Cyclades

The Cyclades (Κυκλάδες) are the archetypal Greek islands, around thirty inhabited islands and many islets in the southern Aegean. Their name refers to the circle they form around Delos, the sacred island where Apollo was said to be born. In the Bronze Age they gave rise to the Cycladic culture, known for its marble figurines. Whitewashed cube houses, blue domes, windmills and dovecotes shape the villages.

Santorini rises around a flooded volcanic caldera, with clifftop Fira and Oia and the Bronze Age town of Akrotiri. Mykonos pairs its Chora and windmills with beach clubs and nightlife, and boats cross from there to Delos, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Naxos, the largest island, has the Portara, mountain villages and long sandy bays. Paros offers Parikia with Panagia Ekatontapiliani and the harbour village of Naoussa. Tinos draws pilgrims to Panagia Evangelistria. Milos is known for the white rocks of Sarakiniko, and Syros for the neoclassical town of Ermoupoli. Folegandros and Amorgos with the Hozoviotissa Monastery are quieter. Show more

Cycladic cooking draws on local cheeses, capers, tomatoes and fresh fish. Ferries from Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio link the islands with each other, which makes the Cyclades the classic region for island hopping. Several islands, among them Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros and Milos, also have airports.