Butterfly by name and butterfly by shape, Astiphalea, is an intriguing island convenient for sailing halfway between Kos and Santorini. The white painted houses look more like those of the Cyclades than in the Dodecanese. However it has an old hilltop fortress surrounded by the older village houses of the Hora above the Italian built harbour, plenty of tavernas and smaller quieter bays, along with regular ferries to Pireaus and Kos, and a small airport that connects flights from Rhodes, Kos and Leros. Try the cheese from the many sheep and goats, and the honey.