Chalki (Halki) - Χάλκη

Chalki (also spelled Halki) is a pint-sized, sun-drenched oasis in the Dodecanese complex, floating roughly 9 kilometers west of its bustling neighbor, Rhodes. Known as the island of peace and friendship, this tranquil escape is completely car-free, and since 2019, it has held the distinction of running entirely on renewable energy. Life on Chalki centers entirely around Nimborio (Emborios), the island’s sole inhabited town and port. Stepping off the ferry feels like entering a live watercolor painting, where an amphitheater of beautifully restored 19th-century neoclassical stone mansions—built by prosperous sponge divers—spills down to the edge of the glassy harbor water. With no large resorts or commercial rush, the island offers an incredibly serene, old-world Greek vibe where days are spent navigating narrow paved alleys, listening to fishing boats bob in the harbor, and tasting local culinary delights like astakomakaronada (fresh lobster pasta) or sfougato cheese pies at waterfront tavernas.

While Chalki is highly valued for its slow, unhurried pace, it boasts a rich maritime history and beautiful pocket-sized shores. A short, scenic walk from the port leads to pristine coastal escapes like Pondamos Beach, a crescent of fine sand and shallow, crystal-clear water ideal for relaxed swimming. Snorkelers and peace-seekers can follow stone paths to the smooth white pebbles of Ftenagia Beach or Kania Beach, where local seaside tavernas serve fresh catches directly at the water's edge. To explore inland, travelers can trek up old mule paths to Chorio, the island’s abandoned medieval capital. Perched on the jagged high ground above the ruins stands the formidable Castle of the Knights of St. John, constructed in 1475 over an ancient Hellenistic acropolis. From these historic castle battlements, visitors are rewarded with sweeping, unobstructed panoramic views over the deep blue Aegean sea and the uninhabited nearby islet of Alimia, cementing Chalki as a genuinely extraordinary Dodecanese dream.

A doll size colorful island that you can easily walk around and let to know every little corner of it.

Elafonisos - Ελαφόνησος

Elafonisos is a tiny, sun-drenched pearl measuring just 19 square kilometers, floating less than a kilometer off the southeastern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. This quiet fishing island features low-lying dunes, rare cedar forests, and some of the most blindingly white sand beaches in Europe. Life on the island flows through its single, postcard-perfect settlement, Elafonisos Town, where a sprawling local fishing fleet bobs in the harbor and seafood tavernas line the waterfront promenade. The absolute visual highlight of the port is the charming Church of Agios Spyridon, built on a separate, tiny rocky islet that is connected to the mainland village by a narrow pedestrian bridge over shallow, glowing turquoise waters.

The undisputed calling card of Elafonisos is Simos Beach, an internationally celebrated double-sided bay where two sweeping arcs of powdery sand meet to form a narrow peninsula, flanked on both sides by translucent, neon-turquoise water. Beyond its world-class sunbathing, the island sits right beside an extraordinary step back into antiquity: the sunken city of Pavlopetri. Submerged just offshore in three to four meters of water, Pavlopetri is a 5,000-year-old Bronze Age commercial center that ranks as the oldest submerged town ever discovered, allowing modern snorkelers to swim directly over ancient foundations, streets, and tombs. Because getting to the island involves a scenic drive through Laconia followed by a short, 10-minute ferry ride from Pounta port, it remains remarkably easy to reach yet brilliantly preserved, offering an unhurried, authentic slice of traditional Greek maritime life.