Sights Overview

Each island in the Cyclades differs significantly from its neighbors, so how you approach your exploration of the islands will depend on what sort of experience you are seeking. The busiest and most popular islands are Santorini, with its fantastic volcanic scenery and dramatic cliff-side towns of Fira and Ia, and Mykonos, a barren island that insinuates a sexy jet-set lifestyle, flaunts some of Greece's most famous beaches, and has a perfectly preserved main town. Santorini and Mykonos have the fanciest accommodations. Naxos has the best mountain scenery and the longest, least-developed beaches, and Andros, too, is rugged and mountainous, covered with forests and laced with waterfalls. Tinos, the least visited and most scenic of the Cyclades, is the place to explore mountain villages, hundreds of churches, and fanciful dovecotes.

All these islands are well connected by ferries and catamarans, with the most frequent service during the summer season. Schedules change frequently, and it can be difficult to plan island-hopping excursions in advance. So be flexible and the islands are yours.