The village square should be your first port of call on any Greek island: settle into your favorite café, pick up local gossip, and adjust to the languid pace of life. On Folegandros, this presents a challenge: the cliff-hanger capital, Hora, has not one but three squares, each brimming with a jumble of cafés, tavernas, and dinky raki bars. We recommend Pounta, where the Danish owner makes and sells the lopsided cups and bowls in which your coffee and Greek yogurt are served. From Hora, zigzagging steps lead up, up, and away to the only real landmark, Panagia church; make the pilgrimage at sunrise (perhaps after an all-nighter at diminutive Astarti bar).

Folegandros—which means “iron hard” in ancient Greek—is as barren as its name suggests. Fruit trees are protected from fierce winds by rings of stones. You won’t find sandy beaches lined with sunbeds; only limpid, pebbly coves, such as Katergo, Ambeli, and Livadaki. Set in the rocks above Agios Nikolaos Bay, Papalagi serves big fat prawns and whole grilled octopus on a wooden deck aligned with the horizon. Water taxis service some beaches in high season, otherwise, you’ll have to scramble down rocky footpaths to cool off. On your way home, stop at Mimis or Synantisi in Ano Meria for the island specialty of matsata (goat or rabbit stew with hand-made pasta).

Source: cntraveler.com