...Cyclades island walks

About the Cyclades

The islands of the Cyclades form the biggest, the best known and the most central group. The 25 or so islands in the group would take a lifetime to walk and, at present, Walking the Islands... covers just four, Amorgos, Andros (plus info on Delos), Astipalaia and a major walk on Naxos. Coming soon is Tinos...

Landscape

The Cyclades are characterised by...

  • grey rocky outcrops from brown hills above fertile, often terraced valleys
  • deep natural harbours
  • above the harbour you will often find a hill-top Chora, the fortified old town
  • countryside that is more fertile than the Dodecanese
  • delightful valleys and spring-fed farmed areas
  • chapels everywhere
  • old kalderimia (mule-roads)
  • summits with rewarding views

Coastline

An entire spectrum of seaside pleasures awaits you too, from watersports beaches on Naxos to hidden coves only accessible by boat or by long treks on all the islands.

 

The coast of Amorgos has a particular flavour as there are few sandy beaches and the entire south facing coast is a string of sea cliffs with only five places where you can get to the sea-edge.

 

Getting to the Cyclades

  • The ferry network which fans out from Piraeus serves the southern Cyclades comprehensively, with sailing times ranging from 3 hours (Kithnos) to at least 12 hours (Anafi).
  • Journey times from Piraeus are very vessel and route dependent and range from 5 hours to 12 hours or more.
  • Rafina serves the northern Cyclades; Andros, Tinos and Mykonos and is very handy for Athens airport. Mykonos has an airport too.
  • Naxos has several daily connections with Piraeus all year round and moving on to Amorgos or Folegandros can usually be accomplished the same day.
  • Naxos also has an airport with internal flights from Athens (less than 1 hour).
  • Ferries also link on to Crete, Rhodes, Astipalaia and the Dodecanese, but Astipalaia is more accessible from Kos, Kalymnos and Rhodes.

Go to Amorgos page

 

Amorgos »

Go to Androsos page

 

Andros »

Go to Astipaleia page

 

Astipalaia »

Go to Naxos page

 

Naxos »

Getting around the Cyclades

  • Andros, Tinos, and Mykonos are well interconnected with several daily sailings from Rafina, as well as smaller dayboats.
  • A comprehensive small ferry and day boat network based on Naxos allows you to travel between it and nearby islands, including the Small Cyclades, the islands between Naxos and Amorgos.
  • Both Astipalaia and Amorgos are too far away from neighbours for short inter-island hops, though day boats on both serve islets and beaches and, on Amorgos, there are some connections between its two ports Aeghiali and Katapola, though nowadays the tarmac road is used much more than the sea.
  • As far as the actual vessel you select is concerned, there is a wide range of choices, from the swish Blue Star super-ferries, through various older vessels such as the Romilda and the Dimitroula, to the small Skopelitis, serving the Naxos-Small Cyclades-Amorgos run.
  • Hydrofoils and fast ferries cover some of the crossings in the summer, too, and of course can save you time, perhaps sacrificing scenery.