the everyday life of local folk such as fishermen and farmers, and polytheistic fantasies of another age. Theophilos lived in poverty but painted airplanes and cities he had never seen. He painted in bakeries for bread, and in cafés for ouzo, and walked around in ancient dress. For a time, he lived inside a tree that can be seen in the hamlet of Karini.

These hot springs are just east of town on the Gulf of Gera and include both indoor and outdoor pools and tubs, a spa, and an outdoor café. There are delightfully warm waters that cascade from marble spouts to provide a soothing massage, but best of all, soakers can emerge from the tubs onto a beach for a refreshing dip in the waters of the gulf—perfect for those who have spent a sleepless night on an overnight ferry.

This long stretch of sand could in itself put Lesvos on the map for beach lovers, yet it is often easy to find a patch all to yourself—the farther east you drive or walk from the settlement of Vatera, the more remote the setting becomes. The curving, southern exposure is idyllic and wind-free, and swimming is good for water enthusiasts of all ages. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

In the Tampakika district, a former industrial area, are four restored windmills on a stone jetty. Two stories and 10 meters (33 feet) high, they are a relic of the tanneries that used to proliferate here, some of which lie abandoned nearby. A good ouzeri next door overlooks the sea, and it is a fine place to order a few meze plates and to take in the reminders of a former age with a glass of the aniseed liquor.