Less Visited Cycladic Greek Islands
There is nothing better than a Greek island holiday; sun, sea and tzatziki. The Durrell’s and Mamma Mia let the cat out of the bag which means finding authentic Greek island life involves a flight and then a ferry. The Cycladic islands include Mykonos and Santorini, so why not make a Cycladic sandwich of two Greek household names with a new island to brag to your friends about discovering.
SIFNOS
There is a very special place in my heart for this island, the first place in my life I booked my next trip to before I left. Sifnos is where Nikos Tselementes was born and all you need to know abut him is he was an extremely talented chef whose legacy lives on. There are also a spider web of hiking trails between the white wash churches, beaches and cliff tops on the island. Come in Spring for the wild flowers and when the woman who live here are working tirelessly repainting the 320 churches to touch up any weather damage from the sun of summer and the storms of winter.
Stay $: Niriedes
Run by two brothers who also own the local bakery in Apollonia, fill your boots at breakfast with views of Platis Gialos beach only a trundle down some steps from your vantage point.
Stay $$: Verina Astra & Verina Terra
Stay at Astra for the Aegean views or Terra to be 50m from the Aegean sea. There will be homegrown herbs in your cocktails, local produce on the breakfast menu and under 20 rooms to compete for the charming and local staffs attention with.
Stay $$: Nós
A design hotel in a small local fishing village on the island so you can feel cool but you can also feel local. Arrange a boat trip with Riris Papatsarouchas who hosts the wildly popular local radio station and knows all the best snorkelling spots around the island.
Eat: Omega 3 (small overthought but delicious plates), O Drakakis (great Greek, always everyones favourite - have the chocolate pudding), Limanaki Fish Tavern (I’ll let you guess) and Chrysopigi Tavern (ye old faithful saganaki, moussaka and tzatziki joint)
Drink: Kavos Sunrise (rum bar)
Getting There: 1 hour 40 minutes ferry from Athens or Mykonos
2. ANDROS
Don’t be fooled by the islands Little England (Micra Anglia) nickname, a hangover of the great Greek shipping dynasties – Embiricos, Goulandris, Polemis – who opened offices in London in the early 20th century. They returned from the concrete jungle with governesses and worldly ideas about a welfare state which saw the construction of the islands first school and hospital. The island is all things Greek from a picture postcard, a white washed Chora, blue domed churches all spilling out onto the sea. Restaurants flanked by beaches and churches guarding ocean views.
Stay $:
Stay $$: Ktima Lemonies
Stay $$: Onar
Eat: Kossis farm
Getting There: 2 hour ferry from Athens Rafina Port
3. SKOPOLOS
tbc
Stay $:
Stay $$:
Eat:
Getting There: One hour ferry from Skiathos or three hour ferry from Thessaloniki
4. TINOS
Tinos is just 20 minutes by fast-cat boat from Mykonos but it is like arriving on an entirely different planet. Thyme spills down the hillsides and fills the air, where possible vineyards bathe in the sunshine and you’ll likely write home about Tinos honey, honey making conditions here are some of the greatest in Greece. 20th century philosopher Cornelius Castoriadis called Tinos the ‘handmade island’ and it is impossible to miss the marble sculptors in doorways or in fancied fountains. Without fear of becoming repetitive in this post - this is where those in the know go.
Stay $: Crossroads Inn
Self catered and family run, you are encouraged to live life with and like a local. Rooms are full of light with views of the sea or olive groves that surround you. Located in Tripotamos village where 40 locals produce ingredients that contribute to breakfast.
Stay $$: Under the Sun
Exteriors here have been designed to match the remote setting of Tinos. Built with raw and natural materials and perched on a cliff you benefit from panoramic sea views as well as the privacy a hilltop vantage point affords. On privacy, with no restaurant, Breakfast Bento Boxes are delivered to your room each morning so you can dine in bed or out on your private terrace.
Stay $$$: Xinara House
Split into House (sleeps 10) and Blacksmiths (sleeps 3) but available to take all as a oner, the type of place to stay that is a destination in itself.
Eat: San to Alati (modern Greek fare), Thalassaki (such a cult following that people come from Mykonos just for dinner)
Wineries: Volacus Winery (volcanic wines), Domaine de Kalathas (natural wines)
Getting There: Half an hour ferry from Mykonos
