Cyclades: Greek island info with photos, accommodations

The Cyclades group of Greek islands is the ultimate holiday destination. While island hopping is easy, we recommend picking two or three that suit your interests.

Paros & AntiParos

We have a great many pages about Paros and our life here as well as accommodations. The Local Information page is probably the best place to start.

Antiparos is our favourite place to spend a Sunday afternoon. Although you have to reach it by boat (ferry is only 80 cents), we treat it as part of Paros. So you can find information and photos throughout our site, including the Paros page.

Amorgos

Everybody we know who has been here loves it. More green than the typical Cyclades and dramatic mountain vistas. For those who like to be off the beaten path--and consequently a little difficult to reach.

Santorini

Consistently rated one of the top ten views in the world. This island is an easy journey from Paros--we highly recommend it. We found the Akrotiri ruins and the Folklore Museum (cave houses) quite interesting but prefer our sandy beaches to the red and black rock found here. Shopping here is upscale to most other islands--great window browsing! The accommodations with caldera view charge a hefty premium while the bars and restaurants with the same view are just a little more expensive, so we recommend staying at the beach or on the non-caldera side and eating and drinking while watching the sun set. It is a small island; two days seems to be plenty to take it all in.

For a taste of up-scale dining investigate Papagalos Restaurant in Oia. They focus on New Greek cuisine with organic and farm direct produce and seafood from the Mediterranean. Overlooking the volcanic Caldera. Voted the best of Santorini Restaurants.

Tinos

Karin and I spent a delightful two days on Tinos. It was much different than our other Cyclades experiences, mainly we think, because it appears prosperous without tourism. Yet it receives substantial visitors as a major pilgrimage for the Orthodox church. Most of the population is in the main town which makes the whole rest of the island great for exploring, including maintained footpaths, a rarity on the islands. Our highlight was the unique village of Kardiani; it is a piece of history clinging to life on a steep hillside.

It is difficult to put the sense of this pleasant island in words. A good place to start for more information is one of these all inclusive sites: WWW.Pigeon.gr or WWW.Tinos.biz

Naxos

Agios Prokopios is a delightful hotel operated by delightful people. We recommend them.

Mykonos

We have yet to get off the ferry at Mykonos, but have been told by many that it is a delightful island and that the Delos antiquities are very interesting. Yet the universal comment is that Mykonos is very touristy as well as expensive.

It's cosmopolitan reputation is supposed to stem from a history of fishing rather than farming and thus the locals were more traveled and more tolerant. In modern times this means it is a popular gay destination and noted for its night life and upscale dining.

What I like best about Mykonos is that along with Tinos it blocks the worst of the Meltemi winds that come howling down from the North in July and August. These hot, dry winds of up to 35 kph (50 mph) are caused by temperature differences between the hot land and cool water. They can be quite irritating . . . read more here on our blog

For more information on what to see and do try these sites:

About Mykonos: Information about the island of Mykonos with many pictures and hotels

Travel to Mykonos: Ditto with more photos

Syros

Recently we took a short break from our paradise on Paros to Syros. Here is the last paragraph of a report by Karin:

Will I come back to Syros? A definite yes!! I am looking forward to returning to with my scooter, taking the back roads over remote hillsides and deep valleys. I will watch for ancient ruins and look for an ancient cave. I want to visit those quiet little villages where shepherds still watch their sheep and goats. I want to see the gardens where the local fruits and vegetables are grown to sell in the big city of Hermoupolis. I will discover a people living a life that is still hard work but has its own sense of peace. I shall find that peace for myself in the warm sun with a blue sea beyond. Yes, the real Greek island beckons . . .

Read the article Here

A cool place to stay between the clubs and the beach is Skala Hotel apartments. Phone (+30)2286-092027 or Fax (+30)2286-092177. Please tell them Yasou from Grampa Michael on Paros.

Folegandros

Folegandros and Milos are two islands that many people want to visit after reading their descriptions in guide books. Few do, however, because the ferry schedules make it a very time consuming journey. Thus the islands continue to maintain their charm.

For our spring holiday in 2005 we went to Folegandros. After 6 hours on the ferry we could see our Aliki end of Paros just a nautical mile or two away (on clear days we can see Folegandros from our balcony).

The island was an interesting change from Paros as it is mostly mountainous and is noted for still using traditional methods of farming and handicrafts. The history is also different as it was un-populated for various long periods of the past. Not much was open during our April weekend visit but we enjoyed the dramatic scenery as we mo-peded up and down the hills.

Donousa

This was just a ferry stop for us. Definitely an island for those who want to be alone.

Milos

Milos is the in the very southwest of the Cyclades and like at least two other islands claims to be the largest island of the group. Known as the “island of colours” it has maintained its charm by still being relatively remote—though during the summer there are several daily ferries from Piraeus. It is very time consuming, however, to include it in the same itinerary as Paros and most other popular Cyclades.

The colours come not only from the sea and buildings as other islands but from the rich and varied rock formations that dominate the views. Some say that the volcanic island is still releasing fumes from the not too deep magma. You can get the facts at the Mining Museum of Milos, a modern facility that puts the geologic structure as well as the history of the people in perspective. Unless you are strictly a beach bum, this museum is a must see.

The other activity that most people enjoy is a boat excursion around the island to get a sea level perspective of the colours and shapes of the landscape, as well as delightful coves that are only accessible by boat.

Car Rental

Argus Car Hire(CarTrawler) is well represented through out the islands--and internationally. They have a lowest price guarantee. Click on the banner for details. In my experience you can only do better if you are bargaining on the spot face to face, and you are good at negotiating.

If you, like Karin and I, think that the best way to sample the joys of touring an island is riding a moped (motor scooter), then it is best to wait until your arrival to make the arrangements. The prices vary with the level of business on the day.

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