Do you love Greece but especially the “do-it-yourself Greek islands”? Do you enjoy spontaneous vacations, adapting to your mood and influenced by encounters along the way? You don’t like having everything pre-organized, all planned out with nothing left to chance? Do you like surprises, being amazed by something unexpected? Do you prefer to carry only the essentials with you? Then you are definitely a "backpacker" for the Greek islands! The Greek islands are perfect for DIY travelers because finding accommodation in studios is generally easy and affordable. You can even choose upon arrival on the island, where you are welcomed at the port by various rental house managers.
Otherwise, there are always campsites, although not on all islands (and wild camping is not always tolerated).
For getting around the islands, you can often use public transport, or there are usually car, scooter, quad, or bicycle rentals as indicated in the article "car, scooter, and quad rentals on the Greek islands". Sometimes, taxis are also an option, as well as your own legs.
For dining, if you don't want to cook something at the campsite or in the kitchenette almost always present in your studio, it's certainly not a problem. Both on the beach and in the towns, there are always many taverns or bars that prepare everything from the typical Greek salad to local fish or meat dishes. Prices are generally lower than in Italy.
Many tourists, especially young people, love what is called "island hopping," which means visiting multiple islands in one vacation. Transfers take place using various means of navigation. This type of vacation requires little luggage and great adaptability, but adventure is guaranteed! If you are a free spirit, maybe a bit of a hippy, check out our article “hippie Greek islands for globetrotters and free spirits”.
So, which islands to choose? To be honest, all the islands reachable by sea are suitable. If you don't have many days available, you can opt for a group of islands in the same archipelago, as they are better connected to each other. For example, once you reach and visit Naxos from Piraeus, you can move on to all the beautiful Small Cyclades (Iraklia, Schinoussa, Koufonissi, Keros, and Donoussa). You can land in Kos and then start visiting Pserimos, continuing with Kalymnos, Leros, Lipsi, Arkoi up to Patmos. Or maybe see the Sporades one after the other: Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos and finally the most distant Skyros. The same goes for the Ionian islands from Corfu to Zakynthos, passing for example through Lefkada, Ithaca and Kefalonia. Not to mention the Cyclades, which are all well connected to each other, leaving you spoiled for choice. Some, like the islands of the Northeast Aegean and Crete, are a bit isolated but still reachable with a few hours of ferry (perhaps at night) from the nearest island.
