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Halki WHERE LESS THAN FOUR NAUTICAL MILES WEST OF RHODESSIZE 11 SQUARE MILESPOPULATION 330

The smallest inhabited island of the Dodecanese is the unique Halki. The port of Emporio is the island’s only inhabited area, home to just a few hundred residents. Other than that, you’ll seem to have the place to yourself. The majestic castle ruins – a remnant of medieval times – overlook the abandoned stone village of Chorio. At Pondamos Beach, you may be the only ones enjoying the crystal water and fine white sand; the island also has few roads and consequently almost no traffic. You’ll have to bring your own bottled water from the mainland as there’s no natural fresh water supply here, although rainfall is collected and stored by the locals. Not that it rains that often though.Get there British Airways flies from London Gatwick to Rhodes. From there, it’s about 30 minutes’ drive to the main port, where in peak summer months ferries often run twice-daily. Stay Charming B&B Captain’s House (+30 22460 45201, April-October only) has serene views over Emporio.

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All white nowLunar volcanic rocks at Sarakiniko Beach, on the island of Milos; one of the many whitewashed church buildings on Symi (top right) and secluded Tsigrado beach on Milos (bottom right)

MilosWHERE A HORSESHOE-SHAPED ISLAND 70 MILES NORTH OF CRETE SIZE 61.8 SQUARE MILESPOPULATION 4,977*

You may have heard of Milos without even knowing: the Venus de Milo was discovered here, in the village of Tripiti, in 1820. Milos itself feels a little like going to the moon: dazzling white cliffs jutting at peculiar angles and volcanic coastal rock formations lend the place an otherworldly feel. The volcano is still active, but that’s a good thing as it means that the island has hot springs that you can bathe in. Perhaps the best of its 80 beaches is Sarakiniko – an extraordinary sight, with twisted white rocks sprawling into a sparkling blue sea. There’s more to see underground, too: Milos’s catacombs, a labyrinth below the island (used as a burial site and place of worship). They are rumoured to be older than Rome’s underground system and date back to sometime around the 1st-5th century. Get there British Airways flies from London Heathrow to Athens. From there, you can fly on to Milos.Stay Midland Suites (milandsuites.com) has a fragrant herb garden and even a cosy library lounge.

Gavdos

WHERE THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT IN EUROPE, 26 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF CRETESIZE 12.7 SQUARE MILESPOPULATION FEWER THAN 50 YEAR-ROUND RESIDENTS

Want to feel like you’re on a desert island? Dramatic cliffs with not a soul in sight are the order of the day here: the spartan village of Ambelos is surrounded by abandoned farms on the hillsides. While it doesn’t have a year-round restaurant, it does, strangely, have its own radio station, Gavdos FM, which transmits from a hut with a tin roof. Gavdos is renowned for its free camping, with small fires and camping permitted on the beach; don’t miss Agiannis beach, rated as the second-best beach in the world by National Geographic in 2013. There’s more wildlife here than people – including the endangered Mediterranean monk seal and sea turtles. Get there British Airways flies from London Gatwick to Heraklion, Crete. From there, take a ferry from Hora Sfakion, which is closer to the airport, or Paleochora. Stay Options are limited, if you don’t want to camp. Gavdos Princess (gavdos-princess.com) has apartments, plus a taverna.

Unexpectedislands

With only a fraction of its 6,000 isles known to travellers, Greece is still one of the most under-explored places

in Europe. Encountering a different side to the country, Katie Gatens discovers mythological graffiti, holistic healing

and the ancient remains of wild dwarf elephants

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IkariaWHERE ROUGHLY 30 MILES EAST OF THE TURKISH COASTSIZE 98 SQUARE MILESPOPULATION 8,423*

You’ll have to get used to a new way of life on Ikaria. Shops and restaurants have a relaxed attitude to opening hours, and the Ikarians are known to be night owls, who can be found staying up until the early hours chatting and singing outside tavernas. In the village of Raches, the streets only start getting busy after the sun goes down.

Strange as it may seem, we should probably take a leaf out of Ikaria’s book: the island is listed as one of Earth’s five ‘Blue Zones’, where people

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live measurably longer lives: it’s reported that one in three Ikarians live to the age of 90 and beyond.

The island was named after Icarus, and various related graffiti motifs are dotted around the port of Evdilos: it’s good to see street artists who know their mythology.

By day, hike over the rugged landscape – there are plenty of footpaths leading to waterfalls and rivers to go wild swimming in. Get there British Airways flies from London Heathrow to Athens and Mykonos. From there, you can fly on to Ikaria. Stay The Cavos Bay Hotel (cavosbay.com.gr), is perched on a clifftop, and you can watch the sun set below the sea from the hotel’s terrace.

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Pano Koufonisi WHERE SOUTHEAST OF NAXOS, IN THE CYCLADESSIZE 2 SQUARE MILESPOPULATION 366

Telephone arrived on Pano Koufonisi in 1964 and there was no electricity here before 1984, and there are still no real roads. On the southern coast by Platia Pounda beach, the ‘pisina’ is a natural salty pool that entices swimmers with its rejuvenating waters. On the streets, rowdy local wedding parties have a habit of traversing the island accompanied by musicians, and you can always join the fun. Take a day trip southwest across the 200m strait to neighbouring island Kato Koufonissi, which has been uninhabited – save for wild-roaming sheep and goats – since the 1960s. You can camp on one of its sandy beaches and be the only people for miles around – which will either sound terrifying or be your right up your street.Get there British Airways flies from London Heathrow to Mykonos. From there, it’s a short bus ride to Tourlos where you can take the ferry to Pano Koufonisi, which runs four times a week. Stay The Keros Art Hotel (keroshotel.gr) is a boutique hideaway with an infinity pool and romantic four-poster-beds.

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Private viewingsThe dramatic cove of Aghios Georgios Bay, Symi (above); the courtyard of Ag Theotokissa church in Megalo Chorio, capital of Tilos (below)

GO ON THEN… DESTINATION: GREECE

FIND IT AT BA.COMBritish Airways flies to Athens, Mykonos, Rhodes, Crete and Kos.

COLLECT THOSE AVIOSJoin the Executive Club and collect and redeem Avios on every flight.

FOR MORE TINY ISLANDS...Discover other small-scale isles at highlife.ba.com/tinyislands

SkyrosWHERE IN THE AEGEAN, AROUND 20 MILES NORTHEAST OF GREEK ISLAND EUBOEASIZE 86 SQUARE MILESPOPULATION 2,994*

According to Greek mythology, young Achilles was sent here by his mother to escape the Trojan War. The Kastro, dramatically perched on a cliff face, was a Bronze Age acropolis, although it has since been rebuilt. Small sugar-cube-like houses form the town of Chora; its steep, marble-lined streets have pottery shops and tavernas where you’ll find the locals at all hours of the day. At Molos, you’ll find one of the best beaches on the island, with ruins half-submerged in the sea. Skyros is becoming the spiritual capital of Greece: it has two holistic centres, one in Chora and the other at Atsitsa Bay. At the latter, try windsurfing, creating mosaics and mindfulness, and at night, bed down in a stone villa or huts in a fruit tree grove. Skyros is one of the best Greek islands for solo travel, and you can immerse yourself in community life or be as reflective as you wish. Get there British Airways flies from London Heathrow to Athens. From there you can fly on to Skyros. Stay At Nefeli Hotel Skyros (skyros-nefeli.gr), meals are made using organic local ingredients.

TilosWHERE AN ‘S’-SHAPED ISLAND BETWEEN KOS AND RHODESSIZE 24.9 SQUARE MILESPOPULATION 780*

Thousands of years ago, dwarf elephants roamed wild on Tilos. The island was so small that they evolved to a height of just 120-150cm; Tilos was, in fact, the last place in Europe where they lived; they died out in around 4,000 BC. You can check out their skeletons at the paleontological museum in Megalo Chorio, the island’s capital. Livadia is the port village and the island’s largest settlement, with fishing boats bobbing in the bay and rectangular white villas stacked like dominoes up the hill. Megalo Chorio, just a few miles away from here, is overlooked by the Knight’s Castle, a magnificent medieval fortress. Hiking along the snaking coastline is a must for botanists: there are more than 400 species of herbs and flowers on the island. And the rare birds, such as Bonelli’s Eagles and Eleonora’s Falcons, that call the island home will keep twitchers occupied for hours. Get there British Airways flies from London Heathrow to Kos. From there, catch a bus to the ferry terminal: ferries to Tilos run three times a week.Stay Hotel Eleni Beach (elenihoteltilos.gr) has its own private bay where you can take a dip in the shallow waters.

Symi WHERE 12 MILES NORTH OF RHODES, ON THE TURKISH COASTSIZE 25.4 SQUARE MILESPOPULATION 2,590*

Symi is the place the Greek jet-set don’t want you to know about. It’s not cheap, as you’ll see from the dazzling-white super-yachts lined up in its port. Neoclassical buildings flank the harbour town of Yialos, and every building in the town has been listed. Yet it’s not all high glamour: Symi still has rustic charm. The winding cobbled pathways and herds of cattle in the streets make the island feel authentically Greek. It gained its wealth from sponge fishing, and you can still see the old-fashioned copper helmets used by divers on display in the town. Do visit the 18th-century Venetian monastery of the Archangel Michael Monastery in the village of Panormitis. It has the highest Baroque bell tower in the world and in the summer, you can stay with the monks in the dorm house. Get there British Airways flies from London Gatwick to Rhodes. Stay Boutique hotel The Old Markets (theoldmarkets.com), above the main harbour, has five rooms and is run by a top chef.

entertainmentWatch the romantic comedy Mamma Mia! – available on selected flights.