Northern Cyclades Cruise

Day 1 Athens-Piraeus

Start your grand tour of Athens with a proper visit of the Acropolis, the heart of Athens. It hosts many iconic buildings of the Greek Classical age, among them the Parthenon, the Erectheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. 

Complete your walks of major ancient sites with Roman Agora and the Ancient Agora of Athens. 

Find here the Theatre of Dionysus, a classical Athens' main theatre, the first theatre ever built. Many of the great Greek plays were performed here for the first time. 

Get to the best preserved ancient Greek temple, Temple of Hephaestus at the ancient Agora.

Wander through the charming historic district at the foot of the Acropolis, Plaka, with its restored 19th-century neoclassical homes, pedestrianized streets, shops and restaurants, and picturesque ruins from the city's Roman era.

Ten kilometres southwest of central Athens, Piraeus is dazzling in its scale, its seemingly endless quays filled with ferries, ships and hydrofoils. While technically its own city, it melds into the Athens sprawl, with close to half a million people living in the greater area.

The most attractive quarter lies east around Zea Marina and Mikrolimano harbours. The latter is lined with cafes, restaurants and bars often filled with people who've disembarked from their yachts for the day.

Day 2 Kea

World known shipwrecks, Royal Oak Forest, ancient lion and Ancient Karthea, plentiful springs.

Take a donkey to ride around Ioulida – the capital village with an artistic atmosphere. Cars are prohibited here!

Climb on the Kastri hill to get to the Monastery of Panagia Kastriani - the patron saint of  Kea.

Visit an authentic family pottery workshop right on the top of the hill above the port.  You can watch the whole process and buy pottery made fairly on thousand year old technology.

Take one of the most picturesque medieval cobblestone paths from Ioulida to Ancient Karthea and the secluded beach of Poles.

Review the remnants of an ancient acropolis at the Archaeological Site of Karthea.

Visit an authentic family pottery workshop right on the top of the hill above the port.  You can watch the whole process and buy pottery made fairly on thousand year old technology. Take one of the most picturesque medieval cobblestone paths from Ioulida to Ancient Karthea and the secluded beach of Poles.

Day 3 Syros

Heart of the Aegean Sea

Sitting in the heart of the Aegean Sea, Syros is a mixture of Cycladic and Venetian architecture. Just imagine whitewashed houses blending with colorful mansions and big churches, surrounded by the Cycladic nature. Dreamy, right? Ideal for families and couples who seek a romantic, yet laid-back holiday destination, Syros has an elegant and nostalgic vibe that enchants every visitor.

Ermoupoli, the capital of Syros island and also the orthodox town of Syros, is an architectural gem! Colorful mansions, neoclassical buildings, imposing orthodox churches and squares, create the most postcard-perfect place in Syros! For a dip into the culture of Ermoupolis, visit the Town Hall building, which was created by Ernst Ziller, Apollo Theater and Pallas cinema. 

Get amazed at the medieval district of Ano Syros north of the capital, which was built amphitheatrically to protect itself from pirate invasions. Feel yourself like an aristocrat in the village of Dellagracia, in the town of Posidonia, walking around its mansions. 

Envelope in calmness and nature in the Botanical Garden in the village of Chroussa. Glance at the miracle of Saint Stefanos, a small chapel built inside a cave. Built by a fisherman to repay god for saving him after his boat sank during a storm. 

Taste the famous cheese of Syros, San Mihalis, at the traditional village of Ai Mihalis. Delight yourself with more delicacies in the taverns of the seaside village of Galissas, like grilled octopus. The town hosts a big port and acts as a big resort with the largest beach on the island. 

Day 4 Delos

Archaeological sanctuary

Delos, sometimes spelled Dilos, was the most important Panhellenic sanctuary, and, according to mythology, the birth place of Apollo and Artemis. The first signs of habitation on the island date from the 3rd millennium B.C. The Delos archaeological sanctuary is listed by Unesco as one of mankind's most important cultural and historical sites.

Overnight stay on Delos is forbidden. The only "inhabitants" of the island are security personnel and archaeologists.

Day 4.2 Mykonos

Mykonos is the great glamour island of Greece and flaunts its sizzling St-Tropez-meets-Ibiza style and party-hard reputation. It is the island of modern-day celebrities and not the island of spirits of the past. Sharon Stone and Brad Pitt, Madonna and Mike Jagger, Gina Lollobrigida and Sofia Loren visit quite often– this is a holiday!

Appreciate a fine collection of paintings at the Folklore Museum of Mykonos. It will let you travel through the ages of the island’s history. Watch classic original movies open-air style at Cine Manto. Hop on to see the traditional ways of living of the locals at the village of Ano Mera. There you can observe farming households, restaurants and monasteries. 

Snap a sneaky delightful meal at the best traditional Greek diner, Kiki’s Tavern. Despite being a tavern you will experience incredible level of service. Admire the sea view and dine at either higher class places, or you can choose a unique spot like Farma, Mykonos’ first farm-to-table restaurant. 

Mykonos is the jumping-off point for the archaeological site of the nearby island of Delos.

Day 5 Amorgos

Amorgos is a quiet mountainous island for nature lovers with minimalistic Cycladic architecture, mysterious caves, and fabulous beaches. Start from the capital – Hora, a medieval settlement with whitewashed houses and stone windmills amongst the labyrinthine alleys. Swim around the Olympia shipwreck in the Bay of Liveros. Swim or dive in two underwater caves near Mouros beach. 

Learn the history of Amorgos in the Archaeological Museum, housed in the 16th century Tower of Gavras. View the remnants of the acropolis, defensive walls, Gymnasium, sanctuary and a temple in the Archaeological Site of Minoa. Pass the challenging route to the 11th century Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa built into the face of a cliff above the beach of Agia Anna.

Take excursion boats to deserted isles of pristine natural beauty -  Nikouria and Gramvousa. Hike to the Village of Asfondylitis, a monument of rural architecture, with deserted stone houses, paintings on the carved rocks and church of Agios Nikolaos. Visit the Church of Agios Giannis Theologos, the oldest monastery of Amorgos, where according to a legend, the church was built from a seaman who made a solemn promise for his ship to be saved. Enjoy the view of Aegiali  Gulf from the cavernous chapel of Agia Triada. Visit the Chapel of Agia Anna, built on a rock in pure traditional Cycladic style. Explore the northern side that belongs to  protected areas of Natura 2000 from Aegiali village - a true specimen of the Cycladic architecture and the nightlife spot of Amorgos. Dive into the cavern of Nikouria Isle, shipwreck of Manina Three, reef of Gramvonisi Isle, Aegiali Bay, Deep Blue Wall, caves of Sparti and the Old Mines.

Pass through one of the most beautiful hiking routes - Palea Strata that starts from Hora and passes through the Monastery of Hozoviotissa, the villages of Kapsala, Asfondylitis and Potamos and leads to the bay of Aegiali. Observe stars in the dark, and not the daylight polluted sky, through telescopes at Tholaria village. Treat yourself in delicious taverns of Arkesini, one of the oldest settlements of Amorgos. Have shots of homemade “rakomelo”, a local alcoholic beverage and taste local delicacies, such as “ladotyri” (local cheese), “xerotigana” (fried pies) and “patatato” (goat meat with potatoes).

Day 6 Naxos

The largest of the Cyclades, Naxos packs a lot of bang for its buck. Its main city of Hora (known also as Naxos) has a gorgeous waterfront and a web of steep cobbled alleys below its hilltop kastro, all filled with the hubbub of tourism and shopping. You needn't travel far, though, to find isolated beaches, atmospheric mountain villages and ancient sites.
Naxos was a cultural centre of Classical Greece and Byzantium, and Venetian and Frankish influences also left their mark.

Its high mountains form rain clouds, and consequently Naxos is more fertile and green than most of the other Cyclades islands. It produces olives, grapes, figs, citrus fruit, corn and potatoes.

When mooring in the island’s capital, Naxos, start your sightseeing with the Castle of Naxos. One of the best preserved fortified settlements of Greece. Naxos is sprinkled with sites of ancient temples. Zeus, Dionysus, Apollo, Demeter and so on. Learn about the locations you should visit on your path in the Naxos Archeological Museum right here in the capital next to the castle. Start off with the Apollo Temple on the small islet next to the old town. 

Snack for the day also here in the capital at Naxos cheese making factory, Koufopoulos. Get filled with aromas and tastes at the Olive Oil Mill and Museum Eggaron in Eggares. Drop by Halki, a citrus distillery in Drimalia, if you happen to pass through the center of the island. 

Moving inland check the towers of the monastery of Panagia Ypsilotera near Galini. To this day this monastery remains the strongest fortress in Naxos. Snap yourself a souvenir and learn a few things at Damarionas, a ceramic workshop in Damalas.

Get a canyon-like feeling at Emery Mines or Smirida in the Za valley. Warm up your spirit with blossoming orchids when traveling along the Galanado road to Halki. Charm yourself with the mountainous village of Apiranthos. Marble houses and arches, Venetian towers, and marble paved alleys. Feel the atmosphere of Cyclades and learn more in the village’s five museums.

Day 7 Kythnos

Kythnos is famous for the first thermal SPA in Greece, sole outdoor Mesolithic settlement, long standing pottery-making tradition and the long sand strip of Kolona beach. Come into the large Cave of Katafyki – former mine and shelter. Test Mulberries and apricots on the way there. Visit the Monastery of Panagia Kanala holding the icon of Virgin Mary, that was revealed by a column of light to fishermen. Treat yourself in the wild Thermal springs of Loutra or Hydrotherapy center -  first SPA in Greece appreciated even by Greek royals.

Browse traditional architecture in Messaria (the capital): whitewashed houses, blue windows and domes, stone windmills, labyrinthian alleys, flowery courtyards. Visit sole outdoor Mesolithic (10000 BCE – 8000 BCE) settlement, where one of the oldest human skeletons was found in the Archaeological site of Maroulas. Enjoy the beach of Kolona, which consists of two beaches on both sides of a long strip of sand, that connects the islet of Agios Loukas to the island. Kythnos has 99 beaches mostly unorganized but all are comfortable. Try spearfishing on Agios Ioannis and Naoussa beaches. Drop in for the pottery at the UNESCO awarded pottery workshop. 

Day 8 Athens-Piraeus

Ten kilometres southwest of central Athens, Piraeus is dazzling in its scale, its seemingly endless quays filled with ferries, ships and hydrofoils. While technically its own city, it melds into the Athens sprawl, with close to half a million people living in the greater area.

The most attractive quarter lies east around Zea Marina and Mikrolimano harbours. The latter is lined with cafes, restaurants and bars often filled with people who've disembarked from their yachts for the day.