Greece's beautiful 'Island of Outcasts' that isn't mobbed by tourists

Hidden among the Dodecanese islands in the southeastern Aegean Sea lies Leros, there is a Greek island unlike any other. While hotspots like Mykonos and Santorini overflow with tourists, Leros remains untouched, quiet, historical, and deeply authentic. Once a place of exile and confinement, it's now a captivating haven for those seeking natural beauty and local charm, where you're more likely to hear Greek than English.

Also nicknamed the "Island of Outcasts", Leros has a complex past with visible traces of its wartime and political history scattered across the landscape. And with its serene, crowd-free beaches and open-air relics, the island offers a rare and refreshing alternative to the overrun tourist trail.

Unlike Greece's more popular and most visited islands, Leros hasn't become an overcrowded destination of mass tourism.

Its past, marked by exclusion and confinement, left it overlooked for decades. There are no sprawling resorts, no all-inclusive hotels, just family-run guesthouses, charming seaside tavernas, and the rhythm of local life.

After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Leros was occupied by Italy and later endured the brutal Battle of Leros with German bombardment, brief British control, and finally united with Greece in 1948.

In the following decades, the island was the site of exile camps for political prisoners during the dictatorship, housed a psychiatric hospital that also became known for its troubling treatment of patients, and, more recently, became home to a refugee camp where many were said to have endured difficult and overcrowded conditions.

The island's history is visible everywhere, from its castle and Italian-era forts to Second World War sites, the War Museum located in a WWII tunnel, and perched churches overlooking the sea.

Leros offers several secret coves with turquoise-coloured waters and quiet beaches like Alinda, Agia Marina, and Xerokambos, where you can swim in clear waters without large crowds.

Leros is also a great island for walking and cycling, with many marked routes that lead through charming villages, beautiful bays, and important historical and military sites dating from antiquity to WWII.

Agia Marina, Leros' main port, features a bustling waterfront lined with traditional tavernas, shops, and cafes, making it the perfect spot to enjoy fresh seafood and watch daily island life unfold.

Pandeli is another village worth visiting. It is a small fishing village known for its crystal-clear waters, colourful fishing boats, and the historic 14th-century Castle of Pandeli with breathtaking views over the Aegean Sea.