Few places do glamour quite like Mykonos. Lose yourself in the whitewashed lanes of Chora, where designer boutiques spill onto cobbled streets and the windmills stand watch over the bay. Time a sunset in Little Venice, where the sea laps at the doorsteps and the sky turns the colour of rosé. Then dive into the beach-club scene that sets the tone for the entire Mediterranean summer: claim a daybed at Nammos on Psarou, before an unforgettable dinner of black cod at Matsuhisa.

There is a quieter, more refined Mykonos too, if you know where to look. A new generation of design-led retreats, among them the much-anticipated Four Seasons above Kalo Livadi, offers serene suites with private pools and discreet, attentive service. Settle into a villa of your own, charter a yacht for the day, and discover the secluded coves the crowds never reach.

No island makes an entrance like Santorini. Born of an ancient eruption, it falls away in sheer caldera cliffs streaked with cave-cut villages, and that famous Oia sunset still stops conversation mid-sentence. The most coveted suites are carved straight into the rock, the cliffside hideaways of Canaves, Mystique and Andronis among them, each opening onto a private infinity pool that seems to hang in mid-air above the volcano.

Let the island work on every sense. Sip a crisp, mineral Assyrtiko, born of the volcanic soil, at a cliff-edge winery as the light softens. Descend the steps to Ammoudi Bay for grilled octopus and just-caught fish at tavernas perched right at the water’s edge. And for the most magical evening of all, step aboard a private catamaran and watch Santorini glow gold from the sea.

Crete is less an island than a world of its own, the largest in Greece and easily the most varied. You could stay a fortnight and barely scratch the surface. In the east, the grande-dame resorts of Elounda, among them Elounda Peninsula and Grecotel’s Amirandes, deliver private-pool villas and beachfront fine dining with uninterrupted sea views. In the west, the Venetian harbour of Chania charms with its boutique boltholes, Casa Delfino among the loveliest, a minute’s stroll from the water.

This is an island that rewards the curious. Walk the corridors of Knossos, heart of the Minoan civilisation and one of Europe’s great archaeological treasures. Linger over Cretan cuisine, celebrated as some of the healthiest in the world, with a glass of local wine and the warmth of a mountain village. Hike the dramatic Samaria Gorge, or take a boat to the haunting fortress islet of Spinalonga. Crete makes a compelling case for staying longer.

For travellers who adore the Cyclades but would rather sidestep the crowds, Paros is the connoisseur’s choice. It has all the whitewashed beauty of its more famous neighbours, with a slower, more grounded pulse. The fishing village of Naoussa is its beating heart: a quiet tangle of lanes and cafes by morning, and by night one of the most stylish dining scenes in the islands, gathered around the floodlit Old Venetian Harbour. Book a table at Matsuhisa Paros at Avant Mar and settle in for the evening.

The island’s design hotels, Parilio and Cove Paros among them, have made Paros a serious luxury destination in its own right. There is real heritage here too: Paros has been prized for its luminous white marble since antiquity, the very stone behind some of the ancient world’s greatest sculptures. And when you crave total seclusion, the unspoilt islet of Antiparos is a short hop across the water.

Greener, lusher and more dramatic than its Cycladic cousins, Zakynthos brings the Ionian into the picture, and it is quietly reinventing itself. Once known for high-energy summers, the island has turned decisively towards privacy and refinement. Picture a cliffside villa all to yourself, with an infinity pool, a private chef and a concierge on hand to choreograph your days.

The natural drama here is near-unmatched. Charter a private boat to Navagio, the legendary Shipwreck Beach, and arrive once the day-trippers have gone, the rusting wreck and towering limestone cliffs almost yours alone. Glide on to the Blue Caves, where the water glows an otherworldly turquoise. And in Laganas Bay, a protected nesting ground for loggerhead sea turtles, you may just witness one of the Mediterranean’s most moving sights, a reminder that the greatest luxury of all is somewhere truly wild.

The beauty of the Greek islands is the freedom to choose. Trade the buzz of Mykonos for the romance of Santorini, lose yourself in the depth and variety of Crete, or seek out the quieter elegance of Paros and Zakynthos. The most memorable Greek summers are rarely spent in one place, and with private jets, yacht charters and seamless helicopter transfers, island-hopping in style becomes part of the pleasure.

Let our experts at The Travel Division bring your Greek island escape to life from the first flight to the final sunset. Just tell us what you have in mind, and we will design something entirely your own.