Little more than 1hr20mins from Rhodes or Kos, this little bundle of authenticity has withstood everything its many invaders have thrown at it and come away looking more beautiful than ever. Monasteries and villages have merged so completely with their natural environment that their stories seem to carry on the herb-scented summer breeze. Meanwhile, the neoclassical buildings of the capital, Platanos, and ochre-tinted houses of Agia Marina offer distinctive architectural elements that give Leros a style all its own. No wonder it was chosen by the goddess Artemis as the place to build her throne. If there’s one view you could never tire of, this is it.