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MEETINGREECE
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CYCLADES ISLANDS
Kythnos and the serious Kea.
Santorini, famous for its wonderful sunset, took its current shape,
with the marvellous “caldera” after the explosion of the volcano in
1400 BC. Two smaller islands, Thirasia and Aspronisi, are also
located around the “caldera”. The ancient name of the island was
Strongyli (the circular one) or Thera and it was referred also as
Kallisti (the most beautiful one). The name Santorini was given to
the island by the Venetians in the 13th century and is a reference
to Saint Irene.
Myconos, with its windmills and the whitewashed, cube shaped
houses with coloured window shutters is the cosmopolitan centre
of the Cyclades, boasting a “wild” busy night life and a variety of
cosmopolitan bars and clubs to satisfy all tastes. Little Venice
boasts one of the most beautiful sunsets in the Aegean as
cosmopolitan travellers sip cocktails on overhanging balconies as
waves break at their feet.
Paros, one of the largest, liveliest and most attractive islands of
the Cyclades, is located in the centre of the Cyclades Islands. It is
an island that has something to suit the taste of every traveller.
Paroikia, the capital, is a sophisticated resort that offers a diverse
selection of restaurants, bars, comfortable hotels and excellent
shops. The village of Naousa with its picturesque fishing boat
port offers a more cosmopolitan atmosphere with traditional
beachfront taverns next to large clubs and restaurants. Most
visitors find Paros has retained its traditional features despite its
longstanding popularity with island hoppers in the Aegean.
Naxos is the largest island in the Cuclades group. Naxos is a
popular tourist destination, with several easily accessible ruins. It
has a number of beautiful beaches sand also maintains a very
traditional environment.
Milos is the horseshoe-shaped island of the Western Cyclades,
famous throughout the world for the statue of the Venus de Milo
(housed in the Muse du Louvre, Paris) and also for statues of
Asclepius, now in the British Museum, and the Poseidon and an
archaic Apollo in Athens. Milos is a volcanic island (the natural
harbour is the hollow of the principal crater) and probably one of
the most unique islands in the world, with a plethora of sand
dunes, rock formations and an array of more than 70 colourful
beaches, each totally different from the others. The island also
boasts about several stunning beaches and sea caves
accessible only by boat and excursions as such are readily
available at the island harbour.
Syros is the seat of the capital of Cyclades, the city of
Ermoupolis, which is amphitheatrically built with neoclassical
buildings, mansions and white small houses, which start from the
top of the hill and go down to the harbour. The upper part of
Syros was built by the Venetians and maintains its medieval
charming atmosphere. Innumerable steps between narrow
streets and houses with coloured doors lead you to the top of the
town, allowing for adventurous exploration.
Amorgos is an island of a particular natural beauty, mountainous
and fertile, with notable archaeological findings and a rocky
coast. It is the easternmost island of the Cyclades group, and that
lying closest to the neighbouring Dodecanese island group, thus
giving it its unique character. From excavations and findings,
especially burial tombs, it is evident the presence of Amorgos
during the prehistoric years existed intensely, particularly during
the first period of Cycladic civilisation. The island was featured in
Luc Besson’s film “The Big Blue.”
GA S T RONOMY
The particular morphology of the ground of the Cyclades played
for centuries a fundamental role in the occupations of residents.
The Cycladic ground gives the basic raw materials for survival:
olive oil, potatoes, fava, tomatoes, and capers. The fish become
salted or “gouna” (one of the most peculiar specialties, sun dried
fish, mainly in Paros), in order to last the winter. Meats are salted
and become sausages, “siglina”, “louza” or “apokti”. Dairy
products acquire fame beyond the limits of the Cyclades and
throughout the whole of Greece: the kopanisti of Syros, Tinos and
Mykonos, tyrokafteri of Naxos, the gruyere of Naxos and Tinos,
the green cheese of Santorini, the San Michael of Syros, the
arsenico of Naxos and Sikinos, petroti of Andros and Tinos, the
malachto cheese of Andros, and the skotyri of Ios. The local
specialty of Sifnos and Folegandros is the “gylomeno” cheese,
the most extraordinary cheese in all Greece that matures and is
maintained in sediments of wine.
ME E T I N . . . . CYC L ADE S
The beautiful landscape and the excellent conference
infrastructure of the Cyclades Islands make them the perfect
destination for conferences on a worldwide scale. The islands of
Syros, Mykonos, Paros, Santorini (Thira), Tinos, Naxos and Milos
all boast about several well-equipped conference venues.
GE T I N CYC L ADE S
There is a dense road network on each of the islands that covers
the needs of the inhabitants and the visitors.
Santorini, Myconos, Milos, Syros, Naxos and Paros, all boast
international airports with regular and charter international and
domestic flight connections.
All the islands in the Cyclades are linked to Piraeus (and to each
other) by ferry-service with several daily connections all year-
round, as well as with catamarans (high-speed vessels).
Many of the islands in the group are also connected to the port of
Rafina, the second largest port in Attica.