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 costs about 1 Euro), we treat it as part of Paros. So you can find information and photos throughout our site, including the More 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.
Here are a couple of links to get you started:
An excellent full service hotel on Santorini: Maistros Village in Karterados.
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
For a very detailed account of personal journey see our May 04 Newsletter.
Naxos
Naxos (High Season)
Much like Paros for sandy beaches, windsurfing, and friendly people.
We recently spent a day there and took a few photos. They are posted to our blog with brief descriptions.
Paul and Rosi have a fun, friendly site for Naxos.
Go Naxos - claims to be the "Complete Guide to Naxos Island"
Agios Prokopios is a delightful hotel operated by delightful people.
We recommend them.
Mykonos
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
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
Ios
Oh to be young and foolish again. We could go to Ios and party like we used to, surrounded by everyone doing the same. Truly a fun place for those 25 and under.
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.
For more on Milos see the Milos Travel web site.
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.
For more information on each island please use this Google Search Bar
