Greece is not only a country with rich history and culture, but also many stunning landscapes and picturesque islands. This makes it a great place to take pictures, and in this article I share some of the best photography locations that Greece has to offer.
When I planned my six-week visit to Greece in May last year, I didn’t know if I would find enough photo spots to draw in. The pictures I’ve looked at are usually from Meteora, Zakynthos or Santorini. From my history classes, I also know about many temples in several parts of the country. But what else is there to capture?
Located in the southeastern part of Europe, the climate in Greece is generally warm and dry. It made me expect an almost barren landscape, devoid of much color and vegetation. But Greece amazes me with its landscape diversity, and in the end, six weeks wasn’t nearly enough for me to make the most of the photographic opportunities it offered.
Crete
Crete is Greece’s largest island, and that’s where my journey through Greece began. I spent a week in the west for the first time, an hour from the beautiful town of Chania. Then I explored the Dikti Mountains near Heraklion.
The dramatic coastline near Falasarna is my favorite photo spot, as you can see in the main video. A scenic hiking trail to the famous Balos beach begins just a kilometer north of town.
I photographed this rocky coastline over two evenings, one of which I managed to capture some beautiful sidelights on the sharp cliffs that are characteristic of this part of Crete.
Balos Beach is mentioned as another area of interestas well as the hills near the hermitages Mount Milia and Elafonisi.
Paros
From Crete, I took the ferry to Paros, one of the Cyclades. Along the way, the ferry also stops at Santorini. Its popularity made me skip it, as I don’t like standing in line at one of the various photo spots in Oia.
Paros has also recently gained popularity, but is still not comparable to Santorini. And although the fishing village of Naousa is not perched on a cliff like Oia, it still offers beautiful views at sunrise and sunset.
The photo above shows Naousa’s small harbor during blue hour in the evening. It’s a great place to take pictures. Then you can head into town for a delicious dinner — there’s plenty to choose from.
Other my favorite places on the island are Lefkes and Paros Park.
Milos
An arduous trip on a windy afternoon with another ferry brought me to Milos. For me, this island stands out with its moon-like landscape and colorful rocks.
The most popular spot on Milos is Sarakiniko Beach. I usually try to avoid such hyped locations, but for Sarakiniko, the hype is justified. And if you arrive early or stay long enough after sunset, you can almost have the place to yourself. The rocks, sculpted by the wind and the sea, give it an otherworldly atmosphere.
If you have time, don’t stop at Sarakiniko. Milos has more to offerincluding hidden gems that haven’t been photographed much.
Corfu
Corfu is another Greek island that I visited during my travels. It is very different from the Cyclades and Crete. Cypress trees, olive groves, cliffs and coves with turquoise waters allow me to add a new palette of colors to my Greek portfolio.
I stayed in Liapades and found the coves and cliffs along the northwest coast to provide the best photos. The photo above shows a cove near Rovinia Beach. In the late afternoon, the sunlight makes the vegetation along the cliffs colorful.
One thing to keep in mind if you’re going on a car tour from the mainland: the ferry is very crowded and you can comfortably park your car just a few centimeters from the next car. I share a little more about this experience on my blog.
Vikos
Did you know that you can find one of the deepest canyons in the world north of Greece? With a depth of up to 1,350 meters, Vikos Gorge is a place you should not miss. When thinking of photogenic landscapes in Greece, Meteora comes to mind of most photographers. I also stopped there on my way north and took the obligatory photo of the monasteries atop the spectacular rock formations.
But the landscape of Vikos Gorge tells me more than that. There you can find both popular views – like the Beloi view above – and lesser-known views. If you like hiking and exploringyou’ll love this area even more than Meteora.
Lefkada
Lefkada is an island on the west coast of Greece. The white cliffs, breathtaking views and uniquely located lighthouse make it a must-visit for me. But as usual in my travels, the weather just provided clear skies for me to take pictures. Thankfully, I discovered that in June, the Center of the Milky Way makes the exact transit above the Lefkada lighthouse. It allows me to practice some night shooting and leave with a decent photo.
This place is easily accessible from mainland Greece by car. There is a bridge leading to the island. After crossing, it’s 90 minutes to the lighthouse. I recommend finding a place to stay in Vasiliki if you want to photograph it.
Peloponnese
I’m sure many of you have seen the pictures of the Zakynthos shipwreck at Navagio Beach. But it is just one of many wrecks along the Greek coast. In the last days of my trip, I decided to visit the Peloponnese for a few days and stopped at the Dimitrios wreck near Gythio.
This shipwreck is very photogenic, but only from its seaward side. The other side is covered with graffiti. For the best views, wade into the water. About 30 meters from the coast you will find some rocks that give interest to the foreground. If the sea is too rough for this location, you can also use a long lens and position yourself further away from the shipwreck. It will give you a similar look.
Conclusion
As I wrote at the beginning, six weeks is too short to explore all that Greece has to offer. That’s why this list of photo locations is not complete yet. But it still shows some Greek diversity.
I should also mention that the weather conditions in late May and June, the months I visited, were not ideal for photography. It’s gotten too hot, and the amount of clouds I see in my travels is far from what I need to make more. Impressive portfolio.
If you’re planning a visit and you’re flexible with dates, try to visit earlier or later in the year and avoid the summer months. This gives you a much better chance for dramatic weather.
