Excellence Luxury Villas · Southern Aegean
Luxury Villa Rentals in The Southern Aegean
Villas across the Cyclades and the Dodecanese, from caldera cliffs on Santorini to the beaches of Rhodes
As featured in
Two archipelagos, one blue sea and a great many whitewashed walls
The Southern Aegean is not one island but two families of them. The Cyclades are the Greece of the postcard, with white cubes, blue domes and windmills on bare brown hills. The Dodecanese lie further east, closer to Turkey than to Athens. They are greener and more layered, shaped by the Knights of St John, the Ottomans and the Italians.
Our Southern Aegean collection runs to 370+ villas. On Rhodes you will find family houses near the beaches of the east coast. On Santorini there are cave-style houses cut into the caldera, and Mykonos and Paros have sleek modern villas with private pools above the sea. The largest sleep big family parties in comfort.
Below is a guide to choosing an island, a village and the right month.
The Southern Aegean at a glance
- Villas
- 370+ across the islands, with up to 18 bedrooms
- Guide prices
- Typically £1,900 to £9,500 a week, from around £1,500
- Main islands
- Rhodes and Astypalea in the Dodecanese; Santorini, Mykonos and Paros in the Cyclades
- Best time
- Late May, June and September for warm seas without the August crowds
- Getting there
- Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos and Kos all have airports, with direct UK flights in summer
Browse all 370+ villas in the Southern Aegean
Villa numbers and guide prices are updated daily from our live collection.
Villa Kalo Honey Greece18 bedrooms
Villa Kalo Grape Greece10 bedrooms
Villa Kalo Feta Greece10 bedrooms
Kyros Estate Greece16 bedrooms
Knights, beaches and a long sunny season
Rhodes Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. Walk the Street of the Knights to the Palace of the Grand Master, then lose an afternoon in the lanes beyond. Lindos and its clifftop acropolis are an easy drive down the east coast.
Ialysos, on the breezier west coast, sits below Filerimos hill and its monastery, and its beach is popular with windsurfers. Kolympia and Afantou, on the calmer east coast, are close to Tsambika's sandy bay. Koskinou is worth a stroll for its painted doorways and pebble-mosaic courtyards.
Browse villas in Ialysos
On the rim of a drowned volcano
Santorini's caldera was formed by a vast eruption in the late Bronze Age. The villages of Fira and Oia hang along its cliffs, hundreds of metres above the water. Oia draws a crowd at sunset, and a villa terrace is a better place to watch it than a jostled wall.
Inland, Mesaria and Megalochori are quieter and more lived-in, with vineyards close by where the island's Assyrtiko grapes grow in low, basket-shaped vines that shelter them from the wind. Akrotiri, a Bronze Age town preserved under volcanic ash, rewards a morning's visit.
Browse villas in Oia
From beach clubs to a butterfly-shaped island
Mykonos is the most sociable of the Cyclades, with Little Venice, its windmills and a busy summer beach scene. Agios Ioannis, on the south-west coast, is calmer and faces Delos. That sacred island, with its UNESCO-listed ruins, is a short boat ride away.
Paros is more relaxed. Naousa, its fishing harbour turned supper spot, is where most evenings end. Astypalea, out on its own in the Dodecanese, is for those who want a whitewashed Chora, a hilltop castle and very little else to do.
Browse villas in Naousa
Fava, Assyrtiko and the meltemi
Each island cooks a little differently. Santorini is known for yellow split-pea fava, cherry tomatoes and crisp white wine. Mykonos makes kopanisti, a peppery soft cheese, and on Rhodes you should try pitaroudia, small chickpea fritters.
June and September are the sweet spots. In July and August the meltemi, the strong northerly summer wind, can blow hard across the Cyclades, which cools the air and roughens the sea. Rhodes has one of the longest seasons in Greece. Our concierge can arrange boat days, wine tastings, restaurant tables and transfers.
Ask our conciergeFeatured villas in the Southern Aegean
Villa Nigul Greece10 bedrooms · sleeps 20From £35,983 a week
Viewpoint Villas | 8-Bedroom Villa with Private Pool in Oia Santorini8 bedrooms · sleeps 16From £34,088 a week
St John’s Residence Greece6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £32,971 a week
Villa Tourlos Greece8 bedrooms · sleeps 16From £31,981 a week
Villa Emara | 6-Bedroom Villa in Molos Southern Aegean6 bedrooms · sleeps 14From £29,954 a week
Villa Alfeios Greece8 bedrooms · sleeps 16From £29,264 a week
Villa Kyros II Greece8 bedrooms · sleeps 16From £29,074 a week
Villa Kyros I Greece8 bedrooms · sleeps 16From £29,074 a weekWhy book your Southern Aegean villa with Excellence Luxury Villas
The right house, not the nearest one
The Southern Aegean is spread across dozens of islands with very different moods and winds, and we know which villas are sheltered, which are close to a beach and which have the sunset view. With 370+ properties in the Southern Aegean, we can usually find the house that suits you rather than the one that happens to be free. Search by size, pool, location and price, or tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a shortlist.
Book direct
You book with us directly, with no booking fees. Questions about access, parking, pool heating or how far it really is to the nearest beach go to people who can find out the answer.
A concierge who knows the territory
Private boat days to Delos and around the Santorini caldera, wine tastings, restaurant reservations, ferry and flight connections, car hire and transfers. Our concierge team arranges all of it, leaving you free to decide which terrace to sit on.
A house for every kind of party
Couples, families with small children, three generations together or a crowd of friends celebrating a birthday: we match the house to the group, down to the number of bathrooms and whether the pool is fenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which island in the Southern Aegean is best for a villa holiday?
Rhodes suits families, with sandy beaches, history and a long season. Santorini is the choice for couples and caldera views, Mykonos for nightlife and beach clubs, and Paros for a gentler Cycladic holiday with good tavernas.
When is the best time to visit the Southern Aegean?
Late May, June and September offer warm seas and fewer crowds. July and August are the hottest and busiest months, when the meltemi wind can be strong in the Cyclades. Rhodes stays warm well into October.
Is it easy to island-hop between the Cyclades and the Dodecanese?
Within the Cyclades, ferries link Mykonos, Paros, Naxos and Santorini often in summer. Rhodes is much further east and is best combined with nearby Dodecanese islands such as Kos and Symi. A flight via Athens is usually quicker for longer hops.
Can you arrange a private chef at a villa in the Southern Aegean?
Yes. Our concierge can arrange a private chef for a single dinner or your whole stay, along with cookery lessons, guided visits, transfers and restaurant reservations.
How much does a luxury villa in the Southern Aegean cost?
Across our 370+ villas in the Southern Aegean, weekly rates typically range from £1,900 to £9,500, with the most affordable from around £1,500 a week and the largest estates well above. Prices depend on the size of the property, its location and the season, with July and August the most expensive. These are guide prices based on current listings; each property page shows its own rates for your dates.
How do I get to the Greek islands of the Southern Aegean?
Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos and Kos have airports with direct flights from the UK in summer. Other islands are reached by ferry or by connecting flights through Athens. Our concierge can arrange transfers on arrival.
Are there villas in the Southern Aegean for large groups?
Yes. Our Southern Aegean collection includes properties with up to 18 bedrooms. Tell us the size of your party and the occasion, and we will send a shortlist that suits it.
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Find your villa in the Southern Aegean
370+ villas across the Cyclades and the Dodecanese, booked direct with our concierge on hand