Within easy reach of Athens, these are the Aegean’s most precious gems. Ancient Greek geographers gave this unique cluster of islands the name Cyclades because they saw that they formed a circle (kyklos) of sorts around the sacred island of Delos. According to myth, the islands were the debris that remained after a battle between giants. In reality, they resulted from colossal geological events like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Their colors are blue and white like the Greek flag. The islands come in all sizes and, though the ingredients are the same – incomparable light, translucent water, heavenly beaches, lustrous white buildings, and bare rock, each one has its own distinct character. The group’s stars, Mykonos and Santorini, need no introduction but the lesser-known islands, big and small, are just as rewarding. For starters, try aristocratic Syros, cosmopolitan Paros, the sculptors’ paradise of Tinos, bountiful Naxos, exotic Milos, and historic Delos, not to mention the ‘hidden gems’ that adorn the Aegean, such as Tzia/Kea, Kythnos, Sifnos, Serifos, Amorgos, Sikinos, Anafi and Folegandros. Whether you’re traveling with your family, friends or sweetheart, you’re bound to find your summer paradise in the sun in the Cyclades.
What’s your idea of the perfect beach? Green-blue water and white sand? Beach bars and water sports? Framed by rocks for snorkeling and scuba diving? A secret Aegean cove accessible only on foot or by boat? No matter what your ideal is, you’ll find it in the Cyclades. First stop: Mykonos with its extra golden sand, turquoise water, and 5-star facilities. Paradise, Super Paradise, Psarou and Elia, all rank in the top 10 beaches worldwide.
Next comes volcanic Milos, with the biggest range of colors and rock formations, such as at Sarakiniko and Kleftiko, and Santorini’s black and red beaches like Kamari, Perissa, and Perivolo that reveal the wild beauty of the Cyclades. Small Serifos is ringed with beaches, while rugged Amorgos can claim the ‘Big Blue’ at Agia Anna beach, where Luc Besson shot his seminal movie about testing the limits of man. Andros’ ‘secret’ sandy beaches, like Ahla and Grias to Pidima, win rave reviews for being extra photogenic, as does Tinos for the round boulders at Livada and the enormous dune at Pachia Ammos (Fat Sand). For getting away from it all, both tiny Polyaigos, between Kimolos and Milos, and the Lesser Cyclades, near Naxos, offer unexplored destinations of raw beauty, for those who come by yacht.
