The Cyclades evoke for everyone the blue sea and sky with pretty villages all in white color. These are Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, very popular for tourists. It has been 40 years since I last went to Greece. I really wanted to go back there to see today’s reality.
There are 18 islands in the Cyclades. For this trip, I just visited Santorini and the nearby islets of Thirassia, Néa Kaméni and Palea Kameni and the islands of Paros, Naxos, Delos and Mykonos. The Ferry was the safest way to reach the islands. The trip took place in May 2024 with temperatures rising very gradually to 35°C over the days.
Santorini was a volcano 3500 years ago. During the 16th century BC it awoke and the entire heart of the island collapsed. A colossal tidal wave followed with a wave of 200 m.
The explosion was followed by an immense caldera. The sea rushed into the trench with an abyss of 800 m. Today the summit of the volcano emerges on the Nea Kameni islet and the volcanic activity is still there even if it is discreet: small smoke on the volcano and warm waters near the Palea Kameni islet.
Santorini has several faces: firstly the capital Fira and the village Oia. There are small white houses and very pretty churches with blue domes. Then the center of the island, more arid where water must be brought to the fields in order to grow the vine plants, with houses not always completed because the inhabitants are poor and waiting to collect the money to finish the work. Finally the southern beaches, invaded by hotels and huts. Water, the source of life, is obtained by desalination. But the technique adopted makes the final water slightly salty and is not drinkable.
Paros is a wetter island: the mountains stop the clouds and the rains feed water sources. This is how we see fields of wheat and hillsides of fruity grapes. But Paros has a great wealth: its white marble. It is with this marble that the “Venus de Milo”, “The Victory of Samothrace”, the Parthenon frieze and even Napoleon’s tomb are sculpted. From the 7th to the 11th century the island was regularly attacked by pirates, which pushed the inhabitants to live inside the island on the heights, around the town of Lefkes.
On the coast are Naoussa and Parikia. Naoussa is an old fishing port with quays invaded by tables of taverns or bars and multicolored caîques. We taste the grilled octopus there. The interior of the city is a maze of white streets, with tourist shops.
Parikia, at first sight disappoints with the bars lined up on the seafront but the center is more interesting with alleyways and arched passages.
A remarkable church is located outside the old town: the Panagia Ekatontapiliani.
It is a rare early Christian basilica whose foundation dates back to the 4th century. The name means “100 doors”. 99 gates are visible and the 100th will appear during the reconquest of Constantinople by the Greeks.
Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades. It is at the same time seaside, rural and mountainous with vineyards, orchards and charming villages. Lots of curiosities: fortified houses, ruined mills, monastery, ancient quarries, small Byzantine churches in the countryside.
The capital Kastro is charming with a maze of Venetian streets with marble door frames containing very elegant designs. In the distance, at the entrance to the port, the portico of Strongili dominates.
The island of Delos is small (5 km2) and from another time. Not a living soul, no vegetation, only ruins.
These ruins are those of the sanctuary of Apollo which makes the island a sacred place: according to mythology, the nymph Leto, pregnant with the works of Zeus, chose to give birth here to her twins Artemis and Apollo. Specifically, we can see the agora of the Italians, ancient place of Roman traders, the terrace of the lions whose five lions guarded the temple of Leto. Everyone looks at the sacred lake where Apollo and Artemis were born
What is dramatic is that this island is threatened by the rising waters of the Mediterranean Sea, following global warming. Monuments are already submerged during winter storms. Specialists are looking for solutions.
Opposite Delos is Mykonos: a labyrinth of multicolored alleys lined with a myriad of bars and fashion boutiques. The Jet-set and the homosexual community reign there from 6 p.m. until early morning. In the morning, market gardeners and fishermen take possession of the place again and bring a captivating charm to the island. It is regrettable that the beaches are invaded by deckchairs and require payment.
