We just returned from our whirlwind trip through the Greek Islands and let me tell you we've never ate so well! The Greek lazy summer days and nights are spent lounging in beautiful restaurants watching the sunset. Traditionally meals run very long and last for several hours as they bring you course after course of dishes.

My husband and I traveled through the Greek islands for 10 days in the month of July. While we did see crowds when we stayed in Santorini’s Oia, the rest of the trip we went island hopping and hardly saw any other people. We would swim and float for hours in crystal blue waters during the daytime. And then wind down for the day with long outdoor sunset dinners with ocean views.

In this comprehensive guide we give our top 5 Greek islands for a relaxing summer vacation away from the crowds of seasonal tourists. On each island we breakdown the best things to do, where to go swimming and top hotel accommodations. We also provide you with detailed instructions on how to get to these remote islands from the mainland or larger hub islands.

Located on the northern region of the Greek island Santorini, the village of Oia is by far the most famous and picturesque area of the Greek islands. This seemingly untouched corner of the world has a way of capturing the light unlike any other place I've seen. The ancient village is poised right along on the steep mountainside giving you incredible views of both the Mediterranean Sea and the volcano that created the islands. Almost every picture you take here is postcard worthy because it's juts so darn beautiful!