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Cyclades Κυκλδες

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ANDROS ΑΝΔΡΟΣ

GAVRIO ΓΑΥΡΙΟ

BATSI ΜΠΑΤΣΙ

HORA (ANDROS) ΧΩΡΑ (ΑΝΔΡΟΣ)

AROUND ANDROS

TINOS ΤΗΝΟΣ

HORA (TINOS) ΧΩΡΑ (ΤΗΝΟΣ)

AROUND TINOS

SYROS ΣΥΡΟΣ

ERMOUPOLIS ΕΡΜΟΥΠΟΛΗ

GALISSAS ΓΑΛΗΣΣΑΣ

AROUND SYROS

MYKONOS ΜΥΚΟΝΟΣ

HORA (MYKONOS) ΧΩΡΑ (ΜΥΚΟΝΟΣ)

AROUND MYKONOS

DELOS ΔΗΛΟΣ

ANCIENT DELOS

PAROS ΠΑΡΟΣ

PARIKIA ΠΑΡΟΙΚΙΑ

NAOUSA ΝΑΟΥΣΑ

AROUND PAROS

ANTIPAROS ΑΝΤΙΠΑΡΟΣ

ORIENTATION & INFORMATION

SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES

TOURS

SLEEPING

EATING & DRINKING

GETTING THERE & AWAY

GETTING AROUND

NAXOS ΝΑΞΟΣ

HORA (NAXOS) ΧΩΡΑ (ΝΑΞΟΣ)

AROUND NAXOS

LITTLE CYCLADES ΜΙΚΡΕΣ ΚΥΚΛΑΔΕΣ

IRAKLIA ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΑ

SCHINOUSA ΣΧΙΝΟΥΣΑ

KOUFONISIA ΚΟΥΦΟΝΗΣΙΑ

DONOUSA ΔΟΝΟΥΣΑ

AMORGOS ΑΜΟΡΓΟΣ

KATAPOLA ΚΑΤΑΠΟΛΑ

HORA ΧΩΡΑ

MONI HOZOVIOTISSIS ΜΟΝΗ ΧΟΖΟΒΙΩΤΙΣΣΗΣ

AEGIALI ΑΙΓΙΑΛΗ

AROUND AMORGOS

IOS ΙΟΣ

HORA, ORMOS & MYLOPOTAS ΧΩΡΑ, ΟΡΜΟΣ & ΜΥΛΟΠΟΤΑΣ

AROUND IOS

SANTORINI (THIRA) ΣΑΝΤΟΡΙΝΗ (ΘΗΡΑ)

FIRA ΦΗΡΑ

AROUND SANTORINI

THIRASIA & VOLCANIC ISLETS ΘΗΡΑΣΙΑ & ΗΦΑΙΣΤΕΙΑΚΕΣ ΝΗΣΙΔΕΣ

ANAFI ΑΝΑΦΗ

SIKINOS ΣΙΚΙΝΟΣ

FOLEGANDROS ΦΟΛΕΓΑΝΔΡΟΣ

KARAVOSTASIS ΚΑΡΑΒΟΣΤΑΣΙΣ

HORA ΧΩΡΑ

AROUND FOLEGANDROS

MILOS ΜΗΛΟΣ

ADAMAS ΑΔΑΜΑΣ

PLAKA & TRYPITI ΠΛΑΚΑ & ΤΡΥΠΗΤΗ

AROUND MILOS

KIMOLOS ΚΙΜΩΛΟΣ

SIFNOS ΣΙΦΝΟΣ

KAMARES ΚΑΜΑΡΕΣ

APOLLONIA ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΑ

AROUND SIFNOS

SERIFOS ΣΕΡΙΦΟΣ

LIVADI ΛΙΒΑΔΙ

HORA ΧΩΡΑ

AROUND SERIFOS

KYTHNOS ΚΥΘΝΟΣ

MERIHAS ΜΕΡΙΧΑΣ

AROUND KYTHNOS

KEA (TZIA) ΚΕΑ (ΤΖΙΑ)

KORISSIA ΚΟΡΗΣΣΙΑ

IOULIDA ΙΟΥΛΙΔΑ

AROUND KEA

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The Cyclades (kih-klah-dhez) lie at the deep blue heart of the Aegean and are so named because they form a kyklos (circle) around the island of Delos, the most compelling ancient site in the Aegean. The circle is not entirely symmetrical, but the symbolism is what matters. During archaic times Delos was the sacred equivalent of the Vatican and commercially was the treasure house, or Wall Street, of the Greek world.

Today, the Cyclades are the symbol of what dream islands should be: white cubist houses, golden beaches, olive groves, pine forests, herb-strewn mountain slopes and terraced valleys. Throw in a dash of hedonism and a vivid culture, and the Greek island dream can become reality.

Other realities are more down to earth, at least for native islanders, who have often struggled for a living through centuries of deprivation. Beneath the tourism gloss, many still raise livestock and grow food on reluctant soil, or chase a diminishing supply of fish from seas that are regularly rough and dangerous. Winters are often grey, bleak and unforgiving.

The Cyclades range from big fertile Naxos, with its craggy mountains and landlocked valleys, to the tiny outliers of Donousa and Koufinissi, where the sea dominates, with attitude, on every side. The beaches of Mykonos and Ios are awash with sun-lounger society and raucous diversions; their main towns seethe with commercialism. Iconic islands such as Santorini are world destinations for the fashion conscious and the cruise-ship aficionado. Other islands, such as Andros, Amorgos and Sifnos, have kept tourism to a more sedate scale, while tiny retreats such as Iraklia and Anafi are remote jewels in the Cycladean circle.

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HIGHLIGHTS

Ancient Glories Exploring the wonderful archaeological sites of Delos and Ancient Thira

Cycladic Cuisine Being spoiled for choice by modern Greek cuisine on Mykonos and Paros

Off Track Veering off to the remoter islands of the Little Cyclades and Anafi

Night Play Partying until dawn on Mykonos and Ios

Sunset Serenade Viewing spectacular sunsets from Fira and Oia on Santorini

High Life Hiking through the mountains of Naxos and Andros

POPULATION: 109,814

AREA: 2429 SQ KM

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History

The Cyclades are said to have been inhabited since at least 7000 BC. Around 3000 BC there emerged a cohesive Cycladic civilisation that was bound together by seagoing commerce and exchange. During the Early Cycladic period (3000–2000 BC) the tiny but distinctive Cycladic