The Most Beautiful Villages of Greece (Most Beautiful Villages)

From the terra cotta and ocher of the Ionian Islands to the brilliant blues and whites of the Aegean, the villages of Greece and its islands are incomparable. The variety of village life and buildings springs from a multitude of histories and influences, yet these towns are all, in their separate ways, quintessentially Greek.

From north to south through the mainland and the Peloponnese, from west to east through the islands, there is a mixture of intimacy and grandeur. The Ionian Islands are home to belfried churches, pitched tile roofs, and porticoes, reflecting years of Venetian rule. The flat-roofed white houses of the Cyclades, startling against the blue Aegean sea, seem to express the very essence of Greece. And there are many other gems as well, with ancient temples, sandy bays, and cobbled paths.

The variety of village life in Greece and its islands springs from a multitude of histories and influences. Yet the villages are all, in their separate ways, an expression of Greekness, one of the most durable ideals in history. This book captures the most beautiful examples.

From the terracotta and ocher of the Ionian Islands to the brilliant blue and white of the Aegean, the beautiful villages of Greece and its islands are incomparable. The variety of village life and building springs from a multitude of histories and influences, yet these villages are all, in their separate ways, quintessentially Greek. Here, then, are the loveliest villages created by the indomitable Greek spirit, all set in a landscape of overwhelming magnificence. We travel in the mountains of the mainland and the Pelion peninsula, land of the mythical Centaurs. Stone-walls and overhanging wood-framed balconies betray a Turkish influence. In the southern Peloponnese are the Maniot villages and their characteristic tower houses, built by warring families the better to pursue their vendettas. From north to south through the mainland and the Peloponnese, from west to east through the islands, the mixture of intimacy and grandeur continues. The Ionian Islands are home to belfried churches, pitched tile roofs, porticoes and colonnades, testimonies to years of Venetian rule. In contrast the flat-roofed white houses of the Cyclades, startling against the blue Aegean Sea, seem to express the very essence of Greece. Other islands mirror an international trading and shipping tradition such as Chios whose substantial country mansions were left by the Genoese.

The loveliest villages created by the indomitable Greek spirit, all set in a landscape of overwhelming magnificence.

Mark Ottaway was formerly chief travel writer for the Sunday Times of London.Hugh Palmer is one of Britain's leading photographers of architecture and gardens. His books include The Most Beautiful Villages of Greece, The Most Beautiful Villages of Provence, and The Most Beautiful Villages of Ireland.