• Greece Guide

  • Introduction to Greece
  • Weather
  • Things not to miss
  • Getting around
  • Public holidays
  • Entry requirements
  • Money

• Explore Greece

  • Athens
  • Around Athens
  • The Peloponnese
  • Central Greece
  • Western Greece
  • Northern Greece
  • The Argo-Saronic
  • The Cyclades
  • Crete
  • The Dodecanese
  • The East and North Aegean
  • The Sporades and Évvia
  • The Ionian Islands

• Cities

  • Athens
    
  • Kórinthos
    
  • Kavála
    
  • Pátra
    
  • Thessaloníki (Salonica)
    

Greece Guide

The Cyclades

Named, most probably, after the circle they form around the sacred island of Delos, the Cyclades (Kykládhes) is the most satisfying Greek archipelago for island-hopping. On no other group do you get quite such a strong feeling of each island as a microcosm, each with its own distinct traditions, customs and path of modern development. Most of these self-contained realms are compact enough to explore in a few days, giving you a sense of completeness and identity impossible on, say, Crete or most of the Ionian islands.

The islands do share some features, with the majority of them being arid and rocky; most also share the "Cycladic" style of brilliant-white Cubist architecture, a feature of which is the central kástro of the old towns. The typical kástro has just one or two entrances, and a continuous outer ring of houses with all their doors and windows on the inner side, so forming a single protective perimeter wall – typically, the two-storey houses have a separate owner for each storey.

One consideration for the timing of your visit is that the Cyclades often get frustratingly stormy, particularly in early spring or late autumn, and it's also the group worst affected by the meltémi, which blows sand and tables about with ease throughout much of July and August. Delayed or cancelled ferries (even in the height of tourist season) are not uncommon, so if you're heading back to Athens to catch a flight, leave yourself a day or two's leeway.