The good, bad and ugly sides to the Greek islands, from Amorgos to Zakynthos
Tiny Tilos (population: 780) is a protected nature reserve and is set to become the first island in the Mediterranean to run exclusively on wind and solar power, thanks to European Union funding. At the other end of the scale is Crete, the largest Greek island of all. Its mountains are higher, its beaches more gorgeous (sorry, Zakynthos) and its history more fascinating. From now until about the end of May, wildflowers carpet the countryside and the White Mountains are cloaked in snow.
To avoid bumping into the other 33 million tourists, time your island-hopping odyssey for the shoulder season months of May and June, September and October. But if you’re tied to the school holidays, then head to lesser-known islands; those that don’t have an airport or require a change of ferries to reach. Lipsi, Nisyros and Folegandros are personal favourites but there are dozens you probably haven’t heard of (try Ammouliani, Koufonisia or Sifnos) where living costs are low and holidaymakers are thin on the ground.
Attempts to speak a few words of Greek always go down well but communication is rarely a problem. Even on remoter islands there’s often a villager who has lived in the United States or Australia and able to converse in rusty English. Greeks are passionate conversationalists but tread carefully if the topic veers towards the economic crisis, government taxes or Macedonia, that country … sorry … that place to the north that is forever a province of Greece (don’t argue!). Play safe and steer the subject onto food.There are few experiences more enjoyable than watching the sunset from a Greek island taverna while tucking into an assortment of meze (tapas-style appetisers), with a camera in one hand and a glass of retsina in the other.
The bad
I was only joking about the retsina. The traditional Greek wine smells (and probably tastes) like paint thinner or pine-scented toilet cleaner. Steer clear, unless it’s for a bet.
On the subject of tavernas, be sure to carry pockets full of euros as many places don’t accept credit cards, particularly those on the smaller islands. They do accept smokers, though, despite 2009 legislation forbidding the practice. Greece has been described as Europe’s capital of passive smoking. According to an EU report, more than 60 per cent of Greeks breathe in second-hand smoke daily – in Sweden, the corresponding figure is less than 6 per cent.
Polluted air extends beyond the tavernas. A 2018 study revealed that life-threatening ultrafine particulates, carcinogenic compounds and soot were at least 100 times higher near cruise ships in the waters around Santorini than in surrounding areas. To make matters worse, upwards of 10,000 passengers were disembarking daily. With philoxenia in woefully short supply, a cruise-ship visitor cap was introduced in 2017.
Fortunately for the honeypot holiday isle, overcrowding and infrastructure issues are being addressed. Santorini will soon have the biggest desalination plant in Greece but numerous islands suffer from severe water shortages. During the summer months, it’s not unusual for supplies to be brought in on tanker ships.
It’s not only water that is in short supply, however. Many parts of Greece are plagued by lengthy electricity blackouts and islanders are no doubt eyeing Tilos’ renewable-energy scheme with interest and not a little jealousy.
Meanwhile, on Corfu, a bitter dispute has resulted in mounds of rubbish piling up at the roadside. For once, money and overtourism are not the issue – the stand-off is over an illegal landfill site and the search for a replacement. In the meantime, flies fester and wafts of foul-smelling air have angry tourists vowing never to return.
Most people associate Greece with blazing hot, sunny weather. Winter conditions, though, can be far from pleasant. Last month, strong winds, heavy rain and hailstorms affected much of the country, with snow falling at higher elevations. It’s a reminder that although Greece is experiencing record numbers of visitors, it isn’t a year-round destination. This causes something of a cash-flow problem for the one in five who work in the tourism industry. Seasonality is also an issue for holidaymakers, as many businesses are closed in the winter, ferry services curtailed and holiday charter flights operate only from May until October.
Wet, blustery weather takes on a different meaning for one group of foreigners making their way to the Greek islands. Refugees fleeing wars and poverty continue to risk their lives by crossing the Mediterranean in unseaworthy boats, despite the EU shutting its borders and backtracking on promises to take some of the burden off Greece. Most migrants end up in camps such as Moria, on the island of Lesbos, where 9,000 people are currently living in a space designed for just 3,100; conditions condemned as inhumane by Oxfam.
The ugly
Greek plumbing has gone down the pan since the ancient Minoans developed the most sophisticated drainage and sewage systems in the Western world. Bronze Age bathroom boffins invented the first flushing toilet more than 2,800 years ago and yet today, Greek toilets struggle to cope with even small amounts of paper and quickly become clogged if guests ignore signs requesting them to put used tissues in the bins provided.
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