The wonder of the Cyclades
The Cyclades are a jewel nestled in the heart of the Aegean Sea, an archipelago of over two hundred islands with timeless charm, only about thirty of which are inhabited. These islands form a perfect ring around the sacred island of Delos, the cradle of Greek mythology and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Characterized by whitewashed villages with turquoise doors and windows, golden sandy beaches, and crystal-clear waters, the Cyclades are the perfect destination for those seeking postcard-perfect landscapes, pristine seas, and ancient culture.
Each island tells a unique story: Mykonos reigns as the queen of nightlife and glamour, Naxos enchants with its lush nature and family-friendly beaches, while Santorini offers breathtaking views and unforgettable sunsets. From the wild coasts of Amorgos to the authentic villages of Paros, the Cyclades are a mosaic of natural beauty and cultural treasures that captivate every visitor. A trip to the Cyclades is an experience that blends relaxation, adventure, history, and tradition — a slice of authentic Greece waiting to be discovered.
Piero: a Greek poet once wrote: “Happy is the man who, before dying, had the good fortune to sail the Aegean. Many are the joys of this world — women, fruit, ideas — but to sail this sea in a gentle autumn, whispering the name of each island: I believe there is no greater joy to lift a man's heart closer to Paradise.”
Angela: the Cyclades are truly wondrous islands, their beauty beyond compare. Just saying their name brings back the deep blue of the Aegean Sea and the sun that shines almost all year long. Then there’s the whitewashed houses, set against cobalt blue windows, doors and rooftops; and how could one forget the towns with their narrow alleyways, the countless little churches and chapels with domed roofs, and the iconic windmills...
Piero: glorious weather, stunning sea and, above all, a place where history and myth intertwine, creating images found nowhere else on Earth!
Angela: some of these islands are very well known, like Mykonos and Santorini; others are less famous but often disarmingly beautiful, as in the case of Milos or Delos.
Piero: the name of this archipelago is actually tied to Delos: the word Cyclades comes from the Greek kyklos, meaning circle, and refers to the position of the islands arranged in a ring around Delos, the sacred island said to be the birthplace of Apollo.
Angela: the Cycladic islands were the birthplace of one of the most important civilizations of the Mediterranean, and can be considered the cradle of Greek culture.
Piero: all of this together makes them truly unique and unmissable! let’s start exploring:
Mykonos
Mykonos is world-famous for its vibrant nightlife, iconic beaches, and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Despite being one of the most visited destinations in the Cyclades, it offers peaceful corners, traditional villages, and stunning seaside landscapes. Its unique charm comes from the blend of ancient history, windmills, white houses, and the famous Little Venice, making it a must-visit destination for every type of traveler.
Piero: Greece with its islands is like peanuts: impossible to resist! One leads to another...
Angela: I figured it out, you really left your heart there.
Piero: backpack ready then! Let’s go!
Angela: which one did you choose this time?
Piero: I’m going classic, one of the most famous destinations for mass tourism: Mykonos!
Angela: you surprise me this time, and not exactly in a good way: do you want to go back to being a young guy, enjoying the sea, the nightlife, and the social scene? Have you forgotten we’re traveling with wives and kids?
Piero: absolutely not! Who said I want to change our way of vacationing? Ours are and remain family holidays with children or teenagers in tow. It’s absolutely true that Mykonos is perhaps, along with Ibiza, the home of fun and nightlife but I assure you there’s plenty to see beyond a fantastic sea: just choose the right time of year! June or September, for example, are perfect for a nice holiday of sea, relaxation, and family fun here too; of course July and August, for our kind of vacations, are definitely to be avoided...
Angela: then let’s go!
Piero: like in Naxos, we decide to spend a whole week in Mykonos.
Angela: in this case the flight is direct but not very comfortable because of the charter schedules which are not particularly convenient. For us and the kids it’s an early wake-up, but never mind, it will be worth it again this time.
Piero: just under three hours of flight and we reach Mykonos.
Angela: It is located in the heart of the Aegean, close to Paros, Tinos, Syros, and Naxos. Mykonos does not have the history and legends that make some Greek islands even more fascinating. Above all, Mykonos has always lived in the shadow of Delos, the very nearby island where myth says Apollo was born; however, it must be said that this proximity has in the past contributed to the development and wealth of this island: certainly, the cultural and artistic comparison between the two does not hold...
Piero: the island takes its name from its first ruler, Mykonos himself, son or perhaps grandson of Apollo. In Greek mythology, the name Mykonos is linked to the Gigantomachy: here, in fact, the great battle ended in which, helped by Hercules, who thus faced one of his twelve labors, Zeus and the other Olympian gods overcame the Giants; according to the myth, the large rocks scattered across the island are the petrified corpses of the Giants. Over the centuries, Mykonos remained under the dominion of Delos and not many events concerning it are known. Only through some excavations is the presence of the Carians known, who were then overshadowed by the power of the Phoenicians and Egyptians, before the dominion of Crete and the Ionians. The arrival of the Romans stopped the growth that occurred with the Greeks, and the subsequent destruction of Delos certainly greatly damaged Mykonos, which entered a dark period lasting until the Middle Ages, when famines, diseases, and enemy attacks were widespread. After the Byzantine domination during the Early Middle Ages, like all the Cyclades, Mykonos fell under Venetian rule. Mykonos was then occupied by the Turks, becoming part of the Ottoman Empire and remaining so until the nineteenth century: important episodes of the Greek struggles for independence are linked to Mykonos. After the disasters of the two World Wars, Mykonos became the magnificent paradise of the Cyclades, loved by its inhabitants and tourists. Its beauty and tourism are linked to the most recent history of Mykonos.
Angela: for our vacation this time, we chose a classic resort, the Veraclub Penelope. It is a small village, in perfect Greek style, resting on a promontory overlooking the bay; it has about fifty rooms in total and faces the splendid Kalò Livadi beach, which is immediately reachable on foot. The village has everything you need and is in a convenient position for getting around, being only about ten kilometers from the city of Mykonos. Thanks to Massimo for the valuable suggestion (one of many, by the way…)!
Piero: truly ideal for those traveling with family and children. above all, we were lucky to be welcomed by a fantastic animation team, truly out of the ordinary!
Angela: as soon as we arrived, tired from the trip, we immediately indulged our desire for the sea!
Piero: as mentioned, Kalò Livadi beach is really just a stone’s throw away: it’s a beautiful and large sandy beach with splendid sea. we are in the southern part of the island, which hosts the greatest number of interesting beaches in Mykonos.
Angela: this is the least windy and most sheltered area; some of these beaches are among the most famous and crowded and perhaps less interesting for us.
Piero: i imagine you’re thinking of Paradise Beach and Super Paradise Beach. these two beaches are probably the island’s most famous attraction, especially for the younger crowd coming here from all over Europe; the reason is simple: beautiful people (sometimes even strange…), 24/7 music thanks to the trendiest clubs on the island that overlook the beach; and then constant beach parties, wild fun, and beach bars blasting music at full volume right on the sand!
Angela: clearly, these can’t be the beaches for us: crowded, unsuitable for children, noisy, and with very little space to move around; and it was only a weekday afternoon in June, imagine in August! it’s worth marking them and moving on.
Piero: to avoid making you angry, i won’t take you to Psarou, which is certainly the chicest beach; also always crowded, here too a continuous party, but frequented by VIPs and celebrities, surrounded as it is by luxury bars and restaurants: beautiful with its white sand but basically a catwalk of social life.
Angela: let’s forget it! still in the south, there are also the beaches of Elia and Agrari: very close, so you can walk from one to the other, both very beautiful with the second a bit wilder than the first. they’re not very suitable for us because recently they have become the main destinations for nudists and naturists.
Piero: however, there are quite a few quiet beaches still in the south, suitable for relaxation and children. we already mentioned Kalò Livadi; there is Ornos, with its fine sand, calm and clean waters, and numerous services available: it is located inside a gulf and the waters become immediately deep. Agia Anna is a very small beach named after the little chapel overlooking it: it is made of sand and pebbles and is immersed in a beautiful, very quiet landscape far from mass tourism; on both sides of the beach there are rocky areas where you can enjoy a splendid view of the sea and the surrounding hills. Not far away is Kalafatis, one of the most beautiful beaches of Mykonos: golden sand and wonderful water! perhaps sometimes a bit windy but worth visiting even just to eat in one of the many restaurants in the area offering extraordinary fish. From Kalafatis, you can board to reach Dragonisi, a small islet off the eastern coast of Mykonos famous for its caves. Another beautiful beach is Lia, ideal for relaxation; it is a small quiet bay (perhaps the quietest of all the beaches in the south) not far from Kalafatis; again sand and pebbles with rocky formations on the sides of the beach. If Kalafatis is ideal for windsurfing, Lia is perfect for diving and snorkeling.
Angela: to summarize: for families with children, the beaches to visit in the southern area of Mykonos are Kalò Livadi, Ornos, Agia Anna, Kalafatis, and Lia. Not exactly suitable for us are Paradise and Super Paradise, as well as Psarou, Elia, and Agrari. What can you tell me about the other beaches on the island?
Piero: to the north there is Agios Sostis, a small, unspoiled cove of Mykonos, perhaps one of the few remaining. It is very quiet, not easy to reach, and sheltered from the winds; above all, it is very popular with nudists and therefore not suitable for us. Panormos also remains quite wild: it is a long, narrow beach with fine white sand and shallow, sandy seabed waters. The rocks around the beach entrance form shallow seawater pools, ideal for relaxation. This beach is also frequented by nudists. Very beautiful for snorkeling is Mersini beach, thanks to the sandy and rocky seabed; it is very windy and loved by surfers, not very easy to reach (the road is really bumpy…) and there is absolutely nothing around. Nearby is Fokos, quiet and secluded: a beautiful, still wild, and little-known beach but the road to reach it is terrible. Perhaps more suitable for us is Ftelia beach, located at the end of the large bay in the center of the northern coast of Mykonos island; it is very popular with surfers when the Meltemi blows, a beautiful large beach with fine sand, not crowded, and very quiet despite being easily accessible. Finally, to the west there is Houlakia, very beautiful, wild, and picturesque; however, I would say it is not ideal because it is often very windy and especially because it is not sandy. However, it is a spectacle at sunset with the sun dipping into the sea behind the island of Delos. It is worth visiting the Fanari lighthouse and the archaeological site of Vorna. The most famous beach on the western coast is Agios Ioannis, right opposite Delos. This one is truly ideal for children: it is very calm and relaxing, and the beach slopes gently into crystal-clear, shallow, and rather calm waters.
Angela: so, if we move away from our southern area, we definitely choose Agios Ioannis beach. All the others are beautiful to see, but there’s a risk the kids won’t appreciate them.
Piero: Mykonos is obviously known for the sea, the beaches, and the nightlife. It doesn’t have the cultural richness and beauty of the other islands, but there are certainly some important things to see.
Angela: It’s definitely worth visiting the town of Mykonos, the island’s capital, also commonly known as Chora, and Ano Mera, one of the traditional and characteristic villages.
Piero: the town has the classic Greek style: white houses with blue doors and windows stacked one on top of another and narrow alleys that seem like a labyrinth, all decorated here and there with the colors of blooming bougainvillea.
Angela: maybe this poetic picture is occasionally interrupted by some music bar that especially in the evening blasts music at full volume, but it’s worth taking a nice walk along Matoyianni, the main street that starts from the port and then winds through other alleys; of course, boutiques and souvenir shops are not missing alongside prestigious jewelry stores or exclusive art galleries. Mykonos is this: Greek atmosphere elevated to the highest level of nightlife!
Piero: walking through the town, it’s not uncommon to encounter free pelicans: this animal is actually the symbol of Mykonos. It all started with the curious story of Petros, the pelican who, having arrived on the island in 1954—no one knows exactly how—lived for over thirty years along the town’s seafront, earning the love of tourists and locals alike. At his death, the grief was such that it was decided to welcome other pelicans to the island, and since then several can be seen along the streets of Mykonos.
Angela: the most characteristic neighborhood of Mykonos is Little Venice. actually, this neighborhood is called Alefkántra, but few people know that… it’s just a row of elegant houses built directly on the sea; especially at sunset, the atmosphere becomes magical and romantic, when the sunlight highlights the pastel shades of these little houses to the point of suggesting a comparison with the city of romance par excellence.
Piero: if little Venice is one of the typical postcards of Mykonos, a shot of the typical windmills cannot be missing, another symbol of chora. these are a series of mills built around the 15th century and used until the 20th century for flour production: Of the original sixteen, today only seven remain perfectly restored. They are easily reached from the town center via a short climb. The windmills represented one of the most important sources of livelihood for this island which, before the advent of tourism, was very poor.
Angela: another unmissable stop while wandering through the town of Mykonos is the beautiful church of Panagia Paraportiani, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, in the classic style of the Cycladic constructions.
Piero: it’s definitely worth venturing into the narrow streets just outside the town to climb up towards the hills overlooking the town and enjoy the beautiful panorama of Chora seen from above.
Angela: let’s end our visit by enjoying an ouzo at the old port of Mykonos, the place where the locals gather to sip the typical Greek anise-flavored drink.
Piero: besides Chora, it’s definitely worth visiting, as mentioned, the small village of Ano Mera. Much less sophisticated than the town from which it is less than ten kilometers away, it is a small village of herders and farmers whose main attraction is the monastery of Panagia Tourliani dating back to the 15th century and built by two monks who came from Paros. It is located right near the town’s central square and is worth visiting inside as well. Clearly, the village also has the typical white houses and souvenir shops: a lunch or dinner in one of the typical tavernas is a must. Here you can breathe the traditional spirit of the Greek environment and culture more than anywhere else.
Angela: to finish the island tour, you can’t miss visiting the Armenistis lighthouse; it is a deteriorating structure but offers a truly splendid sea view.
Piero: probably Mykonos isn’t exactly in line with our vacation style. the sea and the beaches are definitely very beautiful; chora is certainly interesting even if by now it’s too touristy; however, choosing a quiet period of the year, it’s definitely worth spending a week there, also because you can’t miss Mykonos to complete the panorama of the Cyclades.
Angela: don’t forget that one day of this week we dedicated to visiting a special gem: Delos. we will talk about it in a separate post because the magic and splendor of this place deserve it all.
Delos
Delos, the mythological heart of the Cyclades, is a sacred island rich in history and archaeology. According to legend, Apollo and Artemis were born here, making the island a place of great religious importance in antiquity. Today, Delos captivates visitors with its extraordinary archaeological remains: temples, theaters, mosaics, and villas that tell the story of a thriving civilization. A true journey through time among myth, art, and culture—an unmissable destination for anyone visiting the Cyclades.
Piero: spending a week in Mykonos without visiting Delos is like going to Rome and skipping the Colosseum!
Angela: if you fell in love with the Greek islands from the very first moment, this one has always had a special place in your heart.
Piero: exactly! I see it as one of those magical places that have fascinated me more than almost any other. Actually, fascinated doesn’t even come close: along with Olympia and Matera, it’s probably one of the few places that have truly captured me, places so beautiful they transport you into another dimension.
Angela: it really is one of those places where you feel part of the history of humanity, and you sense its essence deep within.
Piero: delos, although one of the smallest islands in the archipelago, with just over three square kilometers, has always been considered the heart of the Cyclades.
Angela: not so much geographically, even if the Cyclades seem to form a perfect circle around this island, but rather because it is regarded as the cradle of Greek civilization, up to the development of Athens.
Piero: the island is a vast open-air archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990, where myth and Greek history intertwine: just think that according to legend, the god Apollo was born right here!
Angela: wait, don’t rush into your story just yet! first, some practical information. the island is completely uninhabited, so overnight stays are not possible; it is easily reached by a ferry taking just over half an hour from Mykonos. practically all hotels and villages offer visit packages to the island; in addition to the ferry cost, you also have to pay an entrance fee for the archaeological site; it’s definitely worth hiring an expert guide: there are guides available in all languages.
Piero: don’t forget to bring a hat and plenty of water: the island is mostly rocky and treeless, and you’ll need to walk a lot under the sun to fully enjoy all its wonders.
Angela: the feeling of entering another dimension hits you as soon as you arrive at the island’s pier. we left very early in the morning when Mykonos was already awake and lively, and we arrive at this island ruled by silence; you can only hear the waves, the wind rustling the bushes, and the cicadas chirping: you almost fear that any word could be out of place compared to the beauty glimpsed already from the pier.
The sacred island in myth
Piero: according to myth, the twins Apollo and Artemis were born on delos; leto (latona to the romans), lover of zeus, had taken refuge on the island to give birth to the two children of the king of the gods and to escape the wrath of hera. leto and her family of titans are also linked to the birth of the island: according to the myth, leto’s sister asteria was also pursued by zeus, a notorious womanizer; to escape the clutches of the king of the gods, asteria transformed into a quail, while zeus took the form of an eagle; desperate, asteria threw herself into the water, creating an island in the aegean that was originally only floating. only later did zeus fix the island firmly in the sea to celebrate the birth of his two children. leto could only find refuge with her sister, since hera had forbidden anyone to welcome zeus’s concubine.
Angela: these myths are also linked to the island’s name. the original name of delos was ortigia, from the greek “quail island”; after the birth of apollo and artemis, the name changed to the current one, which means “the luminous one” in greek, in honor of the god of the sun and the goddess of the moon, apollo and artemis respectively.
Piero: for the greeks, then, delos was the birthplace of light, the highest good, and for this reason the island was the most famous and sacred of all. the first settlements on the island date back to 3000 bc on the summit of mount cynthus (mount is a figure of speech: it barely reaches a hundred meters...); around 1000 bc the mycenaeans arrived, probably bringing the cult of apollo with them: the island became a true sanctuary of the sun god, maintaining its splendor until the 5th century bc; all greeks gathered here to celebrate the deities born here. at this time delos was so important it became the seat of the league named after it, formed by the greek city-states after the persian wars to defend against future threats. the great temple of apollo was built here, housing a colossal statue of the god, though none of it has ever been found. in the 5th century bc the island came under the dominion of athens, where large sums collected by the delian league were also transferred. delos began to decline, culminating when the athenians decided to purify it: all the island’s tombs were opened and the remains moved to a common grave on the nearby island of rhenea (also now uninhabited); but most importantly, it was decreed that no one could be born or die on the sacred island. the sick and women in childbirth were therefore moved to rhenea until in 422 bc all the inhabitants of delos were exiled. once independence was regained, splendid buildings were constructed and hundreds of statues commissioned, of which today only the pedestals with inscriptions remain. with the roman conquest, the island became a major commercial hub, thanks to its strategic location in the center of the aegean sea. delos changed its look and became a small, bustling maritime and commercial town, with the only peculiarity of maintaining the ancient sanctuary. friendship with rome was the cause of its final destruction at the hands of mithridates, king of pontus, who was at war with the romans in the 1st century ad. since then the island was abandoned and forgotten, becoming only a refuge for pirates.
Angela: excavations on the island began in 1872 and have brought to light the sanctuary and remains of the city. excavations are still ongoing and are probably far from complete: sculptures, statues, vases and various objects are now housed in the island’s museum.
The wonders of Delos
Piero: you arrive on the island docking at the new pier for tourist boats; however, delos once had a magnificent example of an artificial pier built in granite, which was the main part of the sacred harbor. from the port, our walk begins towards the streets and the ruins of the houses. in this area, many residences dating back to the 2nd century bc are preserved, a period when the island became a “free port” and welcomed an increasing number of merchants from all over the central-eastern mediterranean; these must have been sumptuous homes belonging to very wealthy people, as evidenced by the statues decorating them and the rooms adorned with mosaic floors and painted walls: the most important and luxurious are the house of cleopatra, the house of dionysus, and the house of the trident. all these houses are located near the theatre, but others can be found beyond the theatre, close to the terrace hosting the sanctuaries of foreign gods, and still others near the sacred lake.
Angela: all around, there are buildings dedicated to sports activities that were used both for training and for the Delian festivals. These were celebrations of very ancient origin, said in myth to have been established by theseus upon his return from crete, to celebrate the slaying of the minotaur. The competitions took place every four years and included both athletic and theatrical events, so besides the theatre, an hippodrome, a stadium, and three gymnasiums were built; the prizes for the winners were laurel crowns and palm branches—the plant leto was said to lean on during childbirth and a symbol of the celebrations. walking among these ruins, you get the feeling of stepping back more than two thousand years...
Piero: moving beyond the theatre, you reach the terrace of the foreign gods: further evidence of the exchanges and influences from other peoples on this island, this area hosted a sanctuary dedicated to Syrian deities and especially Egyptian ones.
Angela: we now turn back toward the sea and head to the sacred way that leads to the sanctuary of Apollo: an enclosed area hosting three temples dedicated to the god, surrounded by a multitude of worship buildings and ex-voto monuments. At this point, we are inside the sanctuary itself.
Piero: here there are three temples dedicated to the god Apollo. The oldest dates back to the second half of the 6th century b.C.; it once housed a statue of Apollo created by two artists from naxos. the second building is known as the “great temple” and likely dates to the time when delos became the seat of the league of the same name; its construction was halted in 454 b.C., when the league’s treasury was moved to athens, but even though work resumed after independence was restored, the temple was never completed. The third is the temple of the Athenians, or the temple of the seven statues: it was inaugurated by the Athenian commander Nicias in 417 b.C. and was meant to house seven images of deities inside.
Angela: within the sacred area, there are also small structures known as “treasuries”: these housed votive offerings to the deities. The most important among them is undoubtedly the so-called Oikos of the Nassoi.
Piero: beyond the sanctuary, to the north, was the sacred lake that hosted Apollo’s swans: it was created at the exact spot where Leto supposedly gave birth to the twins; today there is no trace of the lake as it was drained in 1925 following a malaria outbreak among archaeologists.
Angela: right in front of the lake area is the famous Terrace of the Lions. it is a monumental avenue lined with archaic lion statues, facing the sacred lake, seemingly guarding the island and the sanctuary. they date back to the 7th century bc and were gifted to delos by the extraordinary artisans of naxos, who carved them from local marble. the original number is uncertain; probably nine, twelve, or maybe more: today only five statues remain, while a sixth was taken by the Venetians in the 17th century and still stands guard in front of the arsenal.
Piero: as evidence of the presence of merchants from all over the known world, some buildings dating back to the island’s period of greatest splendor were likely the headquarters of foreign guilds: among the most interesting is certainly the Agora of the Italics.
Angela: our visit to the island ends with the tour of the museum.
Piero: the museum houses many artifacts, objects, and statues found over time on the island, an important part of which is kept at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. As discoveries were made, it was decided to build this museum directly on site starting in 1904, with later expansions added over the years. The original lion statues are preserved here: the ones currently visible on the terrace we mentioned are just copies.
Angela: the museum is further evidence of the magnificence of this island and the splendor of its history.
Delos: an unforgettable memory!
Piero: visiting this island is something unique and unforgettable. Every step was a discovery, imagining what life might have been like here two thousand five hundred years ago.
Angela: every corner is special and hides something worth seeing and learning about.
Piero: few places in the world transport you with such intensity: I would have loved to stay much longer to admire and photograph as much as possible.
Angela: it didn’t really look like you didn’t… we had to drag you onto the ferry that brought us back to Mykonos!
Naxos
Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades, is an island of extraordinary beauty and rich history. With its wide, family-friendly beaches, authentic traditional villages, and fascinating archaeological sites such as the Portara and the Temple of Demeter, Naxos offers a perfect blend of relaxation and culture. It is an ideal island for those seeking a peaceful holiday immersed in nature and Greek tradition.
Piero: let’s completely change course and type of trip!
Angela: what are you thinking about?
Piero: no vans this time and transport only when strictly necessary; instead, we’ll pack swimsuits, shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops, and sneakers. nothing else!
Angela: I think I got it: lots of sea and some small excursions to enchanting places.
Piero: exactly; I’m thinking about my great passion: Greece and its islands!
Angela: it’s a passion that started many years ago and I know well you’d go back every time you have the chance; I even think you could live on one of those islands: I already see you, always dressed for the sea, with your inevitable backpack containing only your gear. which one did you have in mind in particular?
Piero: I thought about Naxos!
Angela: this is not the first island we visited and perhaps not even the most beautiful; probably it is also the least traveled by tourist routes. But this does not make it any less fascinating.
Piero: first of all, there is no airport in Naxos: to get there you need to reach Mykonos and then take a ferry from there for a journey of just under an hour. This probably makes it less accessible and less frequented by mass tourism. hotels and villages are never very large so you never get the feeling of the crowds typical of other well-known seaside resorts.
Angela: the trip is not very comfortable also because flight schedules are not particularly convenient: but we are not discouraged; for us and for the kids it’s an early start, but never mind, it will be worth it…
Piero: just under three hours of flight and we reach Mykonos; a forced stop of a couple of hours waiting for the ferry. Not too bad here either though: the port is just a stone’s throw from the center and so you can take advantage for a walk in the beautiful town. maybe you’ll want to come back again…
Angela: arriving by ship in Naxos, you immediately perceive the nature of this island: a beautiful sea and many remains of the past. The welcome from Chora, with the splendid Portara and its beautiful white houses contrasting with the blue of the sea, is really fascinating!
Discovering the island of Ariadne and Dionysus
Piero: Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades archipelago, located in the Aegean Sea. It lies opposite Paros, separated by a channel of only 5 kilometers, and between Amorgos and Mykonos. Its largest town is Chora, which, with its 12,000 inhabitants, is more like a small town. The most important villages are Filoti, Apiranthos, Tragea, Koronos, Sangri, and Apollonas. It is also the most fertile island in the Cyclades, so much so that it once supplied oil, fruit, and vegetables to coastal cities and the populations of the smaller islands. According to myth, Dionysus brought the first vine branch to this island. The most important myth related to Dionysus is the one that makes Naxos the island of Ariadne: Ariadne was supposedly abandoned by Theseus on the island after helping him kill the Minotaur; however, the Greek god, having arrived on the island and fallen in love with Ariadne, threatened Theseus in a dream and forced him to leave her asleep on the island. Dionysus then kidnapped Ariadne and took her to Mount Olympus to marry her. The island was first inhabited by the Thracians and reached its peak between the 7th and 6th centuries BC, becoming the heart of Cycladic civilization. During this period, the Naxians took over the administration of the Sanctuary of Delos and built the lions to guard it (we will talk about this when we explore Mykonos). Venetians, Byzantines, and Turks later succeeded each other in the history of Naxos until the War of Independence in 1821, when it was annexed to the Greek kingdom; all of them left many cultural and architectural traces.
The beaches of Naxos
Angela: for sea lovers, Naxos is the perfect destination. The island’s beaches are all wonderful—wide, long, with fine sand and shallow seabeds that make them suitable for families with children.
Piero: we decided to base ourselves in a village near Mikri Vigla, about twenty kilometers south of Chora.
Angela: still on the west coast, from north to south, there are the beautiful beaches of Agios Prokopios and Agios Anna (by the way: agios means saint), both perfect for families; then you reach Plaka, huge, where you can walk for hours along the shoreline. Less suitable for families is definitely Aliko, not so much on the main beach but because of the wilder parts of its many small bays. Chora itself has its own city beach: Agios Georgios. Much less crowded because it is wilder and harder to reach is the eastern part of the island. One of the most beautiful beaches on this side is definitely Panormos.
Chora and its Portara
Piero: but Naxos is not just beaches: there are some important archaeological sites that testify to its ancient splendor, there are a series of traditional villages and hamlets that are the true soul of the island, and then there is the capital, Chora.
Angela: and it is precisely from the latter that we start our story. As mentioned, it is a small town easily explored on foot, but large enough to have many things to discover in one day.
Piero: Chora is divided into four neighborhoods. The most important are Kastro, the fortified citadel of Roman origin perched on the hill, where the Venetians lived during the island’s domination; Bourgos, the area outside the Kastro walls where the Greek population lived; then there is Grotta, the neighborhood on the northern side where numerous archaeological finds are emerging thanks to excavations; and finally the port district, with the seafront.
Angela: the starting point is right the seafront, paralia to the locals, just in front of the port, bustling with restaurants, cafés, and shops. At the end of the seafront stands the symbol of Naxos, the Portara, the unforgettable image of the entire island.
Piero: It is located on the islet of Palatia, easily reachable on foot, and it is the most important part of what remains of the temple dedicated to Apollo, which began construction in the 6th century BC but was left unfinished due to a war between Naxos and Samos. It was meant to be the massive entrance, the actual gate, of this large marble temple: the tyrant Ligdami, who started the work, wanted to build the largest temple in Greece; consider that the gate alone is six meters high and three meters wide! The history of this temple is shrouded in mystery: it is not mentioned in any classical work, there is no inscription, and even the dedication to the god Apollo is uncertain. Certainly, the gate faces Delos, the small island opposite Mykonos, where according to myth Apollo was born, but Naxos is the island of Dionysus...
Angela: reaching the highest point where the monument stands, you can enjoy an extraordinary panoramic view of the city of Chora, the classic postcard photo to take home! It is magnificent to visit and photograph it at sunset.
Piero: at this point we head towards the heart of Chora, in the direction of the Kastro. To get there, we walk through the wonderful narrow alleys that often open into small, charming squares surrounded by white houses leaning against each other. Walking around, you discover unmissable views where the white makes the colors of the windows, flowers, plants, and objects decorating the houses stand out.
Angela: we find ourselves crossing in particular the old market, made up of many small shops, some truly touristy but others really interesting, overlooking these beautiful alleys.
Piero: it’s a real labyrinth: with narrow streets, photo-worthy corners, and characteristic little shops, it’s really easy to get lost! And we managed to do just that…
Angela: we finally reach the top, where the Venetian castle is located; it was once protected by inner and outer walls, but now only the remains of the inner wall are visible. You enter through two gates, the southern one called Paraporti and the northern one called Trani Porta, and you immediately notice it both for its size and its color, which is not the classic white of the other houses.
Piero: the castle was built by the Venetian Marco Sanudo in the 13th century and was surrounded by twelve turrets; of these, only one remains, the Crispi turret, named after the last dukes of the island. The castle is also known as Glezos Castle, after the family name of its last owners; they donated it to the Greek state, which restored it and turned it into a Byzantine museum, open to visitors for a fee.
Angela: we continue our walk returning toward the port until we reach the Orthodox Metropolis, dedicated to Saints Nicodemus the Hagiorite and Nectarios, occupying the area where the ancient agora once was. Materials from old churches and ancient buildings were used in its construction: it is said that its granite columns were transported from the nearby island of Delos.
The wonderful villages of Naxos
Piero: if Chora reflects the influence of various dominations, authentic Greece is fully felt in the inland villages. The most characteristic ones are located toward the center of the island, leaving Naxos southeast toward Mount Zeus, the highest peak in all the Cyclades at 1000 meters.
Angela: the first village to visit is definitely Halki, the ancient capital of the island; the old houses testify to its past as a capital and there are countless small churches nearby worth visiting; a stop at the Vallindras distillery is a must, the only place on the island where Kitron, the local liquor made from citron (the entire central area of the island is covered by Lebanon cedar forests), is produced—a unique taste not found anywhere else in Greece!
Piero: not far from the village, just a ten-minute walk away, nestled in the countryside, is one of the most beautiful churches of Naxos, the Byzantine church of Saint George Diasoritis, which dates back to the 11th century and is perfectly preserved.
Angela: just near Halki is the church of Drosiani, one of the oldest early Christian churches in Europe, with its very peculiar structure: next to a central body there are three constructions, similar to caves, surrounding it. It is possible to visit it both from the outside, walking around, and inside, where you can see beautiful frescoes dating back to the 7th century.
Piero: not far from Halki is Filoti, the largest village in the Tragea valley: we stop to admire the large and ancient plane tree in the town center. We take a very pleasant walk through the alleys until we reach the splendid church of Panagia Filotitissa: it is one of the most important churches in Naxos, entirely built in white marble, with a distinctive carved bell tower and some beautiful Byzantine icons inside. Filoti is also the starting point for the beautiful hike to the summit of Mount Zeus: a one-hour walk to admire a fantastic view of the entire island.
Angela: a curiosity: according to mythology, it was on this mountain that Zeus was raised by his mother Rhea, who hid him in a cave to save him from the fate he would have faced. Cronus, Zeus's father, used to eat his own male children to prevent them from overthrowing him!
The archaeological sites of Naxos
Piero: besides the Portara, Naxos also has other important archaeological sites; the most important outside Chora is undoubtedly the Temple of Demeter.
Angela: It is located near the village of Ano Sangri, on a hill overlooking a fertile valley, and dates back to the 6th century BC. It has a distinctive square plan with five Ionic columns arranged in front of the main entrance: it has been almost completely destroyed, but enough remains standing to understand its original structure. The restorations are not remarkable, and the temple is practically abandoned, poorly signposted, and not easy to reach; however, it is easy to park on the road, it can be freely visited, and there are always few people.
Piero: definitely not to be missed in Naxos are the famous Kouroi (from kouros, which in Greek means “boy”): these are enormous marble statues left unfinished and still positioned in the ancient marble quarries that the island is rich in. The artisans of Naxos were the first to introduce the use of this material in architecture and sculpture, becoming its undisputed masters. Their works took their primitive shape in the quarry to avoid damage during transportation; then they were transported with a complex system and finally completed at their final destination. Probably those left in Naxos were abandoned due to accidents, discovery of defects in the marble, cancellation of the order, or more likely due to particular political events.
Angela: these giants can be admired in two different places: the first and most important is located in Apollonas, a seaside village in the north of the island, while two others are in Flerio, in the heart of Naxos.
Piero: the Kouros of Apollonas dates back to the 7th century b.C. and is 11 meters long and weighs over 80 tons. It is also known as the Colossus of Dionysus and is located in the quarry, along the road before entering the village. The statue is cut directly from the rock, lying on its back and obviously unfinished, but you can notice the head with a beard, ears, a hint of hair, rudimentarily sculpted arms, and the beginnings of the feet forming. Kouroi usually depict young heroes, but this one instead represents an old man with a beard: for this reason, it has been associated with Dionysus.
Angela: the two Kouroi of Flerio are much smaller (about 5 meters long) and not as well preserved as the one in Apollonas. They are located in a park that can be accessed for free. In this case, we return to the classic representation of nude young men.
The most beautiful of the Cyclades!
Piero: Naxos is definitely an island worth visiting for its beauty and peaceful atmosphere. We spent an entire week here, alternating between exploring the many things to see and relaxing on the beach. Many of these places are close to each other and not far from any starting point. For our tour, we rented a car and kept it for almost the entire week so we could spread out our excursions comfortably over time without missing the beauty of the sea every day. There are countless small car rentals just about everywhere; but be careful with the terms—you're not always covered for all types of damage.
Angela: for the joy of both kids and adults, it's worth renting a quad for a few hours—perfect for a lovely ride along the coastal roads.
Piero: Naxos is the perfect island for a peaceful family vacation!
