2 weeks in the Cyclades (page 5 of 7)

Thanks Muriel, you’ve shown me some truly stunning landscapes. Worth noting for future destinations in late May/early June! 😊

Thanks Bruno! Now that you’ve ruined all the suspense, there’s no point in me watching the movie No, just kidding—I’ll watch it again one of these days. I don’t remember much besides the music (only saw it once when it came out… which was a long time ago )

Ah, I get it now—those gaps make sense. I must’ve seen it a good fifty times, director’s cut included.

Wow! Impressive, Bruno—I didn’t think you could watch a movie that many times 😲… I’m embarrassed because I don’t think I’ve ever seen it 😅🍿

Wow! Impressive Bruno, I didn’t think you could watch a movie that many times 😲... I’m embarrassed because I think I’ve never seen it 😅🍿

If this were my travel journal, you’d be banned for that.

This monastery is stunning! I don’t remember seeing it before. It must not be in the big blue guidebook. 😏

It's true, it's impressive!

It can't be in the big blue

You'll have to ask Bruno about that 😉

Thursday, June 5 Almost our last day on Amorgos 🏴‍☠️ Option 1: do hike 5 (Marie-Paule’s route but in a loop) ... yeah, but it’s already really hot! Option 2: do nothing, chill at Aegiali beach ... yeah, but a whole day at the beach is long!

We’ll do a mix of both: a bit of walking, a bit of beach time So we set off from Aegiali beach heading west, following a coastal trail that goes up and down from one beach to another. Clearly, it’s not the hike of the century, especially since the further you go, the less pretty the beaches are. Starting from the very end of Aegiali beach:





We still get some nice sea views along the way:



And we arrive in sight of Levrossos beach (where there are a few holiday rentals and which we won’t go down to ... but you can access it via ... stairs! )



Then, Psili Ammos beach

The path continues to the last beach (Chochlaka), but it seems the rocky cliff is crumbling in places (there’s a "detour"). The descent to this beach looks pretty risky, plus the beach itself isn’t exactly inviting for a relaxing time, so we’ll turn back. Apparently, the trail continues past this beach and leads to Tholaria (and thus route 4).



(I wondered if the plot of land we saw on the right was still cultivated because, to get there ... )

A quiet afternoon at the beach, as planned. Oddly, it’s noticeably less hot than this morning (probably the proximity to the water and the light breeze that picked up).

Friday, June 6 We enjoy the view and tranquility of the terrace one last time before heading to Katapola, where our ferry to Santorini departs. It’s our first time taking a catamaran—all the seats are inside, lined up in rows. We found it much less pleasant than the previous ferries with outdoor decks (but it was the only ferry available that day). We only spend one night in Santorini before flying back to Orly the next day. The plan is to do part of the trail from Fira to Oia upon arrival. Unlike Mykonos, I didn’t find any hotels offering transfers 🙁 ... so it’ll be a taxi (booked by our host). The arrival is impressive, with the high cliffs towering over the port.

By the time we’ve dropped off our luggage (the ferry was 40 minutes late), the afternoon is already well underway, it’s really hot (no wind at all), and it’s likely to be crowded—very crowded . What if we did this hike tomorrow at dawn? It’d be cooler, and there wouldn’t be many people ... alright, decision made: we’ll ask for breakfast around 10 AM after the walk.

Saturday, June 7 A quick coffee before we start.



And we’re off!

Hi there,

I wondered if the plot we could see on the right was still being cultivated

Probably not, due to the lack of water. These islands are marked by severe aridity. What I like least about the Cyclades, apart from the crowds, is the lack of greenery! From that point of view, Naxos is greener. And now, mass tourism monoculture is the norm... 😉

Let us know if you saw the cultivation of Santorini’s little succulent tomato, which was granted a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) by the European Union in 2013.

Attached photo: the harvest in July 1967.



By the time we’ve dropped off our luggage (the ferry was 40 minutes late), the afternoon is already well underway. It’s scorching hot (no wind at all), and it’s bound to be packed—*so* many people

In the photo, the ultra-loaded passenger carrying a piece of furniture almost as tall as she is—acting as her suitcase—is probably American! These travelers from across the Atlantic are usually afraid of running out of things in the "old countries"! 😎

Hi there

Yes, everything is already very dry by late May (if it’s even green at the start of spring). Besides, there aren’t many trees on Amorgos—mostly shrubs—but I really like the arid landscapes 😉.

You’re probably right about the American tourists—I was surprised by how many people from the U.S. there were in the Cyclades.

Let us know if you’ve seen the cultivation of Santorini’s little succulent tomato, which was granted a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) by the European Union in 2013.

I didn’t see much of Santorini, as I only stayed for a late afternoon and early morning… so I couldn’t taste those little tomatoes (unfortunately, since they look delicious—I’m not sure those are the ones you find in restaurants). On the other hand, I had no trouble spotting vineyards—they’re everywhere.

so I couldn’t taste those little tomatoes

This sun-dried tomato has a sweet flavor. It’s usually not served fresh.

This crop is well-suited to Santorini’s volcanic and arid soil, essentially capturing the moisture it needs from the mist.

Thanks, Michel, for this info.

It’s just after 5:30 AM when we leave our place, which is about a 35-minute walk from Fira. Outside temperature: perfect. Tourist crowds: also perfect—we barely run into anyone on foot, though there’s already quite a bit of traffic (probably locals heading to work). For photos, it’s not exactly ideal since the shadows are really long (plus there’s some mist). We get to Fira just as the sun rises (it’s 6:15 AM).

We then take the marked path that follows the cliff edge and overlooks the caldera.



We catch sight of Imerovigli and the promontory.



The view from the top of that promontory must be amazing! Unfortunately, we’d have to go all the way back down, climb up there, and then retrace our steps… we don’t have time :/

I read that the Fira-Imerovigli stretch is the most spectacular. The trail goes all the way to Oia (a little over 10 km total) and does seem to continue farther inland. So we turn back. The sun’s a bit higher now…





…and so are the walkers and joggers. The “invaders” are about to arrive…



…and the donkey handlers are ready to haul everyone back up (there’s a more modern—or less “typical/authentic”?—way to go up: a cable car).

Of course, along the way there are a few churches (not necessarily in the Cycladic colors, it seems to me—at least not like the ones we’d seen so far... but they’re pretty),



There’s also a windmill (turned into a bar or restaurant if I remember correctly)

Sure, the natural surroundings and the caldera with its impressive cliffs are stunning and definitely worth seeing... but we weren’t exactly blown away by Santorini. Okay, we didn’t go all the way to Oia, but we strolled around quietly, without the hordes of tourists (I can’t even imagine what it’s like with them! ... yeah, I know, we’re tourists too 😏) We didn’t see the rest of the island either (I’d thought about renting a car at first, but I couldn’t find anything for less than 70 € a day, and we didn’t have much time to explore). I’m not sure the rest would’ve been more exciting than Naxos or Amorgos 🤪.

Everything there is geared toward (luxury) tourism: along those cliffs, it’s just hotels, restaurants, terraces, private pools, spas... Sure, it’s beautiful, the buildings blend into the environment well. It’s white (too white?), well-kept (too well-kept?), clean (well, sort of—see below)... but it lacks soul 🏴‍☠️. On top of that, the prices are sky-high: 35 € for a port-to-hotel transfer (about a 10-minute ride; you could say Parisian taxis are expensive, but that’s the price of an Orly-to-Left Bank trip 🤪), the Greek salad is 15 or 16 €, when we’d never seen it cost more than 8.5 € anywhere else, etc... Even the shopping streets are a bit dreary (granted, nothing was open, but even in Mykonos, early in the day, it was different:



As for cleanliness, it seems all the effort goes into the alleys frequented by tourists because as soon as you take a few steps to the side (not many)...



Anyway, you’ve probably gathered that Santorini wasn’t our favorite island (my impression might’ve been different if we’d gone there first, who knows), but I don’t regret it—for its caldera (and hey, to each their own—others might’ve loved it or will love it).

Still, I don’t want to end this travel journal on a negative note! For our first discovery of the Cyclades, we came back enchanted: we really liked Naxos, we loved Amorgos... and I would’ve happily extended our vacation by a few weeks 😎. This first trip will definitely have a sequel. Where exactly? ...

And I can’t finish a travel journal about Greece without this last photo (even if we didn’t see many of them in the end) 😉

Hi Muriel, Thanks for this story! It’s true that Santorini doesn’t have the charm of the other islands, which are much less crowded and wilder. The rest of the island doesn’t hold huge interest in my opinion, except for the archaeological site of Akrotiri. Oia is still very beautiful, but you have to go early because afterward, it’s a constant stream of tourists. That said, when you’re doing a tour of the Cyclades, you always end up spending 1 or 2 nights in Santorini. We have a home base with an amazing view in Imerovigli (we went there for the first time in 2020 and were their first guests in mid-July!). We really enjoy walking along the cliffs—especially the Imerovigli/Oia stretch, which is pretty quiet since most tourists prefer driving. Have a great day, Jacques

Thanks Muriel for this getaway in the Cyclades! 👍

Hi Jacques

Yeah, Santorini is convenient (just like Mykonos) because you can get direct flights from France. It’s cheaper than going through Athens and avoids any potential connection issues from its airport, whether by plane or ferry. Could you let me know the name of your hotel in Imerovigli (DM me if you prefer)?

Hi Muriel,

Congrats on this travel journal and the photos—they’re really great!

Yes, Santorini is convenient (just like Mykonos) because it has direct flights from France. It’s cheaper than going through Athens and avoids potential connection issues from its airport, whether by plane or boat.

I’d like to add a little nuance to that. It’s not always cheaper to fly directly to Mykonos or Santorini from France. Because of flight schedules, you often have to spend a night on Mykonos or Santorini, and that can get really expensive—both for accommodation and food, as you mentioned. 15 € for a Greek salad had me doing a double-take! Even here in Athens, we don’t have those prices!! And it also depends on which island you’re heading to next. Ferries from Santorini or Mykonos are often high-speed ones and more expensive than from Athens, plus there are fewer departures.

So, it’s worth comparing prices carefully because sometimes going through Athens can actually be cheaper. I’m not saying it’s *always* the case, but you should weigh all the pros and cons. Also, direct flights to the islands don’t eliminate connection issues—delays or cancellations can still happen, whether it’s ferries running late, wind-related cancellations, strikes, or other disruptions.

Elenitsa

Thanks for following this travel journal, Elenitsa! 🙂

So you really need to study the fares because sometimes going via Athens works out cheaper. I didn’t say it’s always the case, of course, but you still need to weigh up all the pros and cons.

That’s what I did (well, more or less, since when I booked the flights, not all the boat fares were available yet). For Mykonos, it was clearly more advantageous than going via Athens (though that doesn’t mean it’s the same at other times). It’s much more debatable for Santorini. I’m not sure I’d go back there again, but I don’t regret seeing it (at least once).

Thanks Isabelle for following 😉

I totally agree—Santorini is a must-see *off-season*, but not a must-*re*see ;)

Now comes the hardest part: planning the next vacation and picking which islands to visit! Good luck with that challenge!!

Now the hardest part remains: planning the next vacation and choosing which islands to visit!

Absolutely! 😏 Especially since, on top of the Cyclades, other islands are tempting me (like Ikaria, for example) or going back to two spots we really loved (the Pelion region—I hope it hasn’t changed too much—and the island of Kythira)... In short, plenty to keep me busy on winter evenings 😉

Hi Muriel,

It's already over???!!! I loved revisiting Naxos, Amorgos, and Santorini. We didn’t quite see the same things, but the vibe was the same. You’ve really whetted my appetite, and we’re thinking about another trip to the Cyclades—different islands, but maybe a return to Milos, which still has so many landscapes to discover and trails to explore. One last little note about Santorini. Traveling by camper van, we don’t have the same constraints as those who come by plane: no hotel bookings, no vehicle rentals, no restaurant hunting... So we found some lovely spots like Megalochori, Akrotiri’s Red Beach, or the port of Pori. But it’s clear that the traditional tourist circuits are disappointing!!! Looking forward to chatting again.

Marie Paule

Hi Marie Paule, So glad this travel journal brought back good memories for you. For sure, in a camper van, there are fewer constraints (or at least, they’re different ones). Milos does seem to have varied landscapes—let me (us) know if you add a story to your site... I don’t always think to check regularly ;).