Cultural tourism on the rise on the Greek islands

Though very few holidaymakers who visit the Greek islands are left dissatisfied with their experience, most view it as the reductive "sun and sea" stereotype.

Recent studies found that a mere 63 percent of all tourists to Greece reported that they had visited a cultural or archaeological site as part of their trip - a stark difference when compared to other southern European countries such as France, Spain or Italy, where the rate is close to 100 percent.

Nevertheless, dozens of ambitious cultural initiatives are taking place around the islands this summer. In their own unique ways, they are all trying to add a new, cultural dimension to Greece's tourism model and enrich the visitor experience, turning it into something more holistic.

Though Greece's archaeological heritage is unquestionable, many of those initiatives aim to complement the country's rich...