© Shutterstock

Oia, Santorini -

Oia crowns a hilltop on Santorini and is one of the most iconic villages of the Greek islands. The film set looks of Oia's blue-domed church set against a distant Aegean Sea is a travel brochure favorite.

© iStock

Assos, Cephalonia -

The serene little village of Assos on Cephalonia, the largest of the Ionian Islands, was founded under Venetian rule. Its main tourist attraction is a 16th-century castle, set 170 m (557 ft) above the bay.

© Shutterstock 

Lindos, Rhodes -

Lindos is steeped in history. The settlement dates back to the 10th century BCE. Above the town rises the impressive acropolis where the ruins of the Temple of Athena Lindia, dating back to around 300 BCE, is just one of the ancient buildings that can be admired at this historic location.

© Shutterstock 

Kastraki, Central Greece -

Kastraki means "small castle," and from a distance this peaceful village set at the foot of the gigantic Meteora rock formation does appear as if carved out of the base of one of Greece's most impressive natural wonders.

© Shutterstock 

Makrinitsa, Eastern Greece -

Located in mid-eastern Greece on the beautiful green slopes of Mount Pelion is Makrinitsa. Nicknamed the "balcony of Mt. Pelion," the village is one of the country's characteristic traditional settlements.

© Shutterstock 

Olympos, Karpathos -

An Instagram star, Olympos on the island of Karpathos appears as if built from Lego bricks dabbed with flecks of color. Its isolated position has preserved a local dialect and a traditional style of costume.

© Shutterstock 

Karytaina, Peloponnese -

Tucked away in Arcadia, a region in the Peloponnese, is the medieval village of Karytaina. Over the centuries, Karytaina has come under Crusader, Byzantine, and Ottoman rule. Later, its inhabitants were among the first to rise up during the Greek War of Independence of 1821–29.

© Shutterstock 

Mithymna, Lesbos -

Set on the island of Lesbos, Mithymna is a coastal gemstone of a destination. One of the most noticeable features of the town is the old Genoese fortress on the hill in the middle of the town. Mithymna is still sometimes referred to as Molyvos, its name during the Byzantine era.

© Shutterstock 

Nafplio, Peloponnese -

In fact a city, Hafplio makes this list for its delightfully evocative old town—Acronauplia—set on a peninsula jutting into the Argolic Gulf. The Venetians and later the Franks were responsible for the town's solid fortifications.

© Shutterstock 

Plaka, Milos -

Sugar-cubed Plaka is the chief town of Milos. It covers the side of a hill and affords a magnificent view of the Gulf of Milos. The location is famed for its fiery-red sunsets.

© Shutterstock 

Ermoupoli, Syros -

Ermoupoli on Syros is blessed with an ecclesiastical wonder that is the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, its turquoise dome a defining town-center landmark.

© Shutterstock 

Chora, Naxos -

Chora means "town" in Greek, and the old town of Naxos serves as its wonderfully attractive center of history and culture. In fact, Chora Naxos is considered one of the most beautiful hubs in the entire Cyclades island group for its fine architecture that combines Venetian and Cycladic elements.

© Shutterstock 

Katapola, Amorgos -

Sleepy whitewashed Katapola sits in a small bay on the island of Amorgos. Its harbor front is lined with a scattering of restaurants and taverns and a number of moorings for fishing boats and visiting yachts.

© Shutterstock 

Apollonia, Sifnos -

In Greek mythology, Apollo is recognized as god of the sun and light, among other aspects of life. The little village of Apollonia, named  for the deity, is bathed in warm sunlight for much of the year, which heightens the traditional Cycladic churches the destination is famous for.

© Shutterstock 

Yialos, Symi -

Most visitors arrive on Symi via Yialos' famous amphitheater harbor, with its terraces of delightful neo-classical town houses. Symi is one of Greece's Dodecanese Islands.

© Shutterstock 

Klima, Milos -

Arguably the most colorful fishing village in the Greek Islands, Klima on Milos is also where the sea literally laps the doorsteps of the cottages lining the harbor front.

© Shutterstock 

Kastellorizo -

Kastellorizo lies just 2 km (1 mi) off the coast of Turkey. It's one of the most isolated of the Dodecanese Islands and maintains a local personality that is as appealing as it is colorful.

© Shutterstock 

Chora, Amorgos -

Chora village is the brilliantly vivid capital of Amorgos. It's hidden behind mountains crowned by a 13th-century Venetian castle. The best way to explore the labyrinth of quaint streets is to get lost on purpose.

© Shutterstock 

Fiskardo, Cephalonia -

Fiskardo serves as a scenic haven for those wishing to explore the Ionian island of Cephalonia (Kefalonia). The coast around Fiskardo is mainly rocky with numerous pebble-beached coves.

© Shutterstock 

Kastro, Sifnos -

The historic village of Kastro is the ancient capital of Sifnos. Located in one of the most picturesque regions of the island, the settlement sits on a rock outcrop and enjoys an uninterrupted view of the Aegean Sea.

© Shutterstock 

Little Venice, Mykonos -

Mykonos is celebrated for the place known as Little Venice, a neighborhood rather than a village but singular in character for the elegant and balconied old houses that sit precariously on the edge of the sea.

© Shutterstock 

Halki, Naxos -

Nestled in the hill of Naxos is Halki, otherwise known as Chalkio. The secluded town is recognized for the neo-classical facades of centuries-old merchants' villas that line a maze of marble-paved streets and lanes.

© Shutterstock 

Papigo, Epirus -

A world away from the whitewashed seaside resorts Greece is famous for, Papigo in the country's rural Epirus region is a mountain village fashioned from stone. It's located within the Vikos–Aoös National Park and attracts a generous footfall of hikers and mountaineers from around the world.

© Shutterstock 

Vatheia, Laconia -

Landmarking the dramatic Mani Peninsula in south-eastern Laconia is the hilltop village of Vatheia. The destination is renowned for the traditional 18th- and 19th-century tower houses that cover the slopes leading up to the summit.

© Shutterstock 

Mesta, Chios -

The village-castle of Mesta on the island of Chios belongs to the Mastic Villages, a group of villages in South Chios where the main cottage industry is the manufacture of mastic, a resin obtained from the mastic tree.

© Shutterstock 

Chora, Folegandros -

The old town of Folegandros is a higgledy-piggledy collection of whitewashed cottages and villages set 200 m (656 ft) above sea level. Folegandros itself is one of the islands that form the southern half of the Cyclades.

© Shutterstock 

Galaxidi, Phocis -

Tranquil Galaxidi in the southern part of Phocis is just a three-hour drive from Athens and is a popular weekend excursion destination for the capital's city dwellers.

© Shutterstock 

Agios Nikolaos, Crete -

Lying east of the island's capital Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos is a busy tourist hub for locals and foreigners alike. The town can get a tad overcrowded in summer, but still manages to maintain a veneer of Old World charm, and looks the better for it.

© Shutterstock 

Ano Syros, Syros -

The attractive medieval town of Ano Syros on the island of Syros creeps up the side of a hill to meet the Church of St. George, which stands on early 13-century foundations.

© Shutterstock 

Fidakia, Central Greece -

Expect a dusting of snow if visiting Fidakia in winter. This traditional Greek village set around 1,000 m (3,280 ft) above sea level in the country's central Evrytania region looms over Lake Kremasta.

© Shutterstock 

Metsovo, Northern Greece -

Travel north in winter to towns like Metsovo and there's a chance you'll get snowed in. Metsovo lies deep in the heart of the Pindus mountains and is conveniently situated near Anilio ski center.

Sources: (Britannica) (Meteora)

See also: Making the most of a visit to Pompeii and Vesuvius

© Shutterstock