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…
Must-see attractions in Cyclades
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…
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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Santorini
One of Santorini's prettiest beaches, this secluded southwestern cove, surrounded by cliffs, is only reachable by boat.
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,…
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.
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Fira
From Imerovigli, a sign points west for the track to Skaros, the conical peninsula jutting out into the caldera. Not only geologically interesting, it is…
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Santorini
In 1967, excavations in the southwest of Santorini uncovered an ancient Minoan city buried deep beneath volcanic ash from the catastrophic eruption of…
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Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral
Fira
Sitting prominently on the caldera edge in Fira, the Orthodox Cathedral can be seen from many parts of Santorini. Built in 1827, it was badly damaged in…
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Cyclades
Incorporating the ruins of the temple of Apollo (allegedly built by the Argonauts) into its building, monastery Zoodochos Pigi is 9km from Hora by road,…
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Mykonos
Ornos, Mykonos' third-biggest settlement, straddles an isthmus 3km south of Hora. The small south-facing beach is wall-to-wall umbrellas and beach bars…
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Santorini
Tomato processing was a major industry on the island before the earthquake of 1952, and this is a unique look inside an old tomato factory in Vlihada. The…
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Cyclades
A Venetian fortress that stood here in the 13th century gave Kastro its name. Today it is a charming, lived-in place, with winding alleyways between…
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Cyclades
From the saddle between Kastro and Horio, a surfaced road leads southwest for 5km to Moni Episkopis, under renovation during research time. The remains…
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Archaeological Museum of Mykonos
Hora (Mykonos)
A headless, almost limbless 2nd-century BC statue of Hercules in Parian marble is the highlight of this small, well-presented collection. Otherwise it's…
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Mykonos
Clear waters and golden sands make this one of the island's most famous beaches. It's completely lined with noisy beach bars and rows of umbrellas, but…
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Santorini
At the Koutsoyannopoulos Winery en route to Kamari, this slightly kitsch but fun museum in a traditional canava (winery) depicts the traditional…
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Cyclades
The most intriguing artefacts displayed at this well-presented museum were ancient even before Kea's four archaic city-states were formed. The 13…
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Santorini
In cooperation with the lauded Selene restaurant, this Pyrgos venue explores the traditional way of life in Santorini before it became a tourist mecca…
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Fira
The peaceful Catholic Cathedral of Santorini, dedicated to St John the Baptist, is off the standard tourist route and well worth seeking out. The church…
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Hora (Mykonos)
Amid the barnacle-encrusted amphorae, ye olde nautical maps and navigation instruments, there are numerous detailed models of famous sailing ships and…
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Oia
This museum is located along a narrow lane that leads off north from Nikolaou Nomikou. It’s housed in a renovated and converted 19th-century mansion and…
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Mykonos
Adding to the scrappy surrounds of this sandy beach is the ruined shell of Lohan Beach House, the setting for MTV show Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club…
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Mykonos
Flashy, trashy and great for people-watching – Super Paradise is Mykonos' most popular gay-friendly beach. The action is split between the glitzy JackieO'…
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Hora (Naxos)
This pebbly, stony beach to the north of town is pounded by waves when a northerly is blowing, but is relatively calm in a southerly. This is where the…
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Hora (Naxos)
Conveniently located just south of the waterfront is sandy Agios Georgios, Naxos’ town beach. It’s backed by hotels and tavernas at the town end (where it…
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Archaeological Collection of Serifos
Serifos
This modest museum displays fragments of mainly Hellenic and Roman sculpture excavated from the kastro. Panels in Greek and English retell the legend of…
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Hora (Naxos)
Next to the walkway to the heart of the kastro, this French-run art gallery features up-and-coming young artists, as well as established international…
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Hora (Naxos)
Behind the northern end of the waterfront are several churches and chapels, as well as the Mitropolis Museum. It features fragments of a Mycenaean city …
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Santorini
If you want to watch the greatest free show on earth (the sunset!) in seclusion, well, you're out of luck. Word is out, and you will be joined at the tip…
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Mykonos
Located in the centre of Ano Mera, the island's other main settlement, this castle-like monastery (founded in 1537 but rebuilt in 1767) has a gorgeous…
