Delos
Delos has a special place in Greek mythology. When Leto was pregnant with twins Apollo and Artemis, she was relentlessly pursued by a vengeful Hera – the…
Must-see attractions in Cyclades
Cyclades
From the 8th century BC until the 7th century AD, this remote twin cove was the site of the ancient city of Karthaia, one of Kea's four historic city…
Paros
This 80-hectare park north of Naoussa features impressive rock formations, caves, hidden coves and gorgeous beaches. There's a lot going on here, with…
Fira
Opposite the bus station, this well-presented museum houses extraordinary finds excavated from Akrotiri, which has been settled since neolithic times…
Hora (Naxos)
The most alluring part of Hora is the 13th-century residential neighbourhood of Kastro, which Marco Sanudo made the capital of his duchy in 1207. Behind…
Paros
The Panagia Ekatontapyliani, which dates from AD 326, is one of the finest churches in the Cyclades. The building is three distinct churches: Agios…
Antiparos
Signposted off the main coastal road some 10km south of the port, this huge and atmospheric cave remains impressive despite much looting of stalactites…
Santorini
First settled by the Dorians in the 9th century BC, Ancient Thira consists of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine ruins and is an atmospheric and rewarding…
Delos
A vast haul of artefacts has been protected from the elements and displayed in this must-see museum, including the originals of many of the frescoes,…
Amorgos
Agia Anna Beach is tiny and rocky, but with calm waters for swimming and rocks to leap off. It's popular for its starring role in the French film The Big…
Naxos
The Vallindras Distillery on Halki’s main square has been distilling the kitron liqueur in the same way since 1896, passing from one generation to the…
Naxos
This gallery displays the exquisite work of Naxian potter Katharina Bolesch and her partner, artist and jewellery designer Alexander Reichardt. Each piece…
Antiparos
The long pedestrianised main street of this enchanting village is lined with services and a whole lot of stylish boutiques, bars and restaurants. Follow…
Naxos
The handsome Bazeos Tower stands prominently in the landscape about 2km east of Sangri. It was built in its original form as a monastery during the 17th…
Cyclades
The enigmatic 8m-long Kea Lion, chiselled from schist sometime between the 9th and 6th century BC, lies along the ridge beyond the last of Ioulida’s…
Santorini
This atmospheric gallery is on the way to Kamari, in Argyros Canava, one of the oldest wineries on the island. The walls and niches of the wine caverns…
Cyclades
A flight of whitewashed steps leads to the fortified monastery of Moni Zoödohou Pigis, high above the Kastro. Originally built as a women’s monastery in…
Naxos
Located 2.5km north of Halki, just below Moni, this is among the oldest and most revered churches in Greece. Inside are several small, cavelike chapels…
Paros
Fronted by four intricately carved stone sarcophagi, this museum harbours some important pieces, including a 5th-century BC Nike on the point of alighting…
Andros
The unquestioned highlight of this excellent little museum is an exquisite 2nd-century BC marble copy of the bronze Hermes of Andros by Praxiteles, the…
Ios
Head up the alleyway behind Sally's Rooftop Garden and then proceed upwards by trial and error, along cracked steps and through ancient archways, and…
Hora (Naxos)
From Naxos Town Harbour, a causeway leads to the Palatia islet and the striking, unfinished Temple of Apollo, Naxos’ most famous landmark (also known as…
Amorgos
On the western tip of the island, this is Amorgos' loveliest beach. Yachts and fishing boats bob on the cerulean waters of the protected bay. In July and…
Small Cyclades
Gorgeous sweep of white sand, an easy walk from Hora, and popular with naturists. There's a decent taverna here as well.
Santorini
One of Santorini's prettiest beaches, this secluded southwestern cove, surrounded by cliffs, is only reachable by boat.
Tinos
Tinos’ religious focus is this large church and its icon of Our Lady of Tinos. It was uncovered in 1823 in the ruins of a chapel beneath the current…
Delos
The most-photographed part of the Delos site is this terrace facing the Sacred Lake, lined with stone lions (these are replicas, the originals are in the…
Mykonos
This beautiful stretch of golden sand has craggy cliffs on either side and an excellent waterfront restaurant. It's backed by some large resorts and,…
Amorgos
This iconic 11th-century monastery is a dazzling white structure seemingly embedded into the cliff face high above the sea on the precipitous east coast…
Della Rocca-Barozzi Venetian Museum
Hora (Naxos)
This atmospheric museum is in a handsome old tower house of the 13th century, within the kastro ramparts (by the northwest gate). Wander through the rooms…
Oia
This tiny port of colourful fishing boats lies 300 steps below Oia. It’s a steep haul down and up again but well worth it for the views of the blood-red…
Fira
Sitting 220m below Fira – three minutes by cable car, or 587 steps by foot – the Old Port, also known as Fira Skala, is now mainly used by cruise ship…
Hora (Mykonos)
Built between the 15th and 17th centuries, Mykonos’ most famous church comprises four small chapels – plus another on an upper storey reached by an…
Hora (Mykonos)
Leaning right over the water, this picturesque cluster of arcaded Venetian houses hides numerous bars, boutiques and clubs.
Milos
Clinging to a lonely patch of hillside just below Trypiti, this large Roman-era theatre entertained the citizens of Ancient Melos from the 1st to the 4th…
Cave of the Sacred Icon of Agios Giannis
Small Cyclades
The Cave of the Sacred Icon of Agios Giannis features a large open cave plus white-painted rocks surrounding the tiny entrance to the main sequence of…
Naxos
About 2km south of the village of Sangri is the rather unsympathetically restored 6th-century BC Temple of Demeter. The ruins and reconstructions are not…
Ios
Crowning a low hill just north of Hora, this Early Bronze Age settlement is one of the Aegean's most significant prehistoric sites. There are restored…
Sanctuary of Poseidon & Amphitrite
Tinos
From the 4th century BC to the 3rd century AD, the area adjacent to the beach at Kionia (3km northwest of central Hora) was a major religious sanctuary…
Kythnos
The island's most famous beach is the exquisite double bay of Kolona, a thin shadeless strip of sand anchoring a small headland to the main island. In…
