Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
What makes the group different
- They are big. Several are among the largest Greek islands, with mountains, rivers and forests rather than a single town and a beach.
- They have real economies. Olive oil, mastic, wine, ouzo, fishing and farming, which means a year-round population and a winter.
- They are cheap, because prices are set by residents rather than by reputation. See the cheapest Greek islands.
- They are green, in a way the Cyclades are not: pine, chestnut and oak.
- Turkey is visible from most of them, and several have a summer ferry link to it.
The islands
- Samos - green, wooded and wine-growing, with the Pythagoreion and the Heraion as a UNESCO site and the Eupalinos tunnel driven through a mountain in the sixth century BC.
- Chios - the mastic island, with fortified medieval villages built as a single defensive block, and the Nea Moni monastery among the UNESCO-listed Byzantine trio.
- Ikaria - the island that keeps its own hours, famous for longevity, thermal springs and all-night village festivals.
- Limnos - flat, agricultural and windy, with long empty sand beaches, a wine tradition and a petrified forest in the west.
- Thassos - the northernmost, round, forested and marble-quarried, reached from Kavala and priced for the Balkan market.
- Samothraki - a mountain in the sea, with the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, waterfalls and rock pools, and a devoted following.
- Fourni - a tiny fishing archipelago between Samos and Ikaria, and one of the best places to eat fish in Greece.
- Oinousses - the shipowners’ island off Chios, quiet and grand at the same time.
- Psara and the smaller ones, which barely see a visitor at all.
Lesvos, the third-largest Greek island and the home of ouzo and of Sappho, sits in the same group.
Getting there
- Flights from Athens to Samos, Chios, Ikaria, Limnos and Lesvos, and from Thessaloniki to several.
- Ferries from Piraeus, long overnight crossings of eight to twelve hours.
- Thassos is the exception: a short ferry from Kavala or Keramoti on the mainland, no flight needed.
- Island-hopping within the group is slow. Connections exist but they are not the daily Cycladic web. Plan around specific sailings rather than assuming.
Who this group is for
People who want a real place rather than a resort, who will drive, who like food and landscape more than nightlife, and who are willing to spend the travel time. It is a poor choice for a first-time four-day Greek island trip and an excellent one for a second or third visit.
Last checked August 2026. Ferry and flight schedules change seasonally - see our editorial policy.
Common questions
What are the North Aegean islands?
The group along the Turkish coast: Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, Limnos, Thassos, Samothraki, Fourni, Oinousses and Psara.
Which North Aegean island is best?
Samos for green landscape and archaeology, Chios for the mastic villages, Ikaria for its pace of life, and Samothraki for mountains and waterfalls.
Are the North Aegean islands touristy?
No. They are the least-visited group in Greece by international travellers, with real year-round economies rather than seasonal resorts.
How do you get to the North Aegean islands?
By flight from Athens or Thessaloniki to the larger ones, or by long overnight ferry from Piraeus. Thassos is reached by a short ferry from Kavala.
Can you island-hop in the North Aegean?
Slowly. Connections exist but are far thinner than in the Cyclades, so plan around specific sailings rather than assuming a daily boat.
Next
Read Samos, Chios, or Samothraki.