The tiny, butterfly-shaped Greek island of Astypalea has all the ingredients for a relaxing vacation: myriad beaches with clear waters, great seafood and a castle perched above a traditional white town with winding alleys and views across the Aegean Sea.

It's also less developed than its larger neighbors like Rhodes and Kos, and with a population of just 1,400, Astypalea made for a chilled holiday destination when I visited in June.

Some of the lanes in the island's Chora — or capital — are so small that donkeys carry construction tools to hard-to-reach building sites, but the mode of transport most noticeable on Astypalea is a fleet of electric minibuses, part of a scheme called AstyBus — an unusual sight for the Greek islands.

It's worth starting a trip to the island by visiting the r

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