Cyclades Travel Tips

Cyclades

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Kea: Kea (Tzia) is very close to Athens and offers relaxing vacations and pristine beaches. The picture of the island that remains of little valleys with vineyards and orchard between mountainous masses, leading to idyllic coves. One and two storey houses with tiled roofs, stone-paved alleyways, chapels, windmills and monasteries, the most important of which is the Kastriani monastery. more Kea

Kithnos: On small Kithnos, the ground is high and rugged with green tufts of vine and fig scattered about. The shores are heavily indented and the island has thermal springs with great curative powers. The churches are beautiful and are graced with fine wood carvings and icons painted by the Cycladian painter (1700) Skordilis. more Kithnos

Serifos: Serifos has a strange charm that captivates, it is naked waves of mountains and small fertile valleys, singular houses, narrow stone-paved streets, magical shores and a castle surrounded by windmills. more Serifos

Sifnos: Grey trails line the rocks of Siphnos and white chapels lie between them, here green alternates with dazzling white. An island of rare beauty and spellbinding views it is a maze of yards, alleyways and workshops where the famous Sifnian pottery is made, with 365 churches, chapels and important monasteries. more Sifnos

Kimolos is a small mountainous island, white as the chalk it produces, far from the summer crowds. Houses in the authentic Cycladic style surround the castle. more Kimolos

Milos: Milos was born of a volcano and hides many secrets above and below its surface: rich deposits of minerals, the famous catacombs, sea caves, pristine beaches, early Christian remains. One of its secrets, the Venus de Milo, rests in the Louvre. more Milos

Andros: Andros, the birthplace of famed ship masters, with its steep mountain ranges torn by gorges and ravines; valleys blanketed by vines, olive, fig, orange and lemon trees, streams and brooks untypical of the otherwise classic Cycladic landscape; slopes that end in cliffs; hills that vanish quietly into rocky shores; valleys that extend into sandy beaches. more Andros

Tinos: Tinos is the holy island of the Virgin Mary. Numerous beaches can be seen from the peaks of the unending mountain range that crosses it lengthwise. The dove-cotes on Tinos, made of white-washed native stone, are works of art in their own right. The island's twenty exquisite villages are unique examples of folk architecture. more Tinos

Mykonos: Mykonos is the cosmopolitan centre of the Cyclades. Its low rocky hills slope down to enchanting golden beaches. Grey-green boulders sprout prickly pears and windmills. Despite the dazzling light the summers are refreshing. One can find beaches that are almost empty. White-washed cube-shaped houses are scattered about. In the narrow streets of the town chapels and picturesque tavernas hide among folk art shops and stores selling jewellery and furs. Trends that will sweep the international scene are born in the intense nightlife of this modern resort. more Mykonos

Delos: The ancient holy island of Delos is a vast archaeological site. For many centuries it was the religious centre of Greece. It was the centre of the circle of the Cyclades islands and the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. more Delos

Syros: Syros on the other hand is the modern administrative, commercial and cultural centre of the Cyclades. The Hora, full of fine neo-classical buildings, old mansions, marble squares and magnificent churches, is built amphitheatrically up the hillsides around the port. The hills and the valleys provide variety in the scenery, alternating between cultivated fields, orchards and brush. Beautiful locations and scenic beaches sum up the island. more Syros

Paros: Paros has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Now, this mainly flat island with countless vineyards, is a modern tourism centre. This popular island is fragrant with basil and honeysuckle. The marvellous church of Panagia Ekatontapliani greets visitors as they arrive in the harbour. White-washed stone benches beneath the jasmine and summer celebrations, such as the wine and fish festivals characterise the island. more Paros

Antiparos: Opposite, the golden sands and natural beauty of the small island of Antiparos, is home to the famous and enchanting cave of St. John. more Antiparos

Naxos: Naxos is the largest and most fertile of the Cycladic islands. Byzantine churches and medieval towers abound. Vast beaches with boulders rising up from the deep blue of the sea, fertile valleys, springs with rushing water, picturesque villages, begin to give an idea of this special place. A distinctive feature of Naxos are the two ancient Kouroi. more Naxos

Amorgos: Unlike Naxos, Amorgos is mountainous and barren, with sheer rocky coasts, scattered ruins, notable archaeological finds, and places of worship built with the characteristic ecclesiastical architecture of the twin church. more Amorgos

Folegandros: Folegandros is a small rocky island with the special wild beauty of alternating cliffs and sandy beaches. The church of Panagia and the golden cave with its stalactites and stalagmites are worth a visit. more Folegandros

Sikinos: Sikinos has retained its island feel and colour in its wonderful villages with their stone mansions, the island is also known for is spectacular castle and the monastery of Zoodohou Pigis. more Sikinos

Ios: Ios (or Nios as the locals call it) is decorated with small scenic bays, countless chapels, vineyards and olive tress, all set under the clear bright Cycladic sky. more Ios

Santorini: Its ecological particularities, its past and its imposing scenery, single out the Cycladic island of Santorini (Thira). Bright white domed houses clinging to the cliff sides of the caldera, formed by the volcano's explosion in 1500BC, have an incredible view of Kamenes, (burnt ones) the coal coloured islets in the middle. Some of the most spectacular beaches can be found on Santorini: some with dark pebbles and others with black sand. A whole civilisation is coming to light at the archaeological sites at Akrotiri, the prehistoric city, and Messa Vouno, where the ruins of ancient Thira lie. The missing piece of Santorini's once perfect circle is Thirassia, the wounded islet that closed the caldera, which is Thira in miniature. more Santorini

Anafi: A rock on its own in the sea is Anafi. The crystal clear waters and serenity of the island's beauty offer a calm relaxing place both for visitors and for inhabitants. The only disturbances are the picturesque celebrations and local fairs. more Anafi