The present review provides a thorough analysis of the published scientific results on the distribution, sources and impacts of macro-litter/macro-plastics (>2.5 cm), meso (0.5 cm < < 2.5 cm) and microplastics (MPs) (<0.5 cm) in the Aegean Archipelago. About 50 published works have been analysed half of them focusing on the impacts in biota, yet the information retrieved is still insufficient. Few studies have followed common methodologies. The geographical coverage is limited, especially for beach litter, riverine litter and floating litter. From the available data it is shown that litter on the Aegean beaches exceed by far the threshold value for achieving the Good Environmental Status (GES) sensu the MSFD or the UNEP/IMAP. Records on organisms’ entanglement in marine litter and on ingestion of plastics and microplastics show that several studied species (7 for entanglement and 18 for ingestion) from echinoderms and mussels to marine mammals have been affected. Despite that the area is subjected to several pressures leading to plastics pollution. Policy measures in Greece and Turkey, the two bordering countries, have only very recently come into force. More efforts are needed by both the scientific community and the policy makers in order to understand, quantify and mitigate the problem of marine litter and microplastics in the Aegean Archipelago.