Astypalaia: Why go
Astypalaia is an island of wild landscapes and welcoming locals, of beautiful beaches and historical charm. The westernmost island of the Dodecanese, it is still relatively untouristy and not as hard to get to as you might imagine, thanks to daily flights from Athens.
Its capital is Chora, built on a steep hillside and topped by a Venetian castle, with whitewashed houses spilling down to the port at its base.
Other must-sees include Livadia, a seaside village with a golden-sand beach backed by citrus groves; Koutsomiti and Kounoupes, tiny islands with castaway beaches that could be in the Caribbean; Vathy, an otherworldly lagoon and archaelogical site and Kylindra, with its excavated infant cemetery; incredibly moving.