Island group · Κυκλάδες
The white-and-blue islands everyone pictures, and the quieter ones next door that most visitors miss.
Oia, Santorini
01IntroductionΚυκλάδες
The Cyclades circle the sacred island of Delos, which is where their name comes from. This is the Greece of postcards: cube houses, blue domes and a bare, golden landscape, where the light is so clear it can feel like being on stage.
Couples tend to fix on one island, Santorini, and then find it crowded at sunset. Our job is to match you to the right island. Usually that means pairing one famous name (or none) with a smaller island where the evenings are yours.
- When to go
- Late May to June
- Meltemi, July–August
- Meltemi: strong
- Islands we suggest
- 7
02At a glance
- Best for
- Classic whitewashed villages · Island-hopping by ferry · Sunsets, swimming and long dinners
- When to go
- Late May to June, and September to early October
- Meltemi
- This is the heart of the meltemi. Mykonos, Tinos and Andros, and the channel between Paros and Naxos, are among the windiest spots, and the wind blows across the whole group. Ferries, beaches and sheltered spots
- Getting there
- Ferries run from Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio near Athens. Santorini and Mykonos take international flights in season. Milos, Naxos, Paros and Syros have smaller domestic airports.
- Skip it if
- You want green hills, shade and calm seas in high summer. July and August bring the meltemi, a strong north wind, and many beaches and ferries feel it.
03The islands, for couples
- 01 Santorini The caldera view is real and remarkable. Stay in Imerovigli or Firostefani rather than Oia, and watch the sunset from a boat or a quieter terrace.
- 02 Milos Volcanic coves and pale cliffs, with more than seventy beaches by local count. Many are best reached by boat. It is the island we suggest most to honeymooners.
- 03 Folegandros A small cliff-top Chora with a few car-free squares, good food and almost no nightlife. Ideal after a busier island.
- 04 Sifnos The food island of the Cyclades, known for clay-pot cooking and pottery. It has walking paths between chapels.
- 05 Naxos The biggest and greenest Cycladic island. It has long sandy beaches, mountain villages and its own cheese and potatoes. It suits travellers who prefer not to splurge.
- 06 Paros Lively Naoussa, the marble village of Lefkes and an easy ferry hub. A good choice for the first few nights.
- 07 Koufonisia Tiny, flat and turquoise. You can walk or cycle to every beach. Simple rooms, very little to do, which is the point.
04Sites, food and stays
Ancient sites nearby
- AkrotiriA Bronze Age town with close Minoan links, buried by the great eruption of the Santorini volcano. It is preserved under a modern roof.
- DelosAn entire sacred island: the Terrace of the Lions, houses with mosaic floors, and no overnight stays allowed. It flourished again as a Hellenistic free port.
- Portara of NaxosA huge marble doorway, all that stands of an unfinished temple. It is free to visit and is the island’s sunset spot.
What to eat
- Santorini favaA silky purée of yellow split peas, grown in volcanic soil and topped with capers, onion and olive oil.
- RevithadaChickpeas baked slowly overnight in a clay pot. On Sifnos it is traditionally a Sunday dish.
- Naxos gravieraA firm, nutty cheese from Naxos’s inland pastures. Order it fried as saganaki, or eat it plain with local wine.
Where you might stay
- Spiti AsproPlaceholderCave suites · Plaka, Milos
- Ta SkalakiaPlaceholderVillage house · Chora, Folegandros
- Kalderimi RoomsPlaceholderGuesthouse · Apollonia, Sifnos
Enquire
Thinking about the Cyclades?
Tell us your dates and we’ll suggest the right island or two, and the ferry order that works in your month.
Portara, Naxos