Greece's smallest inhabited island has peaceful harbour town, extremely quiet beaches and even sea turtles

The Sun

24-06-2025

IF you want to avoid the Greek crowds and a more intimate experience, then you should try one of the country's smallest islands.
While Halki still has the classic colourful buildings and traditional tavernas, it has a quieter feel than its neighbour, Rhodes.
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Halki, also spelled as Chalki, is the smallest inhabited island in Greece.
It's part of the Dodecanese archipelago and is home to around 330 residents.
Most of them live in the main town and port of Halki island, called Nimporio, also known as Emporio.
The beautiful town is full of colourful houses with terracotta roofs and small tavernas and cafes.
The town curves around the harbour where the small boats dock and because of that, there are plenty of places to sit and take in the view with a glass of Greek wine and food.
For anyone looking for a party island, this is not the one for you.
Halki is known for being peaceful so, except for swimming in the calm beaches, don't expect much to do.
There is a medieval castle that sits on top of a huge and rocky hill above Chorio village - which is largely abandoned.
The 14th century castle was built to protect the island from pirates - now you can go for a hike up to the ruins.
Popular beaches include Kania Beach, Potamos Beach, Ftenagia Beach and Trachia Beach.
Karpathos: Greece's Underrated Island Paradise
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Ftenagia Beach has been described as a "stunning" beach with "unrivalled" views.
Another wrote on Tripadvisor: "It is our favourite spot to swim. The sea is turquoise and shimmers in the light."
The beaches are relatively quiet as the island sees around 1,500 to 1,700 visitors each summer - compared to Rhodes who recorded over 3.5 million visitors last year.
Halki has impressive bell tower that hovers high into the sky is the tallest of any found in the Dodecanese Islands.
The water is clear and great for snorkelling to spot various types of fish - even dolphins and sea turtles if you're lucky.
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To get to the island, travellers will need to fly to Athens, then to Rhodes, then take a two hour ferry.
Ferry tickets from Rhodes to Halki can be found for as low as £4 when booked in advance, with the average ticket costing around £6.
There are good options to stay on the island with some Airbnb apartments that look over the harbour starting from £71 per night.
One Greece expert has revealed the other islands that are better value than Santorini.
She said: "If you really want good value, go to the islands that a lot of tourists don't even know about like Sifnos, Syros, Pserimos, Folegandros."
And the Greek island with 70 beaches that experts warn you should see before it gets too popular.
This Greek Island Is Becoming More Popular Too
One Greek island is becoming more well-known and is set to rival the likes of Santorini...
A new study has named the island of Paros as a trending destination for this year. American Express Travel included the island in their 2025 Trending Destinations list.
Analysing travel bookings as well as working with global travel consultants, the island was one of the few European destinations to make the list.
The website states: "Laid-back Paros has become the Greek
island of choice for many. The cultural scene is vibrant here, and the rocky coastline is studded with beaches, secluded coves, and sea caves.
"A mere 40-minute flight from Athens—or three hours on a ferry—this windblown retreat is also easy to get to."
Around 200,000 people visit a year - just 10 per cent of the annual tourists that go to Santorini. This means you can expect the island to be much quieter, and off-the-beaten track.
The town of Naoussa is the second largest town on the island and has been called a "smaller version of Mykonos".
Expect amazing seafood when there too, with most of it caught at fresh before being served up.
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