ASSOULINE Travel|Greek Islands

An endless expanse of shimmering waters paired with unmatched Greek hospitality awaits visitors to the islands of the Aegean Sea. Each island is home to a unique spirit and mythology. From Patmos (a favorite of Aga Khan) to Hydra (which captivated Henry Miller, Leonard Cohen and Sophia Loren), the islands are imbued with a seductive sense of history, tradition and adventure. Several films over the decades have been filmed on them, including Boy on a Dolphin (1957) on Hydra, The Big Blue (1988) on Amorgos and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) on Santorini. Sources of inspiration for millennia, the ancient ruins, cliffside monasteries and volcanic rims are all can’t-miss sights.

Venturing on an Odyssey of their own, the author and the photographer boarded a traditional Greek sailboat and set out to capture the calming atmosphere, quintessential characters and breathtaking architecture of these gems of the Aegean. A spectacular journey re-created in the pages of Greek Islands.

Chrysanthos Panas is a businessman, art collector and philanthropist from Athens. He is in the hospitality industry and co-owner, with his brother Spyros, of several well-known clubs and restaurants in Greece, such as Island, Athénée and Salon de Bricolage. He is an expert in destination management and one of the first to use the term “Athens Riviera.”

Katerina Katopis-Lykiardopulo is a photographer, hospitality consultant, travel writer, marathon-runner, aviator and travel aficionado. Her adventures have taken her to more than 110 countries around the globe, but to her, there is no place like Greece. As a member of the team behind some of the country’s premier luxury destinations, she has been instrumental in introducing the concept of branded residences in Greece, for projects such as Amanzoe.