Every misfortune carries within it the seed of a great happiness...
So the misfortune of the recent health crisis at least had the silver lining of teaching us to travel differently, not as far, but to destinations just as breathtaking, such as the Cyclades, a Greek treasure nestled in the south of the Aegean Sea whose very name often sparks a flurry of questions when you hear it for the first time: The Cyclades, what are they? 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, making everyone say, "ah yes, I know," and picturing in their mind those little immaculately white cubic houses with blue shutters, those blue-domed churches, windmills whipped by the meltemi wind, or villages with narrow alleyways and countless staircases where working donkeys and cats lounging in the almost constant sunshine await you...
Because that really is what the Cyclades are all about: picturesque, postcard-worthy little villages with unmatched authenticity, or more officially, an archipelago located 75 kilometres southeast of mainland Greece, comprising 24 inhabited islands immersed in the endless blue of the Aegean Sea and scattered in a circle around the sacred islet of Delos, where mythology birthplace of the god Apollo and his sister Artemis.
Mythology or actual fact? One thing is for sure: the stunning beauty and exquisite charm of this constellation of paradise islands are no myth and truly deserve a stop that will guarantee 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 these are your first steps in the Cyclades, visiting three islands feels just right if you want to discover each of these gems without rushing. As for the destination, what could be better than Santorini and Mykonos with a stop in Paros to have your breath taken away and get a wonderful preview of what the Cyclades have to offer? Because these three islands alone bring together all the criteria that make this archipelago one of today's most sought-after destinations for travelers: relaxation, romance, nightlife, authenticity, and dream beaches.
In short, words that make you dream, but which will only become reality once you've answered this major question: how do you get to the Cyclades?
This is where my role truly comes in, to give you some practical advice on how to reach this idyllic destination and help you discover its finest 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, just like our three islands in question: Mykonos, Santorini, and Paros. Moreover, 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 take the metro to Piraeus; or if you decide, like me and my friends, to bring your own vehicle from France, then you simply drive to the Port of Piraeus where Blue Star Ferries and many others (Seajets, Golden Star Ferries, Hellenic Seaways, etc.) run daily connections between Athens and the Cyclades. But be careful: while the ferry remains the most economical way, keep in mind that it is 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 can 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 are generally around 70 €;
- With Seajets, allow 4 hours and 30 minutes and ticket prices can range from 70 € to 90 €.
Of course, these times and prices are just given as an example. To get a better idea and actually make a booking, simply head straight to the websites FerryHopper or DirectFerries to compare and book available ferries from one island to the next.
Still, once again, don't overlook flying, which can save you a huge amount of time without breaking the bank! After all, taking a 1-hour flight to Santorini is a lot more appealing than spending 5 hours on a boat!
Now that the question of how to get to the Cyclades is sorted out, we need to look at how to get around between the islands.
How to get around the Cyclades islands?
Unsurprisingly, the answer is clearly the FERRY, which remains the go-to way to travel around the Cyclades. You can either book online in advance or buy tickets directly on-site from the various companies we just mentioned.
Keep in mind, though, that 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 on the spot, you'll have no trouble finding the ticket counters for the different companies in the "downtown" area of each island.
Oh, and one more thing! Before wrapping up this topic (and even though it might seem obvious to some), you can actually bring a car on many of the ferries (though the ticket will cost more, of course!). I'm mentioning this just in case you decide to rent a car there or if, like me, you're traveling with your own vehicle from France.
Now, if your only means of transport is your own two legs, 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 ferry 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 we've been talking about, starting our journey with Santorini, an island blessed by the gods, perched on the edge of a sunken volcano that's submerged beneath the water but still active...
1/ Santorini
Everyone will agree, and I can personally vouch for it, that arriving in Santorini by boat is one of the absolute highlights, in fact, THE ultimate highlight, of a trip to Greece, as you approach the strange, jagged silhouette of this island straight out of a sci-fi movie. For me, my first encounter with the place the Phoenicians rightly nicknamed "kallisté" (meaning "the most beautiful") was an absolute shock. The only words that came to mind to describe the panorama unfolding before my eyes were "surreal," "spectacular," "magical," "unique," "apocalyptic," and "fascinating"... At the same time, what other words could I possibly find when arriving at the foot of this colossal, hundreds-of-meters-high cliff of red-brown, black, and grey pumice stone, rising like a wall straight out of the waves? What else could I say in front of this massive, dark rock capped with a white ridge of tiny houses, plunging straight down into a deep 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 keeps right on going long after... Especially as soon as you step off the ferry and find yourself right at the foot of the stone-carved staircase leading 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, leaving you thinking: what kind of supernatural world have I stepped into? Luckily, there's now a cable car for those in a rush or feeling a bit lazy, but even taking that route, scaling the edges of this volcano remains an extraordinary and deeply moving experience...
Because, yes, Santorini isn't just your ordinary stretch of land jutting out of the water. It's actually an island formed by the collapse of a volcano's crater (commonly called a "caldera") following a massive eruption back in the late 16th century BC. The central part of this volcano collapsed, allowing the sea to rush into its crater, which explains the island's signature crescent shape today, made up of steep cliffs of brown rock and black ash. Standing like sentinels along these cliffs are several small towns, including Firá and Oía, two absolute must-sees in Santorini.
Firá and Oía, the quintessential postcard of Santorini…
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 hours), delivers everything you could possibly expect from a Cycladic village: whitewashed cave houses and little orthodox churches with blue domes, all tucked into a maze of alleyways where you might still cross paths with people using donkeys to handle chores and public services impossible to do by car (like garbage collection!). It's simply wonderful to wander around here with no particular destination in mind, just soaking in the beauty of the place and its one-of-a-kind colors, I'm thinking especially of that intense white contrasting with the bright blue of the house shutters, or the fiery fuchsia of the bougainvillea without which Oía just wouldn't be Oía…
And Oía wouldn't be the paradise everyone has seen in at least one photograph without its unique, deeply romantic sunset. Every evening, the whole island seems to gather here to watch the sky turn shades of pink and see the water light up like a stunning watercolor painting.
But like any self-respecting paradise, this one falls victim to its own success, especially in the summer when millions of tourists and couples celebrating their weddings flock here en masse. They fight over the best hotel rooms and prime restaurant tables, where prices inevitably shoot up once tourist season hits! But hey, isn't that just part of the tourism game?
One thing is for sure: to escape this massive wave of visitors and soaring prices, nothing beats traveling in the off-season to truly enjoy Firá, Oía, and so many other villages. Because Santorini isn't just limited to those two iconic towns. It's also:
- A land of vineyards that you can explore by hiking up to the village of Pyrgos, where numerous wine cellars are scattered here and there to taste the famous Vinsanto, a globally renowned sweet wine;
- One of the most fascinating archaeological sites on the entire island and all of Greece, which you can visit in the prehistoric town 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, acting as a "preservative" through 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 your lunch yourself down at the small port of Ammoudi right at the foot of Oía;
- And finally, a volcano of black volcanic rock (Nea Kameni National Geological Park) reached from the old port of Firá or Athinios in 30 minutes (expect to pay 30 to 50 €/person depending on the boat). It stands as proof of the island's volcanic origins which, despite appearances, is anything but asleep... Case in point: between January 2011 and the spring of 2012, 10 million cubic meters of magma were added to the magma chamber, causing the island to rise by a few centimeters and raising fears of a medium-term eruption... Besides, if the monster were to wake up for even 30 seconds, experts estimate the entire island of Santorini would vanish! But after the numerous eruptions it has weathered over the years, chances are Santorini would rise from its ashes just like it always has...
Well, rather than torturing ourselves imagining the worst and speculating on the compromised future of that island, what do you say we get back on our itinerary, heading this time toward Paros, a multifaceted island that is guaranteed to leave no visitor untouched...
2/ Paros:
While that first distant glimpse of Paros is obviously less dramatic and awe-inspiring than discovering Santorini, arriving by ferry into the small port of Parikia, the island's main harbor, still holds that certain captivating and charming je ne sais quoi that makes this destination one of the absolute top favorites for travelers visiting the Cyclades.
A favorite, first of all, because of the multitude of landscapes the island has to offer. Indeed, between its lush green plains, valleys dotted here and there with vineyards and olive groves, mountains, and precious pure white marble that has made it famous since antiquity, its stunning beaches with crystal-clear waters, not to mention its picturesque blue-and-white villages and ports, Paros is a winning combination of everything the Cyclades have to offer.
A favorite, secondly, because of the endless choice of activities to do there. If you're more into water sports, diving (Monastiri beach), surfing (Santa Maria beach), kitesurfing (Punta beach), windsurfing and board sailing (Golden Beach) are all on the agenda thanks to the meltemi, that famous wind that blows across the Aegean Sea in summer.
Now, if you're more into land-based activities, Paros also has plenty to satisfy you with its many hikes, including the Byzantine Road, which connects the village of Lefkes to that of Prodromos and remains one of the most famous. This one takes about 1 hour, but if you want more walking, I have just the spot for you: Paros Park, located at the northern tip of the island. This 80-hectare park lets you stroll along the seafront via 3 different marked trails that offer gorgeous coastal views and lead you past the lovely Paros Lighthouse. While these hikes don't require any special expert-level hiking skills, they will take a bit of time, about 2 hours just to loop around the park. But between us, what is 2 hours for the promise of a breathtaking walk...!?
A favorite, thirdly, because of the magnificent beaches that Paros abounds with, which attract more and more tourists every summer who feel somewhat overwhelmed by the wide array of beaches dotting the island's perimeter. Indeed, it's easy to feel disoriented knowing that Paros boasts no less than 15 beaches along its coastline! But this high number of beaches at least has the merit of catering to all tastes: from wide stretches of fine sand for families to intimate little coves for lovers of tranquility, everyone can ultimately find what they're looking for. But let me put together a quick summary list briefly describing each of these legendary beaches:
- Kolympithres, with its large boulders reminiscent of the Seychelles;
- Lageri Beach, with its fine sand and clear water, quite quiet and laid-back;
- Monastiri (Paros Park), where you'll find a restaurant and can enjoy water sports;
- Naoussa Beach, the closest to the resort town of the same name;
- Santa Maria, a very long sandy beach with a private section. Ideal for surfing and windsurfing;
- Pisso Livadi Beach, known for its family-friendly atmosphere;
- Logaras, also popular with families;
- Punda, with its club playing music for a younger crowd;
- Messada, a nudist beach;
- Golden Beach, one of Paros's largest beaches, which hosts international windsurfing championships;
- New Golden Beach, for surfing and windsurfing enthusiasts;
- Faragas, a lovely semi-private beach with shallow water and plenty of visitors;
- Livadia Beach, the closest to Parikia;
- Parasporos, where you can rent sun loungers and umbrellas;
- Agia Irini, a quiet beach accessible only via a dirt track;
- Pounta, where kitesurfers come to practice, not really suited for swimming.
Finally, a real highlight is found in its two resort towns, Parikia 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 Parikia is all about, with its endless souvenir shops, more-or-less authentic tavernas, and countless bars, pubs, and clubs entirely geared toward tourism.
As for Naoussa, some French visitors go so far as to call it the "Saint-Tropez" of Paros, given how many restaurants, trendy bars, and luxury boutiques flood the small town. Yet, in both cases, despite their heavy tourism development, these two small fishing ports have happily managed to retain some of their soul and traditions. You can still see this in the picturesque cobbled alleys, old churches (the Basilica of Panagia Ekatontapyliani in Parikia), historic remnants (the Kastro, the Byzantine Museum, the Archaeological Museum, and the ancient necropolis in Parikia), blue shutters, and classic whitewashed houses, the ultimate Cycladic heritage and proof that nothing can shake the authenticity of this archipelago! In any case, if you have any doubts, the warm, friendly welcome of the locals and their down-to-earth nature will quickly bring you back to reality, proving that tourism hasn't stripped away the natural charm of these islands.
And Mykonos certainly wouldn't disagree!
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!
While you might think it has become "artificial" due to its frantic, exuberant nightlife and the highest tourist density in Greece, you only 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 Mykonos holds for visitors. You'll soon realize that the island often nicknamed the "Greek Ibiza" for its jet-set vibe hasn't lost an ounce of its legendary charm!
Proof of this can be found in the row of five windmills (at Kato Myli) standing guard above the port, the little whitewashed cubic houses adorned with balconies and blue shutters, the tiny churches, including Panagia Paraportiani (considered the ultimate expression of Cycladic architecture), the small harbors, and picturesque neighborhoods like Alefkandra, nicknamed "Little Venice" because of its wooden houses built on stilts plunging directly into the sea. All of this clearly shows that Mykonos has managed to preserve its authentic and traditional character, remaining one of the most beautiful and photographed islands in the Cyclades, much like the famous pelican "Petros" (now deceased but replaced by three other pelicans), a mascot and inseparable symbol of Mykonos without which the island wouldn't be the delightful, fascinating place visitors clamor to see.
However, like any ultra-popular island, Mykonos comes with hefty price tags and plenty of hustle and bustle during the summer season!
So, to sum it up, Mykonos is truly top-tier if you can visit in the off-season, if you're heading there to party, and if you've got a substantial budget!
Otherwise, you're better off setting sail for other islands that are just as attractive and captivating, but much quieter and more affordable, and there's no shortage of those in the Cyclades archipelago. With their wonderfully diverse profiles, these islands are like a giant open-air catalog of peaceful havens, where every page is worth tearing out for a unique journey to the heart of each one!
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