The 10 best alternative island destinations in Greece for the new year that offer unique experiences beyond the ordinary, announced the popular vertically integrated travel website Responsive Travel specializing in alternative activities and sustainability.

In the first three places of the list are Kythnos for ideal weekend getaways, Ithaca for diving and scuba diving Patmos for quality religious tourism.

They are followed by Amorgos with the beautiful monasteries, the Naxos with its impressive nature, the Syros with the special neoclassical architecture and Tinos with the rich history. The list is completed by Karpathos with the traditional local cuisine, the mythical Serif and the Man’s which impresses with its paths and “travels” visitors to wild natural landscapes and historical monuments! The list is part of the EOT initiatives. Representatives of destinations that are leading the way in new travel trends explain to APE the importance of thematic forms of tourism.

“Patmos has great potential as a destination with a strong historical and religious imprint on the international scene. Our quality tourism services in accommodation and catering, combined with the unparalleled natural beauty and the range of alternative options allows us to move beyond the “sun – sea” pattern and target travelers with special interests. After all, this is what we will pursue together with professionals and agencies in the coming five years”, said the new Mayor of Patmos, Nikitas Tsampalakis.

“Andros has a combination of features capable of attracting travelers outside of the high summer season. For the coming years, our priority will be the promotion of hiking, the gastronomy of traditions, history and culture in order to create that “yeast” that will make the destination more attractive to visit before and after the big tourist months”, he stressed the Vice President of the Association of Rooms and Apartments for Rent in Ydrousa Andros, Nikos Moustakas.

“Karpathos has those “raw materials” that can differentiate it internationally. Our goal is to strengthen extroversion, the use of technology, the better highlighting of special forms of tourism and the “marriage” with the culture of Karpathos, gastronomy, culture, climbing and traditions in order to enrich our tourist narrative and to more efficiently approach the traveling public with quality interests”, pointed out the new Deputy Mayor for Tourism of the Municipality of Karpathos, Anastasios Milios.