So you’ve been blown away by Thailand’s beaches. You’ve caught some rays on Bondi. And you’ve sunbathed with the masses on Rio’s Copacabana. So what next?

How about staying a bit closer to home? Only a 3 hour flight away, Greece is glistening with over 6,000 islands and islets, around 227 of which are actually inhabited and bursting with awesome culture, out-of-this-world food, and beaches that are up there with the world’s best.

Greek Islands: you rock my world. I will raise my glass of Ouzo, and give you a massive High Five.

Admittedly, 227 islands are quite a lot to get your head round. So, to help you out, we’ve picked five of our favourite Greek island experiences.

Five of our favourite experiences in the Greek islands

1. Go island hopping

Question: what could be better than sailing around the Greek islands? Answer: sailing around the Greek islands on your own private yacht. Yep, this is the way to see the islands in style. Start at Mykonos and wind your way through the Aegean past Naxos, Paros and Ios all the way down to Santorini, finding time for snorkelling, hiking, and dining on fresh seafood, obviously.

2. Sunset in Santorini

The package holidays and cruise ships may flock to Santorini to see the sunset, but they do so for a reason. Sitting with a cold glass of wine on the edge of the caldera and watching the sky light up is a truly spectacular experience. To avoid the crowds, hire a scooter or a quad bike and take off round the island.

3. Hide out in Milos

Sssh, want to know a secret? Milos is just as charming as Santorini, has even nicer beaches, but (and here’s the really good bit) the tourists haven’t quite discovered it yet. For the closest thing to a desert island experience, head here. Stay in Adamas to be nearest the harbour, but make sure you head to beautiful Plaka and quaint fishing village Pollonia.

4. Party in Mykonos

Right, that’s enough relaxing. Get on your dancing shoes, as the Arctic Monkeys once sang. They were probably talking about Sheffield, though, which, you may be pleased to hear, is about as far away from the Cycladic party haven of Mykonos as you can get. Combining Greece’s natural beauty with lots of partying, drinking, and beautiful people, Mykonos is to Greece what Ibiza is to Spain. But better, cos there’s tzatziki, olives and proper kebabs to help you through the morning after.

5. Hit the beach in Cephalonia

It’s safe to say that there’s no shortage of beaches in the Greek islands, but for something really special, head to Cephalonia. Myrtos is its most famous, and, with its turquoise waters, white sands, and stunning cliffs, you can see why. Heads up, fact fans: Cephalonia is where noughties romance Captain Corelli’s Mandolin was filmed. A-list!