Day 6: Kastos - Kalamos

In the winter, Kalamos is home to no more than six hundred inhabitants, but in the summer that number swells to include bright-eyed tourists – proving that there’s still demand for Greece’s authentic and tranquil towns. In the sunny months, yachts sail in a steady stream into the port, and the island’s guests languidly dine on shoreline cafes.

The main – and virtually only – attraction on Kalamos is its eponymous city on the east coast. Kalamos doesn’t have an infrastructure quite as developed as the neighbouring islands do, so if you wind up with more than a few hours to spend on Kalamos, you could make the side trip to the village of Kefali – or what’s left of it anyway. In 1953, an earthquake destroyed this Venetian settlement, once called Porto Leone. Only its church survived, which continues to function to this day.