The Cyclades archipelago is the best known of the approximately 4,500 Greek islands. Out of 250 islands and islets in the Aegean Sea, only 24 are inhabited and 15 are very famous for their beauty, their very particular history as well as for their white and blue villages with small steep streets leading down to the sea. their name from the circle around a sacred island bearing the sweet name of Delos. Each has its own identity.
Paros is one of the biggest islands of the Cyclades. The clear sea with crystalline waters is around a temperature of 28 to 30° in summer. After a bath, it is ideal to bask on the beach while contemplating the coast formed by hills and magnificent small villages. The light there is special. To visit Paros is to discover a historical heritage dating back approximately 7,000 years. Parikia , the largest city is made up of small narrow streets winding between white houses, tiny churches and numerous mills. Kolimbithyres beach and its coves and rocks are also very characteristic of the place.
Serifos is an authentic place full of charm. From the port of Livadi, its lush bay is dominated by the magnificent Chora . Small cobbled streets and often dug stairs between the houses with roof terraces open to the sky. The historic center leads to taverns covered with bougainvillea. At the top, the remains of a 16th century Venetian castle offer the highlight of the show for the bravest spectators to discover a 360° view of the island and the sea as well as a sublime sunset. The coast of Serifos is extremely indented where many wild coves nestle.
This island is certainly the best known of the Cyclades with Santorini. Totally atypical thanks to its white religious buildings with blue roofs , its many mills and its houses with roof terraces and balconies overlooking the sea. Holidaymakers will be able to find a festive place and visit Little Venice, which is a village built on the water in the 18th century. Once a haunt of pirates, Little Venice offers visitors many restaurants serving typical and local cuisine.
Facing Agios, it is possible to discover the island of Delos. Legend has it that it is the sacred island of the God Apollo . At Kalo Livadi beach, the place is less crowded during the summer season. This little paradise near the pretty village of Ano Mera still offers a magnificent view of an enchanting place while being able to quietly sip a wonderful cocktail.
Naxos is the highest island of the Cyclades. In mythology, it is in this place that Theseus abandoned Ariadne later adopted by Dionysus. The flora of the Cycladic maquis is very important and in spring the island is magnificent and multicolored. The port of Naxos is famous thanks to its gate erected on an islet. It dates from 530 BC and would belong to a temple dedicated to Apollo. The Archaeological Museum houses two important prehistoric collections on the Cycladic and Mycenaean civilizations. Diving enthusiasts can indulge in their favorite sport from Agios Prokopios beach. They will discover shipwrecks and plane wrecks between 25 and 30 meters deep and admire some remains of amphoras near the Calypso site where visibility is excellent.
Some scenes from Grand Bleu by Luc Besson were shot in Chora not far from the Chozoviotissa Monastery . The monastery of Panaghia Chozoviotissa attracts a large number of visitors. It is one of the most spectacular in Greece due to its construction on a cliff 300 meters above the water. Its chapel is built in crevices and in places does not measure more than 1.5 m wide. To find a little animation, you have to go to the port of Katapola. This place is surprising, because it is very green compared to the rest of Amorgos which is a rather rocky landscape. There is only one road on Amorgos. The village is quiet and you can taste a Raki generously offered by the very welcoming inhabitants.
This island is known for its famous statue of the same name. This Venus is exhibited in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Many naturalists come from all over the world to Milos to study the lizard bearing the sweet name of Lacertidae. The male is recognizable by his blue and green scales. The Milos viper, which is also found on Siphnos, Polyaigos and Kimolos, is the other protected species. Tigrado is a beautiful beach surrounded by rocks and various caves or Sarakiniko at the beach and volcanic cliffs.
Between Sikinos and Milos is the island of Folegandros. Inhabited since ancient times, Folegandros is home to just three villages with the capital bearing the eponymous name, Karavostasi which is its port and Ano Meria. You have to see the Chora perched on the top of a cliff and admire its exceptional panorama. The atmosphere reigning on this island is unique, because its houses are built flush with the cliffs
Ios is still a wonderful island south of Paros. It is said that Homer would be dead and buried there. A stele is also dedicated to him as well as that of Clymene who was certainly his mother. This small island is worth the detour for its desert landscapes and transparent water where it is good to take a bath.
Syros has been an island occupied since prehistoric times. Numerous excavations have been carried out and have revealed tombs, statuettes, vases, skeletons and various ruins dating back to the Bronze Age. Today, Syros is the capital as well as the administrative center of the Cyclades. Visit the town of Ermoupoli first. (or city of Hermès ). You have to walk through its small streets, admire its views of the Aegean Sea while tasting a local nougat which is a pure delight. Also worth seeing are the Archaeological Museum, the miniature La Scala in Milan, the Apollo Theater and the neoclassical town hall. Syros is considered the princess of the Cyclades and her reputation is often justified.
This island is distinguished by its capital located inland. Apollonia is friendly, but its main interest is the village of Kastro . The outer walls of the houses in the village form the ramparts. There are many ancient watchtowers with a circular shape on this island. As the island exploited gold and silver mines, these towers were supposed to protect the exploitations of precious metals. In the small villages with the white houses so typical of the Cyclades, the narrow cobbled streets and the taverns, it is possible to taste local dishes. The most frequented being Platy Yialos and Vathi for their magnificent beaches.
Along with Mykonos, Santorini is one of the largest islands of the Cyclades. We recognize it immediately, because its white villages adorned with blue domes, are perched on top of cliffs falling into the sea. It is also lined with many windmills that have now become historic. The western coast has many cliffs and the eastern coast is lower. The island is crescent shaped. A specific vine is produced there. It is called the Assyrtiko and grows on the ground. The caldera is magnificent. On the cliffs, charming villages are to be seen such as Fira or Oia, the most photographed places in Santorini for their traditional architecture and their superb sunset. They even each have a small port in the caldera. To reach the villages, you have to climb steep paths or take the cable car to Fira. While visiting the island, you must discover the blue-domed church of Firostefani. It is also possible to visit the excavations of Akrotiri which is a city of the Bronze Age. For 3,600 years, the Minoan volcanic eruption has frozen the place in time. A legend circulates and some claim that it would be Atlantis.
Antiparos is separated from the island of Paros just by a channel whose widest part measures one kilometer. The center of interest of Antiparos is a cave called Ai-Yannis home to impressive stalagmites and stalactites. Thanks to its engravings, it has been known since the Stone Age. To see it, you have to earn it, because no less than 411 steps lead to its entrance.
Kimolos is close to Milos, known for its beautiful white sand beaches and its small intimate coves with turquoise and clear water. Although the island is of volcanic origin, there is chalk. The ancients nicknamed it the silver island , because under the effect of the sun, these white stones sparkle like silver. Its beaches are exceptional and the place remains uncrowded even in summer. The houses of Chorio are recognizable because they are covered with a particular lime and their roofs are bright blue and domed. Towards the beach of Dekas, you can even see giant sea turtles that have practically disappeared from the Cyclades to take refuge on the side of Zante.
The small Cyclades are located south of Naxos and are called Schinoussa, Iraklia, Koufonissia and Donoussa which are inhabited.
About Iraklia , there are still remains of ancient villages as well as tombs from the same period and the ruins of the temples of Tyche and Zeus. This island is full of many idyllic caves and coves. In the past, it was the haunt of corsairs
Schinoussa is made for those who love tranquility, because there are no roads on the island apart from the one that connects the port of Mersini to the Chora. Its main attractions are the beauty of the landscapes on the sea and the islands of Santorini and Ios, its hard-to-reach beaches and the taverns where you can discover authentic Greek cuisine.
Donoussa is an authentic haven of peace. Legend has it that it was on this island that Dionysus hid Ariadne after Theseus abandoned him in Naxos. We arrive by boat at the small port of Stravos surrounded by a few white houses clinging to the hill and from where we can see the mountains of Naxos. On the other side of the island, you can discover the pretty village of Mersini where the only source of water is located under a large century-old plane tree. It also houses a magnificent church called Agia Sofia. Also worth seeing is the Monachus Monachus seal cave, which is one of its last refuges in the Mediterranean.
Koufonissia is a small group of paradisiac islets of the small Cyclades. Pano Koufonissia is the smallest, but has the largest number of inhabitants. Kato Koufonissia is bordered by superb beaches. Around a hundred ancient statues like Delos were found there. Ano Koufonissia is the main island of this archipelago. She is very small and peaceful. The Chora is an old quarter dominating the old port. Taverns and shops are near the church of Agios Georgios. This village offers a superb 360° panorama of the islet of Keros.
