Every misfortune carries within it the seed of a great happiness…
So, the hardship of the current health crisis will at least have had this upside: teaching us to travel differently, not as far, but to destinations just as breathtaking, like the Cyclades, a Greek treasure nestled in the southern Aegean Sea whose very name often brings up plenty of questions when you hear it for the first time: What are the Cyclades? Where are they? What do they have to do with Greece?...
In short, these are questions easily answered with a few famous names like Santorini or Mykonos that make everyone say, "Ah yes, I know," and picture in their minds those little whitewashed cubic houses with blue shutters, blue-domed churches, windmills turning in the meltemi wind, or villages with narrow alleys and countless stairs where hardworking donkeys and cats lounging in the almost ever-present sun await you…
Because that is indeed what the Cyclades are: picturesque, postcard-worthy villages of unrivaled authenticity, or more officially, an archipelago located 75 kilometres southeast of mainland Greece comprising 24 inhabited islands, plunged into the endless blue of the Aegean Sea and seemingly scattered in a circle around the sacred islet of Delos, where mythology birthed the god Apollo and his sister Artemis.
Mythology or actual fact? One thing is certain: the breathtaking beauty and exquisite charm of this constellation of paradise islands are no myth and truly deserve a stopover that will most certainly offer you moments of total escapism!
But how do you choose which islands to visit among all those that make up the Cyclades archipelago when you only have about ten days?
For a duration like that, and if it's your first time in the Cyclades, visiting three islands seems entirely appropriate if you want to discover each of these gems without rushing. As for the destination, what could be better than Santorini and Mykonos while stopping through Paros to have your breath taken away and get a wonderful overview of what the Cyclades have to offer? Because those three islands alone bring together all the criteria that make this archipelago one of today's most popular destinations for travelers: relaxation, romance, nightlife, authenticity, and dream beaches.
In short, words that make you dream, but which can only become reality once you've answered this major question: how to get to the Cyclades?
This is where my role truly comes into play to give you some practical advice on getting to this idyllic destination and discovering its most beautiful gems.
How to get to the Cyclades?
To answer this question, you have two options:
By plane
Most of the Cycladic islands now have their own airport, much like our three islands in question: Mykonos, Santorini, and Paros. What's more, during the summer, several charter airlines (for example, EasyJet, Olympic Air, etc.) operate direct flights to them from Paris, sometimes at very attractive prices!
By ferry
The ferry is by far the most economical way to reach the islands. But where do you catch it? Actually, everything happens at the Port of Piraeus. If you arrive at Athens airport, you just need to take the metro to Piraeus; or if you decided, like me and my friends, to take your own vehicle from France, then you simply drive to the port of Piraeus, where Blue Star Ferries and several others (Seajets, Golden Star Ferries, Hellenic Seaways, etc.) operate daily connections between Athens and the Cyclades. But be careful: while the ferry remains the most economical option, keep in mind that it's also the slowest! To give you an idea, here are some examples of travel times and prices:
Crossing from Athens (Port of Piraeus) to Paros:
- With Blue Star Ferries, allow 4 hours, and ticket prices can range from 20 € to 100 €;
- With Golden Star Ferries, allow 3 hours, and ticket prices generally range from 48 € to 58 €;
- With Seajets, allow 2 hours and 50 minutes, and ticket prices can range from 49 € to 65 €.
Crossing from Athens (Port of Piraeus) to Santorini:
- With Blue Star Ferries, allow 5 hours and 30 minutes, and ticket prices can range from 20 € to 115 €;
- With Golden Star Ferries, allow 5 hours and 20 minutes, and ticket prices generally hover around 70 €;
- With Seajets, allow 4 hours and 30 minutes, and ticket prices can range from 70 € to 90 €.
Of course, these travel times and prices are just given as estimates. To get a clearer idea and actually book your tickets, simply head directly to FerryHopper or DirectFerries to compare and book available ferries from one island to another.
Still, once again, don't overlook flying, which can save you a huge amount of time without completely breaking the bank! Let's face it, a 1h flight to Santorini is much nicer than a 5h boat ride!
Now that the question of getting to the Cyclades is sorted, the next thing to figure out is how to get around between the islands.
How to get around the Cyclades islands?
Unsurprisingly, the answer is taking the FERRY, which remains the primary way to travel around the Cyclades. You can either book online in advance or buy your tickets directly on-site from the various companies we just mentioned.
Be aware, though: if you book your tickets online, you MUST pick up your boarding passes at the relevant company's ticket counter using your confirmation email. Up to you...
Either way, whether you book online or buy your tickets on the spot, you'll have no trouble finding the ticket counters for the different companies in the "town center" of each island.
Oh, and one more thing! Before closing this chapter (and even though it might seem obvious to some), you can bring a vehicle onto many ferries (though the ticket will cost more, of course!). I'm just mentioning this in case you decide to rent a car there or if, like me, you're traveling with your own vehicle from France.
Afterwards, if your only means of transport is your own two feet, I should remind you that you only have 15 minutes before the ferry's departure time to board. Given the somewhat chaotic setup on the waiting docks with crowds and cars all mixed up for different boats, here's a tip: make sure you're on time and keep a close eye on incoming boats so you don't miss yours!
With these formalities out of the way, grab your favorite camera and head out to capture these treasures I've told you about, starting our journey in Santorini, an island blessed by the gods, perched on the edge of a volcano that sank beneath the waves but remains active...
1/ Santorini
Everyone will agree, and I can personally confirm, that arriving in Santorini by boat is one of the absolute highlights, and I'd even say THE biggest highlight, of a trip to Greece. As the strange, jagged silhouette of this island comes into view, the scenery looks like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie. For me, my first encounter with the island the Phoenicians rightfully nicknamed "kallisté" (meaning "the most beautiful") was a true shock. Words like "surreal," "spectacular," "magical," "unique," "apocalyptic," and "fascinating" were the only ones that came to mind to describe the panorama unfolding before my eyes... At the same time, what other words could I possibly have found at the foot of this gigantic cliff of red-brown, black, and grey pumice stone, standing like a wall rising from the sea, several hundred meters high? What adjectives could capture this massive dark rock crowned with a white crest of tiny houses, plunging into a deeply blue sea?
Believe me, the magic of this somewhat mystical place works the moment you arrive by boat, even before you set foot on land, and it continues long after... Especially right as you disembark from the ferry, when you're dropped off right at the foot of the stone-carved staircase that leads up to Firá (Santorini's capital), either on foot or by donkey, just like the old days. That's when a truly dizzying and mind-blowing climb awaits you, making you think: what kind of supernatural world have I landed in? Luckily, there's now a cable car for those in a rush or feeling lazy, but even that way, scaling the ridges of this volcano remains an extraordinary and deeply moving experience...
Because, yes, Santorini is much more than just a random stretch of land rising from the water. It's actually an island formed by the collapse crater of a volcano (more commonly called a "caldera") following a massive eruption dating back to the late 16th century BC. The central part of this volcano collapsed, allowing the sea to rush into its crater, giving the island the signature crescent shape we know today. It features steep cliffs of brown rock and black ash, perched upon which like sentinels are several small towns, including Firá and Oía, two absolute must-sees in Santorini.
Firá and Oía, the quintessential Santorini postcard…
While the first, clinging to the edge of the cliff and dotted with pastel-colored houses, offers exceptional panoramic views of the caldera, the second, Oía, which you can reach on foot from Firá via a breathtaking walk of about 2 h, offers everything you'd expect from a Cycladic village: whitewashed cave houses and small orthodox churches with blue domes, all set within a maze of alleyways where you might still run into people using donkeys to handle chores and public services impossible to do by car (like garbage collection!). It's simply wonderful to wander around aimlessly here, just to appreciate the beauty of the place and its unique colors. I'm thinking particularly of that intense white contrasting with the bright blue of the house shutters, or the flamboyant fuchsia of the bougainvillea without which Oía just wouldn't be Oía…
And Oía wouldn't be the paradise everyone has seen at least once in photographs without its unique and very romantic sunset, for which the whole island seems to gather every evening to watch the sky tint with pink and the water color like a sublime watercolor.
But like any self-respecting paradise, this one falls victim to its own success, especially in summer, when millions of tourists and couples celebrating their unions flock in masses, fighting over the best hotel rooms or restaurant tables, where prices shoot up as soon as tourist season arrives! But hey, isn't that just part of the tourism game?
One thing is certain: to escape this massive flood of visitors and soaring prices, nothing beats visiting in the off-season to enjoy Firá, Oía, and many other villages, because Santorini isn't just limited to these two iconic towns. It's also:
- A land of vineyards that you can explore by climbing up to the village of Pyrgos, where numerous wineries are scattered here and there to taste the famous Vinsanto, a world-renowned sweet wine;
- One of the most interesting archaeological sites on the entire island and all of Greece, which you can visit in the prehistoric city of Akrotiri. Dating back to the Minoan era (2700 to 1200 BC), it has been preserved in almost pristine condition thanks to the volcanic eruption that buried it under a layer of ash and pumice stone, acting as a "preservative" over the centuries;
- Exceptional beaches with volcanic sand that is sometimes black (Perissa beach, Perivolos beach, etc.), sometimes red (Kokkini Ammos or Red beach), or sometimes white (White beach in Firá);
- Great fresh fish taverns where you go straight into the kitchen to pick out your lunch right as you order in the small port of Amoundi at the foot of Oía;
- And finally, a volcano with black volcanic rock (Nea Kameni National Natural Geological Park) which can be reached from the old port of Firá or Athinios in 30 minutes (expect 30 to 50 €/person depending on the boat). It stands as a testament to the island's volcanic origins, which, despite appearances, is anything of the sort asleep… Proof of this: between January 2011 and the spring of 2012, 10 million cubic meters of magma were added to the magma chamber, and the island rose by a few centimeters, raising fears of an eruption in the medium term... Besides, if the monster were to wake up for even 30 seconds, it's estimated that the entire island of Santorini would simply vanish! But after the numerous eruptions that have hit it over the years, it's a safe bet that Santorini would manage to rise from its ashes just like it always has…
Well, rather than torturing ourselves imagining the worst and speculating on the compromised future of this island, what do you say we get back on our itinerary, heading this time toward Paros, a multifaceted island that never fails to capture visitors' hearts…
2/ Paros:
While your first glimpse of Paros from afar is obviously less dramatic and striking than discovering Santorini, arriving by ferry at the small Parikiá port, the island's main harbor, still has a certain spellbinding charm. It's easily one of the top favorite destinations for travelers exploring the Cyclades.
An instant favorite, first of all, because of the island's incredible variety of landscapes. Between its lush green plains, valleys dotted with vineyards and olive groves, mountains, and prized pure white marble, famous since ancient times, its stunning beaches with crystal-clear waters, and its picturesque blue-and-white villages and ports, Paros is a winning combination of everything the Cyclades have to offer.
An instant favorite, second of all, because of the endless choice of activities available. If you're into watersports, diving (Monastiri Beach), surfing (Santa Maria Beach), kitesurfing (Punta Beach), windsurfing, and sailing (Golden Beach) are all on the agenda, thanks to the meltemi, that famous summer wind blowing across the Aegean Sea.
Now, if you prefer land-based activities, Paros has plenty to keep you busy with its many hikes, including the Byzantine Trail connecting the village of Lefkés to Prodromos, which remains one of the most famous. This walk takes about 1 hour, but if you're looking for a longer trek, I have just the spot for you: Paros Park, located at the northern tip of the island. This 80-hectare park features seaside walks along 3 different marked trails that offer gorgeous coastal views and pass by the lovely Paros Lighthouse. While these hikes don't require advanced trekking skills, they do take a bit of time, about 2 hours just to walk around the park. But between us, what's 2 hours when you're promised such a breathtaking walk…!
An instant favorite, third of all, because of the magnificent beaches packed all over Paros. Every summer, they draw a growing number of tourists who get a bit overwhelmed by the sheer variety of beaches lining the island's perimeter. Indeed, it's easy to get disoriented knowing that Paros boasts no less than 15 beaches along its coastline! But this high number means there's something for everyone: from wide, fine-sand stretches for families to hidden little coves for peace-seekers, everyone can find their happy place. Let me put together a quick summary list briefly describing each of these iconic beaches:
- Kolimbythres, with its large boulders somewhat reminiscent of the Seychelles;
- Lageri Beach, with its fine sand and clear water, quite quiet and laid-back;
- Monastiri (Paros Park), where you will find a restaurant and can enjoy water sports activities;
- Naoussa Beach, the closest to the seaside resort of the same name;
- Santa Maria, a very long sandy beach with a private section. Ideal for surfing and windsurfing;
- Pisso Livadi Beach, renowned for its family-friendly atmosphere;
- Logaras, also popular with families;
- Punda, with its club playing music for a rather young crowd;
- Messada, a beach for naturists;
- Golden Beach, one of the largest beaches in Paros, which hosts international windsurfing championships;
- New Golden Beach, for surfing and windsurfing enthusiasts;
- Faragas, a pretty half-private beach with shallow water and plenty of visitors;
- Lividia Beach, the closest to Parikiá;
- Parasporos, where you can rent sun loungers and umbrellas;
- Agia Irini, a quiet beach because it is only accessible via a dirt track;
- Pounta, where kitesurfers come to practice, not really meant for swimming.
A final favorite goes to its two seaside resorts, Parikiá and Naoussa, which are practically mandatory stops for travelers visiting Paros, at least for those whose idea of a vacation is all about hitting the beach and partying. Because that is precisely what Parikiá is all about, with its endless souvenir shops, more-or-less authentic tavernas, and countless bars, pubs, and clubs geared entirely toward tourism.
As for Naoussa, some French people go so far as to nickname it the "Saint-Tropez" of Paros, given how many restaurants, trendy bars, and luxury boutiques flood the small town. Yet in both cases, despite heavy tourist development, these two small fishing ports have thankfully managed to retain a piece of their soul and traditions, as evidenced by their picturesque paved alleys, old churches (the Basilica of Panagia Ekatontapyliani in Parikiá), historical remnants (the Kastro, the Byzantine museum, the archaeological museum, and the ancient necropolis in Parikiá), blue shutters, and typical white houses, the ultimate heritage of the Cyclades and proof that nothing can shake this archipelago's authenticity! In any case, if you have any doubts, the warm and friendly welcome from the locals, alongside their simplicity, always brings you back to reality and proves that tourism hasn't stripped away the natural charm of each of these islands.
And Mykonos certainly wouldn't say otherwise!
3/ Mykonos:
It's no secret anymore: Mykonos is the trendiest, most festive Greek island, where world-class DJs perform and millions of visitors flock each year from all walks of life, countries, social backgrounds, and sexual orientations, making Mykonos one of the most cosmopolitan and open-minded islands in Greece!
Yet while one might think it has become "artificial" due to its frantic, exuberant nightlife and the highest tourist density in Greece, you just need to get lost in the labyrinth of winding alleys, originally built to confuse the pirates who threatened the island in the 18th and 19th centuries, to understand the fascination the island of Mykonos holds for visitors, and to realize that the spot dubbed the "Greek Ibiza" for its jet-set scene hasn't lost an ounce of its legendary charm!
Proof of this can be seen in the row of five windmills (at Kato Myli) standing guard above the harbor, the whitewashed cubic houses adorned with balconies and blue shutters, the charming small churches, including Panagia Paraportiani, considered the ultimate expression of Cycladic architecture, the quaint harbors, and the picturesque neighborhoods like Alefkandra, nicknamed "Little Venice" because of its wooden stilt houses built right over the sea. These elements show undeniably that Mykonos has managed to preserve its authentic, traditional character, remaining one of the most beautiful and most photographed islands in the Cyclades, much like "Petros" the famous pelican (now deceased but succeeded by three other pelicans), the inseparable mascot and symbol of Mykonos without which the island wouldn't quite be the delightful, fascinating place visitors clamor to experience.
Yet, like any heavily frequented island, Mykonos comes with hefty price tags and plenty of hustle and bustle during the summer season!
So, in short, Mykonos is an absolute must if you can visit in the off-season, if you're heading there to party, and if you've got a substantial budget to work with!
Otherwise, you might prefer to set sail for other islands that are just as attractive and captivating, but much quieter and more affordable. After all, there's no shortage of them in the Cyclades archipelago; thanks to the diverse profiles of its islands, it's like a giant, open-air catalog of havens where every single page deserves to be torn out for a unique journey to the heart of each one!
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