crowds

WHAT if there were a destination as beautiful as Santorini or Mykonos without the crowds and sky-high prices?

Whisper it, but the tiny butterfly-shaped Aegean island of Astypalea could be Greece’s best-kept secret.

It has white-walled, blue-domed churches, idyllic beaches with turquoise coves and spectacular sunsets that paint the sky in shades of gold, pink and orange.

Chora, the capital, is perched on a conical hilltop overlooking the bay.

At the top sits a Venetian castle, surrounded by sugar cube houses which cascade down the hillside.

Its eight red-roofed windmills evoke the vibe of Mykonos.

AWESOME WELLS

I visited trendy seaside town with quayside pubs, pretty beach & holiday park

SANDS GREAT

I visited Euro island with TUI flights, kissing bridges & underwater sea walks

Yet, unlike its more popular neighbours, you’ll find yourself admiring the views in blissful peace.

And you can enjoy a trip around the historic citadel and a seafood dinner on the coast for less than the price of a cocktail on the more popular islands.

We took a British Airways flight to Kos before catching a ferry, which whisked us to Astypalea in under two hours.

The best way to arrive on any Greek island is by sea and our first close-up glimpse of this one left us spellbound.

As it emerged from the shimmering sea, it instantly rekindled awe-inspiring memories of our first visit to Santorini on our honeymoon, more than four decades ago — before the crowds arrived.

Which is probably why you shouldn’t leave it too long before you visit Astypalea.

It’s cheap and easy to get around, and with no giant cruise ship crowds pouring on to the streets, sometimes it feels like you have the place to yourself.

We stayed at the Arhitektoniki studios, which cling to the side of a cliff a short drive from Chora.

The well-equipped rooms combine traditional island charm and simplicity with a luxurious modern touch.

There’s a kidney-shaped swimming pool and a sun terrace overlooking the bay with spectacular views of the citadel.

It’s a pleasant ten-minute walk from here to Livadi beach, with a row of lively beach restaurants, bars and shops.

Astypalea has become a model for sustainability after the municipality and the Greek government teamed up with Volkswagen to develop a unique climate-neutral transport system.

All the hire cars are electric and there are charging points everywhere. All power comes from solar and wind generation.

If you don’t want to drive, just use the Astymove app to book an Astybus — an on-demand electric minibus service which will pick you up within 15 minutes and take you to your destination for just three euros.

It’s not just the transport that’s eco-Greco, the restaurants are, too.

We were served a delicious meal at Ducato di Astypalea, which ensures all its ingredients are sustainably sourced and prices remain refreshingly reasonable.

Be sure to try the delicious Asty pasta. At Aiolos Pizza we enjoyed the thick, homemade spaghetti, incorporated into the island’s cuisine when it was part of Mussolini’s Mediterranean empire. It’s best eaten with rosto — slow-cooked pork or lamb.

There’s no better way to work off lunch than meandering through Chora’s narrow, stone-stepped streets towards the castle to enjoy the view from the top.

Close by is the blue-domed church of Panagia Portaitissa, built in 1762 and the spiritual centre of the island.

Maltezana, named after the Maltese pirates who once wreaked havoc here, is just five miles from Chora — ideal for a day trip.

It features a beautiful sandy beach, some fine fish tavernas and some recently excavated Roman baths.

It’s also worth a trip to Vathi on the northeastern side of the island.

Close by is the Cave of Drakos, which is adorned with stalactites and stalagmites of many colours and was once used by marauding pirates to hide their treasure.

If two weeks of peace and quiet are too much, you can easily hop to a more lively island for a contrast.

We opted for Naxos, the largest island of the Cyclades, four hours away by ferry.

The first thing you see as you dock is the Portara — a colossal marble doorway which is all that is left of the Temple to Apollo, built in 530BC.

The seafront bustles with restaurants and shops and has a vibrant nightlife.

The best place to stay is on the south side of Naxos town.

Princess Mare Hotel is less than a two-minute walk from sandy St George’s beach and barely ten minutes to the seafront restaurants and ferry terminal.

Naxos is famed for its marble and many famous artworks and buildings — including parts of the Acropolis in Athens — are made from it.

Try exploring one or two picture-postcard mountain villages.

Aperathos and Chalki have pretty shops to explore and tavernas with spectacular views.

Naxos Bus Transfer does a full-day island highlights tour, which includes a stop for lunch.

It also takes in the statue of Apollo — though modern historians argue it is Dionysus — at Kouros.

It is 35ft long, weighs 80 tons and hasn’t moved in 2,000 years, either because it was too heavy or somebody didn’t pay the bill.

It’s only a two-minute drive from here to Apollonas beach, ideal for a swim or to relax in one of the shaded beach tavernas.

Before you leave Naxos town, be sure to explore the streets leading up to the 13th-century castle.

It’s a beautiful, labyrinth-like maze of historic, cobblestone and marble-paved alleys originally designed to confuse invading pirates.

As well as blooming bougainvillea, stray cats, art galleries, boutiques and tiny, centuries-old stone chapels, there’s a little museum at the top with a lovely rooftop bar.

After cramming so much into our three days in Naxos, it was good to return to the slower pace of life in our newfound hideaway, Astypalea

But secrets such as this rarely stay hidden forever. So whatever you do, don’t tell too many people . . . 

While many tourists flock to Cairo and Giza to see the Pyramids, there’s one perfect spot for history buffs that goes unnoticed

Drifting 2,000 feet above the ground in cloudless skies, I can hardly fathom that the only thing keeping me from plummeting to the ground is a balloon full of hot air and an engine spurting fire.

But here I am, in a hot air balloon rising high above the Valley of the Queens in Luxor, Egypt. It’s one of the most breathtaking things I’ve ever seen – 20 or so other balloons bobbing around us as we take in the ancient temples and ruins dotting the land below us.

Our pilot reaches around his flight contraption to point out the Temple of Hatshepsut. There’s lush green vegetation, too, and people as small as ants working on uncovering more historical sites less than a mile beneath our basket.

I honestly thought I’d be more scared than this, but aside from a slightly bumpy landing – thankfully away from any farmers’ fields in the vicinity – the balloon ride is smooth and offers an incredible view of the landscape.

I arrived in Luxor after three nights spent in the tourist haven of Marsa Alam, on the coast of the nearby Red Sea. Switching the ocean for the River Nile – with our hotel, the Sonesta St. George, located right on the riverbank and accessible by boat – isn’t a hardship at all, and the buildings surrounding me are simply stunning.

A few hours’ drive from Marsa, holidaymakers who travel with TUI can access Luxor for a day excursion or longer. It’s 100% worth the early start and winding coach journey through the nearby desert to reach the historic city, founded in 3000 BC.

Stepping into the hustle and bustle of Luxor, I can imagine exactly what people like Agatha Christie and Howard Carter must have felt doing the same all those years ago.

Along with our incredible hot air balloon trip, I’m whisked away to the Valley of the Kings for a closer look at the ancient tombs, including the one which holds Tutankhamun’s mummy, still meticulously preserved after all those centuries.

Uncovered in 1922, the tomb had been covered in a mountain of rubble from excavations happening higher up on the hill, leaving archaeologists baffled until they finally found its location.

Honestly, I’m not sure why so many more tourists opt for Cairo and Giza over this. Of course, Luxor doesn’t have any pyramids of its own, but there are plenty of sphinxes, statues and incredible temples which offer access to the public.

Seeing the bright colours of the tombs – reds and blues and yellows – and the ancient hieroglyphs still etched into walls and columns is truly surreal. Along with the famous Valley of the Kings, we visit Karnak Temple – which Agatha Christie famously named her Nile steamer after – and Luxor Temple, along with Hatshepsut Temple.

Our guide points out the “first ever spreadsheet”, made so many centuries before the release of Microsoft Excel, and used to count up the food offerings made to the gods when the temples were still in use.

We’re shown the endless line of sphinx statues in various states of disrepair, lining a huge corridor which bridges the temples of Karnak and Luxor together. ‘Sphinx Alley’, as it is so aptly named, was used for the annual Opet Festival, which would see the Ancient Egyptians carry statues of their gods in a parade between the two temples.

All the while, though, I’m certainly not missing out on the metropolitan feel Luxor has to offer. A trip to the local bazaar plunges me right into the heart of the city’s merchant district, and I’m at once surrounded by a gaggle of stall owners attempting to sell me jewellery, T-shirts and Egyptian perfumes.

There’s time to stop for a delicious meal at the historic Winter Palace hotel’s 1886 restaurant, where jackets and ties for men aren’t optional and “smart” clothing is recommended for ladies. It’s the same hotel frequented by big names such as Howard Carter, Tony Blair and Lord Carnarvon.

It’s worth it solely for the hotel’s opulence, however. Artwork lines the corridors, while huge windows look out onto the sweeping gardens, where live music tinkles gently by an impressive fountain.

My hotel itself, the Sonesta St. George, blends traditional Egyptian architecture with modern luxury. Some of the rooms have their own saunas tucked away in the bathrooms, and the property boasts a heated swimming pool overlooking the Nile.

TUI offers all-inclusive packages and bounteous excursions in Luxor, so it’s not somewhere I’d describe as a hidden gem when so many UK tourists choose Cairo as an entry point. But a little deeper into the country you’ll find so much incredible history – though don’t bank on seeing any pyramids.

Book the holiday

TUI offers seven-night holidays to Marsa Alam, Egypt staying at the 5T Jaz Elite Amara on an all-inclusive basis from £990 per person. Book at tui.co.uk or on the TUI app.