Cyclades Islands
Suggested itinerary*
· Day 1: Athens → Kythnos
· Day 2: Kythnos → Mykonos
· Day 3: Mykonos → Paros
· Day 4: Paros → Santorini
· Day 5: Santorini → Milos
· Day 6: Milos → Serifos
· Day 7: Serifos → Sounio → Vouliagmeni → Athens
*The itinerary can change due to weather conditions and personal preferences
KYTHNOS
Kythnos belongs to the West Cyclades and it is a small island not much developed in tourism. Kythnos has just started to make slow moves towards tourism, with the advantages of quiet beaches, relaxing landscape and picturesque villages. The most popular sightseeing in Kythnos is the Monastery of Panagia Kanala, protector of the island. Chora and Driopida are the most picturesque villages on the island, while Kolona is the most popular beach. A hike around the island will bring you to ruined castles, chapels and beaches that remain secluded even in high season.
Kýthnos is definitely the place for thermal tourism. A modern spa centre is in operation in Loutrá, with two hot springs in the area. The following springs have been famous for their therapeutic effectiveness since the ancient times, namely the spring of Ayioi Anárgyroi, inside the spa facilities, and the spring of Caucasus, at 50 m. from the first one, with a temperature reaching 52 degrees Celsius.
The beaches
Kolona
Sandy, Secluded, Non Organised
It is a narrow strip of land that connects Kythnos to the islet of Agios Loukas. It is the most famous beach of the island and particularly charming.
Loutra beach
Sandy, Family Friendly, Organized
This is one of the most crowded beaches of the island due to its closeness to the thermal spas. The seashore is long and sandy, while the waters are clean and warm.
Kanala beach
This is a small, pebbled beach right in front of the village. Some small hotels and fish taverns line this coast.
Gaidouromantra
Pebbled, Secluded, Non Organised
This is a long beach that doesn’t get very crowded. A few summer houses have been built by the seaside.
Kalo Livadi
Pebbled, Non Organised
This is an unorganized beach with sandy shore and rocky seafloor. Apart from swimming, you can also visit the close church of Panagia Kalolivadiani.
MYKONOS
Mykonos is worldwide famous for its cosmopolitan atmosphere and vivid nightlife! No wonder why it’s widely known as the “Ibiza of Greece”!
Mykonos is not only for the party goers; it’s an island that offers gourmet food, cultural activities, and romantic holidays. It’s a great destination for solo travelers, couples, and families with many things to do.
Apart from the beaches and nightlife, visitors shall also find much interesting sightseeing in Mykonos. The quarter of Little Venice, the Windmills and the church of Paraportiani are the main things to see on your stroll around Mykonos Town.
Little Venice
Little Venice is the most picturesque quarter of Chora, the capital of Mykonos island. With colorful houses that are constructed right by the sea, Little Venice is a popular spot with vivid nightlife and lovely cafeterias.
Windmills
The hill with the traditional windmills above Chora provides the best view of the village and the picturesque port. These windmills have been restored and have become the trademark of the island over the years.
Panagia Paraportiani
The chapel of Panagia Paraportiani is the most photographed church of the island. Located in Chora, this white, asymmetrical church dates from the 15th century.
The beaches
Elia
Sandy, Family Friendly, Organised, Water sports
Elia is one of the longest and most popular beaches of Mykonos. Many umbrellas, sun beds and beach bars dot the coastline.
Psarrou
Party, Sandy, Organised, Water sports
Psarou is an idyllic and well-organized beach on the southern side of Mykonos. In summer, it attracts many celebrities from Greece or abroad.
Agios Stefanos
Sandy, Family Friendly, Organised, Water sports
Agios Stefanos is a small protected cove in small distance from Chora but far from the busy south of Mykonos, so it remains calm most of the tourist season. With soft sand and crystal water, Agios Stefanos is well-developed with tourism facilities.
Kalafatis
Diving Club, Partly Organized, Windsurfing, Sandy, Family Friendly, Water sports
Kalafatis is a lovely beach famous for its watersport centers. The soft sand, the crystal water and the light breeze attract many visitors there.
Ftelia
Windsurfing, Pebbled, Secluded, Non Organised
Ftelia is a very peaceful and uncrowded beach on the north of Ano Mera village. The strong wind that blows there makes this beach ideal for windsurfing.
PAROS
This Cycladic island is famous for the beautiful beaches, the charming coastal villages, and the intense nightlife. Paros’ tourism also offers a lot of interesting sites, including Byzantine churches, monasteries, and ancient monuments.
Among things to see during your Paros vacation, Parikia, the island capital, is worth taking a stroll around. The highest point of Parikia is Kastro, the old Venetian neighborhood whose walls have been constructed with parts of ancient temples. The town has an interesting museum that houses various relics from different periods of Greek history. One of the earliest Christian churches in Greece, the Monastery of Panagia Ekatontapiliani, is located in the park of Parikia and it is believed to have been built by Saint Helen in 300 AD.
Naoussa, Piso Livadi, Marpissa, Lefkes, and Aliki are some of the most picturesque villages to visit on your Paros vacation. With charming ports, where colorful fishing boats are moored, pretty bays, tranquil beaches, ruins of Venetian castles, fascinating Byzantine churches, ancient windmills, the villages are places of outstanding natural beauty and are certainly worth a visit on your vacations.
Paros’ vacations satisfy all kinds of holidaymakers, either looking for an active nightlife or wanting to unwind in a peaceful location. For those who love water sports, Paros offers the best options for sporting adventures. The island is blessed with unique weather and wind conditions, and infrastructure has been significantly developed to cater to a large number of tourists who are drawn to the island year after year to enjoy the great beaches and the highly organized water sports facilities. In fact, the island offers such perfect sailing conditions that it hosts the P.W.A. (Professional Windsurfers Association) World Cup every year. The event is held in early August on New Golden Beach.
The beaches
Parasporos
Party, Sandy, Family Friendly, Organized, Water sports
Parasporos is a very popular beach close to Parikia. Parasporos is well-organized and has many beach bars.
Monastiri
Sandy, Family Friendly, Organized
Monastiri is a small rocky bay on the northern side of Paros.
Agia Irini
Partly Organized, Pebbled
The small beach of Agia Irini is boarded with beautiful palm trees, giving to the place a tropical atmosphere. It is a dreamy site but it can get crowded sometimes as the coastline is narrow.
Agioi Anargyri
Partly Organized, Sandy, Family Friendly
This is a small cove with sandy shore and clean water.
SANTORINI
One of the most popular destinations worldwide and the top Greek destination, Santorini, or Thira, is one of the most magical places you’ve ever seen!
Located on the southern side of the Aegean sea, Santorini Greece is a part of Cyclades island complex. The island was created after a huge volcanic eruption, occurred in 17th century B.C., which shaped the breathtaking Santorini caldera.
The enthralling sunset view in Oia Santorini, the minimal Cycladic architecture, the dramatic rocky landscape, and Santorini volcano are just some of the reasons you’ll have a crush on this unique island!
Perched on the edge of steep cliffs, the picturesque villages of Santorini offer a great view to the Aegean Sea and the submerged volcano. Apart from the caldera villages with the traditional Cycladic architecture, such as Oia and Fira, there is much sightseeing to visit in Santorini. The most important ancient site is Minoan Akrotiri, a town that was entirely covered by volcanic ash when the volcano of Santorini erupted in about 1,500 BC. Another less-known archaeological site in Santorini is Ancient Thera, located on top of a hill above Perissa and offering a breathtaking view.
The beaches
Red Beach
Pebbled, Organized
Red beach is one of the most beautiful and famous beaches of Santorini. It has black and red volcanic pebbles and hot water.
Kamari
Diving Club, Partly Organized, Sandy, Family Friendly, Water sports
The beach resort of Kamari is situated on the southern part of Santorini, right next to Perissa, with the enormous rock called Mesa Vouno between them.
White Beach
Pebbled, Secluded
The cove right next to the Red beach is known as the White beach. It is very similar to the Red beach, with black pebbles on the shore, only that the surrounding cliffs are white.
MILOS
Milos is a volcanic island, sitting at the southernmost part of the Cyclades island complex. Thanks to its volcanic origin, Milos boasts a magnificent colorful landscape and a coastline that counts more than 40 exotic beaches.
Standing out for its majestic ambiance, rich history, picturesque fishing villages, amazing food, and indigo bays, Milos island is a timeless Cycladic gem that will steal your breath with its enchanting beauty. The variety of landscapes in Milos is unreal- you’ll see nothing twice, there’s always something new to discover. Being home to the Venus of Milo statue, which was discovered on the island and the stunning Sarakiniko beach, Milo’s beauty is expressed in many ways!
Due to its volcanic background, Milos has special geology and unique beaches. The strong volcanic eruption that happened in Milos millions of years ago formatted its present landscape with reddish cliffs, soft sandy beaches, and underwater sea caves. Sarakiniko, Firiplaka, Paleochori, and Tsigrado are the most special beaches in Milos, while very characteristic is the fishing villages, such as Klima and Firopotamos. Interesting sightseeing in Milos is the Christian Catacombs and the Sea Caves of Kleftiko.
The beaches
Sarakiniko
Pebbled, Non Organized
Sarakiniko is the most famous and most photographed beach on Milos. The entire landscape formed by volcanic rocks makes a nice contrast with the deep blue colour of the sea.
Tsigrado
Sandy, Secluded, Non Organized
Tsigrado is a small cozy beach surrounded by huge cliffs. It has sandy coast and amazing water.
Kleftiko
Kleftiko is the most impressive spot on Milos.
Firiplaka
Partly Organized, Pebbled
Firiplaka is a small beach with soft sand. It has some tourist facilities and it is surrounded by huge rocks.
SERIFOS
A quintessentially Cycladic island of brilliant light, clear water and steadfast traditions.
The landscape here changes with the light. If you like rugged countrysides, you’ll be mightily impressed by the wonderful shapes nature has sculpted into the hillsides. In the port of Livadi, memories of older, more innocent times will come flooding back. You’ll fall in love again at the beaches with their blue-green waters. Then there’s Hora, the island’s town, a vision in brilliant white cascading down its conical hill.
Award-winning beaches
Take your pick; blue or green, shallow or deep waters, sand or pebbles, shaded or sun-drenched, blessed by a chapel or garnished. Lia, Koutalas, Vagia, Ganema, Kalo Ambeli, Psili Ammos, Sykamia. You’ll need several summers to explore all 40 of Serifos’ officially recognised beaches – though the locals claim the number is actually 72 – unless you come by yacht.
Stairway to the castle
Whitewashed houses cling to each other as they perch on the rim of vertical rocks. Facing east, they seem to tumble down the slope, solid and fluid all at once. They rest on the scattered ruins of the ancient town, referred to by Xenophon. A stairway leads higher and higher to the Venetian castle that encloses the chapels of Agia Varvara, the Saviour, Agios Konstandinos and Agios Ioannis. The view from here is stunning.
The mining museum
The open-air mining museum, and illuminating chats with former iron miners, will give you insights into the island’s main source of income in years past. At sunset, wander over to the impressive loading rig that juts out over Megalo Livadi bay. The hillside above it is rust-coloured, decorated with old rail tracks, wagons and tunnel mouths.
The monastery of the Taxiarchs
Crenellations, battlements and high walls make it look more like a mediaeval castle. The most important monastery on the island, it was built in the 16th century and the view from the abbey alone is worth the visit.
Cyclops’ throne
The throne of Cyclops is at Cape Kyklopas, a spectacular location with a panoramic view of the southwestern side of the island. It really does look like a giant armchair and you can’t help wonder just how those seven huge carved boulders got up there.
SOUNIO
Between myth and history
There are stories about the ship of King Menelaus who stopped briefly at Sounio on his way back from Troy; or about the unfortunate King Aegeus who drowned himself on that spot and the Aegean Sea got named after him; or about the people who built a temple using local marble to honour the god of the sea and safeguard the profits from the neighbouring Lavrio mines.
Make the most of your trip by indulging in a refreshing swim! Treat yourselves to some fresh fish and seafood. Drink in the lovely sunset view– in one of Attica’s best locations – having the ancient temple as a backdrop and facing the deep blue sea!
Sail pleasure
