Things to Do in the Cyclades

By Frank Adam Burns · Updated 31 August 2026

The Cyclades are the Greece of the postcards — whitewashed villages, blue domes, bare hillsides and water that is genuinely the colour it appears in photographs. They are also the group most first-time visitors choose, which means picking the right islands matters more here than anywhere else in the country.

Santorini

The caldera is one of the great sights in the Mediterranean and no amount of crowding takes that away. Stay in Oia or Imerovigli for the view, Fira for convenience, or the eastern side for a fraction of the price. The beaches are volcanic black and red rather than white sand. Go up to Ancient Thera or out to Akrotiri, the Bronze Age town buried by the eruption, for the half of Santorini that most visitors miss.

Be honest with yourself about the stairs. Oia and Imerovigli are built into a cliff and almost nothing is level.

Naxos and Paros

These are the islands we most often recommend. Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades, with a Venetian old town, mountain villages, marble quarries with unfinished ancient statues lying in them, and the best beaches in the group. Paros is prettier and busier, with Naoussa's harbour, good food and easy connections onward.

Milos

Volcanic, strange and increasingly popular — Sarakiniko looks like a moonscape, Kleftiko is only reachable by boat, and the island has more distinct beaches than anywhere else in the Cyclades.

Mykonos, and the quiet alternatives

Mykonos delivers exactly what it promises: beach clubs, nightlife and prices to match. If that is not the trip, look at Folegandros, Sifnos (the food island), Serifos or Amorgos instead — all Cycladic, all a fraction of the cost.

How hopping actually works

Ferries radiate from Piraeus and connect within the group well in season. Two islands in ten days is better than four. Check actual sailings rather than the map — two islands that look adjacent may have no direct service — and leave a buffer day before an international flight, because the meltemi wind cancels crossings in July and August.

High season runs late June to early September and prices roughly double. May, early June, late September and October are warmer in the sea, cheaper, and far more pleasant to walk around in.