The term Aegean Blue was clearly coined after a visit to a Greek Island. The vast sea and skyline provide a stunning backdrop for the picture perfect white houses that scatter themselves across the 227 inhabited Greek Islands.

Mykonos is a popular tourist stop in Greece, and is some times referred to as The Island of the Winds. Photo credit: Rachel Kristensen

In total, there are more than 6000 islands dotted across the Aegean and Ionian Seas that fall under Greek sovereignty. Each with crystal clear waters that lap onto the sandy or pebble shores complete with sea-caves or sheltered coves.

Our Greek Island tour takes you to the highlights to see ancient Cycladic and Minoan civilizations such as tiny sacred island of Delos near Mykonos, once the political capitol for ancient Greece. We also visit the ancient site of Akrotiri, a bronze age civilization buried after a volcanic eruption over 3500 years ago. To catch up with modern Greece, we explore quaint modern village life of pirate-proof cities on Mykonos, as well as the beautiful Oia and Pyrgos while taking in the dramatic volcanic landscapes along Santorini's caldera.

If you’ve seen any pictures of Greece, there’s a good chance you’ve pictures of the village of Oia on Santorini, where many of its buildings have beautiful blue roofs. Photo credit: Rachel Kristensen

Of course, there is also time to taste local specialties that include unique grape growing techniques, while sleeping in comfortable locations next to those famous Greek beaches. Off the regular tourist path, our Greek Island hop also includes multiple days on Crete.

The guided tour of Knossos, Iraklion and Chania's museums promises to enchant the history buffs, while the sights on the harbour cities deliver wonderful photographic opportunities of modern Greece. We have more information on our Greece tours and the Greek Islands.

Greece’s island of Mykonos is The Island of the Winds, which led to the building of many of its now iconic windmills to take advantage of those winds. Photo credit: Rachel Kristensen