Island Hopping in the Greek Cyclades Islands

It was very hard to pick which of the Cyclades islands to visit. If possible, we wanted to avoid places where tourists outnumbered islanders. After consulting with friends and a bit of online research, we made our choices and booked accommodation. People have asked which islands are our favourites, but it's really hard to say as each is so unique. 

• Santorini (3 nights)
• Thirassia (day visit)
• Amorgos (4 nights)
• Naxos (4 nights)

We travelled May 26 to June 6, just ahead of the heat and crowds of high season.

 

One thing every island had in common - lots of stone steps and hills! Also wild cats + scenic tavernas +  food and drink to savour + amazing vistas + the pulse of history embedded in the landscape + welcoming islanders. What's not to love?

A few words about hopping between the islands:  We flew from Athens to Santorini on Aegean Air and otherwise used ferries to get from one island to the next. Be careful with Aegean Air as they wait to charge you double for checking luggage at the gate vs. check-in, which is cheaper  (however, if you are over weight they will allow you to remove pieces from your luggage - go figure!) Blue Star was the most reliable of the ferries as the bigger boats are not as affected by the wind and seas. Aegean Flying Dolphins were high speed but always changing their schedules and also cancelled one of our trips, so booking with them usually ended up taking more time to get from Point A to Point B, designated high speed or not. Next time I would book Blue Star exclusively. Delays and cancellations were definitely annoying, but if you consider the time spent at the ports and on ferries as part of the trip rather than downtime, it becomes part of the adventure. Travel is a journey and not a destination!

Santorini (3 nights)

Even though we knew this be one of the most touristic islands, we didn't want to miss the iconic scenery. Our cave hotel was right in the Kastro Oia Houses, overlooking the port and caldera with a sunset view. We splurged on accommodation and I'm so glad we did, because it was the perfect location to soak up the scenery. Thankfully we were met on arrival and escorted to the hotel, otherwise it would have been very difficult to find, let alone navigate with our luggage.

Oia's castle dates from the 15th century, built by Venetians eager to conquer the islands. The blue domes of the churches became a landmark for us to find our way back to our hotel room. 

Breakfast was served on our terrace every morning, what a way to start the day! There was enough food left over for snacks and lunches to be stored in the fridge. A good base to set out to explore, we took the city bus (4Euros) to Fira one afternoon. Organized chaos - we had to ask which bus went where as they were unmarked, but the Mercedes buses were air conditioned and very comfortable. In Fira and Oia both, lots and lots of shops for those so inclined. 

I started taking photos of people taking photos of people. The place vibrated with energy and beauty and expectation.

There was no shortage of fantastic restaurants and bars, but good restaurants with sunset views required reservations. Our most memorable meal was Kastro Oia, a sumptious dinner, and everyone clapping the moment the sun disappeared from the horizon.

Thirassia (day visit)

One afternoon we took the town ferry from Oia's Ammoudi port to Thirassia, where the Greeks go to escape the tourists. At the end of the fifteen minute boat ride is a quiet town with lovely beaches. The town ferry schedule seemed to be a local secret, as the hosts at our hotel shrugged their shoulders when we asked about it, as did the tour operators. I finally found a reference online from 2018 that said the town ferry left at 12:30, so we made the long walk down the side of the steep cliff (hundreds of stairs and some donkey poo). The price was just 1Euro from Ammoudi port. 

Once there we explored the deserted beach, picking up marble rocks on the shore. It was so very hot, we grabbed some shade by the wall of a church and then found loungers under beach umbrellas to gulp down cold Mythos beer. When we went into the taverna for a late lunch and asked for a menu, the server basically told us what we should order, and then exclaimed we would like it! We did.

The ferry returned to Santorini at 4:30, and we thought we could grab a taxi from Ammoudi but as none were available, we walked forty sweaty minutes up the road and back into town.

Off to Amorgos! The Flying Dolphin ferry was delayed a few hours due to high winds, but it was fun killing time in Thira port as we waited. 

Amorgos (4 nights)

When we got to Amorgos, we felt the laid back vibe as soon as we stepped off the ferry. Not as many shops, lots of space, and far less of a crowd. We picked up a rental car and easily navigated to our hotel which was about a twenty minute drive away.

The balcony looked over the port from a distance, and at night the lights twinkled around the bay and from surrounding mountain towns. One afternoon I scheduled a massage in the open air, unbelievably relaxing. Rob and I made good use of the backgammon board provided.

As we rented the car, the woman warned us to hold on to the car door after opening, as a strong wind could blow it backwards. As it turned out, we did have meltemi winds and you really did have to hang on! Driving was an adventure. No guard rails and so many twists and turns on the road, single lanes with oncoming traffic and lots of goats. Memorials along the side of the cliffs marked the spots where people had died in traffic accidents. Eventually we were able to relax enough to enjoy the spectacular scenery.  

We visited the 11th century monastery, Hozoviotissa. You can drive to the foot of the monastery hill, but there are still many stairs to climb to the monastery itself, and then more stairs inside to take you to the top. Two monks were welcoming visitors. Wearing t-shirts instead of formal robes, they looked like old hippies with long grey beards. Both wore T-shirts gifted to the monastery from a Canadian connection  - one emblazoned Montreal, the other B.C. - a little slice of home! Respecting the signage, I didn't take photographs inside the chapel where the icon of the Virgin Mary resided. Pilgrims used to be offered raki to quench their thirst after visiting the chapel, but these days it's a nice tumbler of cool water and a tasty sweet. So hospitable!

There were archeological ruins throughout the island, most unmarked. We did visit a site from Ancient Minoa, occupied from 10th century BC to 4th century AD. The site itself was gated and closed, but we were still able to get a good view. Remnants from a Venetian castle built in the 14th century stand in the mountain town of Chora, as do windmills centuries old. The rise and fall of kingdoms to mark the eras. 

It was fun exploring the mountain towns and ports, we were always rewarded with delicious meals and beautiful vistas. We did not have one disappointing meal on this island. Cheese heaven! The feta in the village salads and the variety of local cheeses were all so tasty. One local cheese had been covered in sesame seeds, fried, and then drizzled all over with honey. So good!  'Special' aubergine was very similar to eggplant parmigiana, served with melted cheese.  The Greek village salads were always included capers, something I will replicate at home. I tried a traditional Amorgos dish of roasted goat (very tender) with potatoes (cooked under the goat and absorbing all the delicious drippings).

When we arrived, Pano Gitonia, had a small bottle of  Amorgian Rakomelo to welcome us. This drink is a specialty of the island, made with raki, honey and herbs. Different hotels and restaurants produce their own versions to treat their guests, and our hotel's tasted of cinnamon and clove. 

As it was somewhat off the beaten track and just prior to high season, many of the beaches didn't have the loungers and umbrellas out. We really needed to escape the sun, especially at high noon. It seemed the shade was also 5 degrees cooler. I would have been happy to pay the fees for the use of their loungers and umbrellas if they were available. The smaller boats that would take you to adjacent islands weren't running yet, but likely, if we persisted with our inquiries we would have found someone willing to take us. We were content to explore via car.

Off to Naxos! Our Flying Dolphin ferry was once again delayed, this time by four hours. Glad I brought a book to read!

Naxos (4 nights)

When people ask what my favourite island in the Cyclades was,  I sincerely can't answer. If the question changes to which island would you go back to, the answer would be Naxos. So much to explore! Next time I would include Paros and Anti Paros on the day trips.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the villa! What a beautiful space. The property was like a sundial, with a shady corner always available throughout the day. We enjoyed the open terrace for breakfast and evening star gazing. Shuttered windows allowed welcome breezes, but you could also close everything up and opt for air conditioning on the hottest days. Definitely one of our favourite stays on the 5 islands visited.

The hosts arranged for someone to meet us as we stepped off the ferry with the keys and contract for our rental car. Jackie had a thick Irish accent, even though she'd lived on the island for almost thirty years, and entertained us with stories about the history of the island.  She led the way in a car ahead of us to show us the way to our villa. The further we drove, the more I worried we would be far from any points of interest, but the opposite was true. We were heading closer to sites like Alyko Beach and the Temple of Demeter. 

Naxos is the largest island n the Cyclades and renting a car is recommended. While the island welcomes visitors, it doesn't rely solely on tourism. Much of the area's produce and food is grown here, and working quarries still take marble from the mountains.

The Cedar Forest of Alyko was a short walk down the road from our villa, with 500 year old trees dotting the shoreline. You could walk several kilometers along Alyko's sandy beach. 

Lots of accessible beaches! We admired kite surfers at Mikra Vigla, watched swimmers take the stairs to dip into the Aegian in Naxos Port Town, and drove to picturesque Abram Bay. 

One of the most memorable lunches was in Abram Bay, in the northern part of Naxos. The taverna overlooked the ocean and was well-shaded. Only 4 guests were there the entire afternoon. The waiter recommended the moussaka, which we ate with a Greek village salad while we sampled green Kitron, the citron Naxos liqueur. Even tastier was the white wine made on the premises. Complementary dessert was fresh in season nectarine served with ice cream and drizzled with honey. The sound of the surf, the rocky shore, the blue Aegean and local food made for a perfect lunch.

 

Faros

This is also the island where we had our worst meal. Jackie raved about Axiotissa  and how the owners were leaders of the gastronomical community. The professional couple had forsaken their high paying careers to run the restaurant, and promote local produce. Unfortunately for us, the regular chef must have had the night off, as the my beef tash kebab was unbelievably chewy and tasteless. I was glad there were so many cats wandering around to feed the scraps. Far better was the restaurant just down the road, Faros, with its scenic view and traditional menu. The night we were there the hotel was also hosting a Greek wedding with live music.

Another afternoon we explored the mountain town Filoti, drank from Aria Spring, and walked up Mount Zas (although we didn't make it to the summit). We were beginning to drive up the base of Mount Zas, which was extremely steep with winding hills and no guard rails. I'd been in the passenger seat for rides like this in both Amorgos and Naxos, but Rob said "maybe this road wasn't intended for cars"  just as I was looking out the side window at the sheer drop below. Then he started to drive in reverse. Deep breathing saved me from a total panic attack, but for a moment I really thought we were about to reverse right into the sky.

Naxos has several archeological sites, and we were only able to sample a few. Not too far away from our villa were the ruins from 20th mid-century hotel, that was never finished. Infrastructure was built around it, including the road that took us to our villa. The ruins have become a gallery for graffiti artists.

 

At the Ancient Sanctuary at Flerio Water Spring there is archeological evidence worship on the site began around 800 BC. Natural springs make this a very fertile region, and the hills also offer up marble to quarry. Two Kouros sculptures, dated 6th century bce were broken during transport and now lay here, where they fell. You can see the remains of an ancient quarry echo the view higher up the hill where stone cuts reveal a modern operation.

 

The Temple of Demeter, built in 530 bce, honoured the goddess of agriculture. Its Doric style later influenced the architecture of the Pantheon. On the same site stands a little medieval church built in the Christian era, after worship of the pagan gods was forbidden. Both buildings are being restored from the rubble found on the site, patiently pieced together and resurrected. The Temple of Demeter itself built community as families gathered together to worship and celebrate the harvest. There is evidence that wine was part of the ceremony, which made me think about how the Christian church must have purposely incorporated some of the pagan rituals into their masses, in order to get people to accept the idea of the Trinity replacing the pantheon of gods.

Our next stop was the Saronic Island of Poros. To get there, we had to return to Piraeus Port in Athens for our connection. Blue Star ferry was right on time! We treated ourselves to Business Class for the 5 hour trip to Piraeus. Arriving back here after the Greek Islands was a slam in the face. Hot, dirty, smelly. Beggars with children and their hands out for money. Then in all the craziness we ended up missing our ferry entirely. THANK GOD there was another in just a few hours, I did not even want to think about trying to find accommodations in the port. While waiting for the next ferry, we ended up sitting to a woman who repeatedly tried to engage us in conversation and threw things at her feet, shouting. But this little taverna was right where our next ferry would be arriving and we didn't want to miss it a second time.

On to the Saronic Islands....