2 weeks in the Cyclades

Hi everyone!

Blue skies (lots of them), whitewashed villages with steep alleyways, hundreds of churches, and... thousands of stairs? Welcome to the Cyclades! 🙂

We’d been dreaming about this for a while, but in July-August—with the crowds—no way! Now that I can travel outside school holidays, the Cyclades are back on the agenda. And so begins a loooong period of planning and second-guessing, with countless itinerary changes: the Cyclades, yes, but which ones? I was fixated on Folegandros (we won’t be going after all) and really wanted to visit Delos. So, for this first trip, it’ll be: Mykonos (and Delos)-Naxos-Amorgos-Santorini.

Saturday 24/05: Departure from Orly on a Transavia flight, arriving in Mykonos in the late afternoon. We found a hotel that offers free transfers (pretty rare and not insignificant—it’s 25 € each way for just a few kilometers 😠) and at a reasonable price (83 € per night for B&B). Time for dinner already: Greek salad and souvlaki (we’re in Greece, right?)

(Okay, this is actually a dakos with Naxos cheese, but I don’t have a photo of a Greek salad 😏).

Happy to jump into this new travel journal, Muriel! 🙂

Hi Muriel,

I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the rest!

Marie Paule

Welcome to both of you! 🙂

Sunday, 25/05: We booked the tickets for Delos online the day before: departure at 10 AM, return at 1:30 PM. After a hearty breakfast, we set off. The hotel is located on the heights of Mykonos, and it takes less than fifteen minutes to walk down to the port (but "a bit" longer to walk back up! 😏). At this relatively early hour, there aren’t many people around. We pick up our tickets. The boat is quite full... with lots of American tourists (we later realized they were probably from a cruise ship).

So, let’s be honest—I was disappointed by Delos 🙁. Maybe my expectations were too high, or perhaps the very gray weather didn’t help (we didn’t have a choice of day since we only had this one to visit). Sure, the site is impressive in size, but compared to other Greek or Italian sites, the monuments or mosaics are much less well-preserved. That *could* have given the place a certain charm, but personally, I couldn’t imagine what it looked like a few centuries BC, and I missed having a model or detailed representation (there are just a few brief sketches in the guide provided at the entrance) that could have helped visualize it (by comparison, the museum at the Temple of Demeter in Naxos is tiny but showcases full-scale architectural elements).

So here we are on the site, heading to the right, toward the theater district.

In this area, you’ll find mosaics in the Houses of the Dolphins, the Trident, and the House of Masks. The theater:







Off the path, the House of Cleopatra and Dioscurides, whose statues still adorn the courtyard in a rather moving way:



A fork in the path to the right leads up to the summit (not very high, 113 meters!) of Mount Cynthus. About a third of the way up, the Cave of Heracles, whose statue has disappeared:



From the top, the 360° view must be stunning in good weather, but today, it’s really very (too) gray—what a shame!

We then head back down to the museum where we find (among other things) the originals of the Terrace of the Lions (which look more like lionesses, but oh well),



and then to that famous Terrace of the Lions. Only 5 remain (originally, there must have been 9—or was it 16? Not the same at all!). A 6th one is in Venice (apparently, it got a pretty strange head grafted onto it).



Along the way, one of the rare walls where some plaster and traces of paint still remain, giving us an idea of what the houses might have looked like.

To brighten up all this greyness, I take photos of the flowers 😏





We then return to Mykonos under an equally leaden sky.

On land, the tourist density has really increased (it’s 3 PM) 😏

We take a quick tour of Mykonos town and leave pretty quickly, arriving just as a few raindrops start to fall—rain that will intensify and last all evening.

We’ll come back tomorrow if the weather’s nicer!

From that corner of the world, I know (a little) Greece—mostly Athens and the Peloponnese, which I visited last century, Rhodes during the height of Covid, and Crete more recently (which I loved).

Let’s let Muriel guide us for this new adventure, though I never imagined the sun could be lacking—are they giving refunds? 😉

Starting tomorrow, the sun’s back and it’ll stay that way until the end 😎.

From tomorrow, the sun is back and it’ll stay that way until the end 😎.

Thanks for the heads-up, but I would’ve stayed anyway

Phew! 🤯🤯🤯

Hi Muriel, I see you’re already hard at work after your trip. I’ll be following your story closely—we know that region pretty well since we’ve been there several times (and we’re heading back to Amorgos and Naxos at the end of August, places we already know). That said, we’ve never been to Mykonos because it’s way too crowded in the summer. Jacques

Hi Jacques, Thanks for following this travel journal. Any other islands planned for late August besides Naxos and Amorgos?

Monday 26/05: This morning, the wind is blowing hard, but the rain has literally washed the sky clean of its impurities (apparently dust from the Sahara). A reddish dust covers cars and outdoor furniture, and I’m thinking of the cleaning staff who’ll have to scrub everything 😕.

Our ferry to Naxos leaves at 12:20, so we have time to take another stroll through the city, in the calm and under a bright blue sky. It’s definitely much prettier (and photogenic) 😎.

We more or less retrace the same route as yesterday but in the opposite direction. Despite the tourist crowds, the alleys have kept their charm (though there aren’t many people around at 9:30 yet).

Even the luxury shops have kept their local vibe 😏 (here in *Tria Pigadia* square, which means "of the 3 wells"; we spent quite some time looking for those wells before realizing they were the three white blocks topped with blue 🤪).

Next, we head to the famous windmills:

Then we walk down to the Alefkandra district (nicknamed "Little Venice"), a collection of 18th-century houses whose loggias open directly onto the sea. Legend has it this allowed owners to discreetly buy goods from pirates. Nowadays, the area is filled with bars and restaurants.





Finally, the Panagia Paraportiani church, a complex of five adjoining churches dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.





Yesterday vs. today comparison: we made the right call coming back! 😎

We end up back at our starting point from yesterday, the port and its little adjoining beach.



All that's left is to head back to the hotel to finish packing. Then, probably unconsciously wanting to imitate Bruno (Montagnard) with a travel mishap...



... with my eyes glued to my phone (even though I complain enough about people who do the same without paying attention to their surroundings, especially in town), trying to find our way back through the maze of alleys, I didn’t see the first step! Trying to regain my balance, I tripped on the next one and ended up sprawled headfirst onto a terracotta planter on the ground. Well, a cut on my ear, a long scratch on my shoulder (the planter didn’t stand a chance 😏), and a few bruises the next day—more scared than hurt! The most surprising part? My camera, which I was carrying on a strap, was totally fine 😮 (my phone too, for that matter).

Thankfully, none of that stopped us from boarding on time (or almost) for Naxos. Surprisingly, the wind is much calmer at sea than on land, and the 1h15 trip is really pleasant. Naxos (Hora) in sight!

A trip that starts off like an action movie definitely deserves my attention, Muriel 😄. But I guess narrowly avoiding a disaster makes you appreciate the rest even more! Have a great evening, everyone 😊

Hey Christelle! Yeah, my first thought was, "I hope I don’t have to go to the hospital—otherwise, we’ll miss the boat!" 😏 After that, I was just grateful I could keep enjoying my vacation "normally" despite that fall (which could’ve ruined everything 😕).

First observation: we’re definitely not here to talk about causing any accidents on this forum, so everyone stay careful! 🤪

Second observation: it’s way prettier with the sun! 😄

Hi Muriel, Yes, 2 days in Santorini before catching the flight back. Otherwise, I see you had Folegandros on your list. Even though it’s a small island, we loved it. Jacques

I really hesitated between an eastern version (between Mykonos and Santorini) and a western version that would have gone through Milos and/or Sifnos and Folegandros. Maybe next time 😉

Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades (everything's relative!) and is known for its marble quarries, which have been used since antiquity (and marble is still very present in the villages). We rented a car for the 7 days we'll spend on this island, at a price that defies all competition (62 € for the week). Even though it was rented through a well-known site (rent...cars), I still wonder about the legitimacy of calling it a "rental agency" . Either way, we ended up with a Skoda Fabia in a Cycladic blue (somewhat muted by the same dust that settled on Mykonos and hasn't been cleaned off ). Despite its nearly 100,000 km on the odometer, it's in pretty good condition and will do the job perfectly for this week.

Heading to Filoti for 5 days. Since we couldn't find a B&B in the area, we rented a studio in the center of the village, just a stone's throw from a bakery, a mini-market, and some restaurants. Filoti is a charming village with a central location that makes it easy to explore the whole island.

View of Filoti from the road to Apeiranthos: The village:









It's also the starting point for one of the island's most famous hikes, the Mount Zas loop (the highest point at 1,004 m), but I must admit that the 700 meters of elevation gain somewhat put us off .

Tuesday 27/05: This morning we're visiting the island's most famous village, Apeiranthos. It's famous because it's nicknamed "the marble village." Yes, there's marble everywhere (in the pavements, window sills, walls...), but not necessarily how you might imagine it (sparkling white).

Like many tourist villages, the lower part of the village is set up with shops, bars, and restaurants... At this relatively early hour (9:30 AM), there aren’t many people around. The upper part of the village, on the other hand, is more or less abandoned,

but some houses are still inhabited (and well-maintained).

We head back down to start a hike we found on cycladen.be (thanks to this very comprehensive site for hikes 😉) that begins under a bridge at the bottom of the village (and it’s well-marked). It’s a round trip leading to the Agia Kyriaki church. It’s downhill on the way there... which means it’ll be uphill on the way back—I much prefer the opposite! We’re getting used to the many staircases along the trails and the gates we have to open and close (there are lots of goats on the islands, as well as sheep and a few donkeys). The path alternates between rocky, dirt trails, and nicely paved roads, offering varied and beautiful views.



We reach a small bridge and then have to climb (a little) toward the church.



The church is in sight (though it blends into the landscape 😉).



It’s very old (8th or 9th century), and a sign tells us it has magnificent paintings... but it’s locked! We head back the same way (but with different views).

I didn’t think to take another photo of the village on the way back, but it’s much livelier than when we left! It must be a must-stop for day tours—there are cars and buses everywhere... I can’t imagine what it’s like in July-August! 😮

A quick stop on the way back in Filoti to admire the panorama near the Rotonda restaurant (famous for its view, as the name suggests):

Hi Muriel,

You're right, Mount Zeus is accessible from Filoti, but it’s not the easiest route, especially because of the elevation gain. We reached it starting from the Agia Marina chapel, and we didn’t regret it because the elevation gain is less than 400 m. On our site (https://brigittefrancois.jimdofree.com), you can see the view from the summit. Looking forward to the rest!

Marie Paule

Thanks Marie-Paule for this info—it’ll be useful for others (or for us if we go back 😎). If I understood the map correctly, in this case it’s a round-trip, not a loop. I saw you also went to Amorgos and Santorini. Funny how some of your photos look just like mine, while others are totally different. Thanks for following along; since not many people are participating, I’m feeling a little lonely 😉.

Hi Muriel, The western islands (Folegandros, Milos, and Sifnos) are also really interesting and very different from each other. Loving the start of your trip on Naxos with those charming little villages. We found Apiranthos a bit dead when we passed through in the morning on the way to the eastern beaches, but still nice. We’ve got the hike you did planned for our next trip at the end of August. For Mount Zas, I can confirm that the climb from the chapel is totally doable, even if it feels like you’ll never get there at the end. Can’t wait to hear the rest! Jacques

Thanks for following; since not many people are participating, I feel a bit lonely 😉.

Anyway, I'm here! Actually, I realize it's better to post travel journals in February... As travelers, once the good weather arrives, everyone takes off!!

I know you’ve felt that loneliness during your Australian travel journal too 😏. You’re probably right about the time off—I’ll wait for winter next time to write it up 😏. I also think some destinations spark more lively conversations than others. Either way, thanks to all the readers (whether you speak up or not 😉).

True, those of us used to African travel journals can feel a bit lonely on other destinations. Back in 2020, I started a travel journal about the Cyclades but eventually gave up—it was a year when almost no one was active on the forum, and for good reason… Jacques

That’s exactly it. I’ll admit, though, that keeping a travel journal is fun for me too—it helps me remember the good times... and forces me to sort through my photos! 😉

Yeah, luckily there’s a selfish pleasure in it, Muriel 😄. When we’re lucky, 15 people chime in and 5 say goodbye! But there are way more who just watch without ever saying a word 😔. The lurkers, the shy ones, the "consumers"—or even all three at once. But for me, VF is like life: the quality of our close connections matters way more than the quantity 😄. See you soon for the next part

Wednesday 05/28: This morning, we hit the road again from Apeiranthos heading towards Apollonas, all the way north. We make a quick stop along the way to photograph one of the many churches lost in the middle of nowhere:



Before leaving, I looked into the possibility of a hike starting from Koronos, but they all go towards the sea (so downhill on the way there) and mention "lots of steps" at the start, which means climbing them on the way back (I’m really not a fan of steps when hiking! 😕)... let’s see if there’s an alternative... How about Fotodis Monastery? That’s when I realize (thanks to photos and comments from Marie-Paule and Jacques) that we actually saw the starting point for Mount Zas since we parked in the small lot in front of Agia Marina church! Except, not having looked into it too much, I thought it was another access point for the same loop that starts in Filoti... oh well, no big regrets—our days were still packed 😉.

We take the path on the other side of the road, right across from the church. It’s drivable, but we walk (we won’t run into anyone anyway, neither on foot nor by car). The climb is gentle and not too long. There are tons of grasshoppers here:



The monastery appears (backlit, so not great for photos). It looks more like a fortress 🤪. In the distance, you can see the islands of Donoussa and Amorgos (in the haze).

At this hour, it’s closed (I think it’s open from 11 AM to 2 PM), so we just walk around it:







Back to the parking lot and thus to the church (Agia Marina, then 😉), which is open. Quick aside on Greek churches: there are so many of them, often in the most unlikely places, and they’re always well-maintained, no matter their size—both inside and out (for the ones that are open, you’ll always find a broom, paper towels, cleaning products... 😏).



Off we go north again! Another stop at a (big this time) church (note how our car matches the Cyclades colors 😏).



Then it’s downhill towards the sea. Thankfully, there isn’t too much traffic because the road is often overrun by broom bushes (?... not sure). Again, the views keep changing and are stunning.

Just before entering Apolonas, we turn left toward the kouros site—a marble statue about ten meters tall, dating from the 6th century BC and apparently abandoned there due to flaws:

Then we discover Apolonas, a charming little seaside resort, very peaceful (at least at this time of year).



Every bar/restaurant has its own color code—it’s so cute!







Unprepared as we are (well, yeah, we’re not exactly beach regulars! 😊), we didn’t bring towels or swimsuits 😇. Before grabbing an affogato at one of these cafés, we spend some time on a bench along the beach, soaking in the tranquility of the place. It’s the local grandmas’ swim meet-up time! (It’s hilarious—they’re all in black one-piece swimsuits with hats on their heads, chatting away in the water 😏!) Anyway, they’re definitely not cold-sensitive...

But for me, package holidays are like life: the quality of the people around us matters way more than the quantity 😊.

Totally agree 😉

Hi Muriel,

I’ve been following your travel journal—it’s really great! I live in Greece, so I don’t really need help planning a vacation here 😉 But your photos are absolutely stunning, and visiting the islands off-season is so nice!!

As for the well-maintained churches, that’s normal—the Church and the State aren’t separate in Greece, and the Church has A LOT of money. It’s one of the country’s biggest landowners.

Now, about the grandmas (and grandpas!) swimming—some do it year-round. Apparently, it keeps illnesses away and is great for rheumatism. Given the water temperature in winter, I think I’d rather have rheumatism, no thanks! 😏

Hi Muriel,

I’m really enjoying reading your story and seeing your photos! It’s too bad we can’t like posts here!!! Who knows, the Cyclades are a dream for many, and you can return several times without ever seeing the same things! They’re so diverse, and everyone has their favorites. Voyage Forum was really missed after Covid—it’s such a great source of information and exchanges that travelers use to choose their destinations and plan their trips. Anyway, we’ve been traveling the world for about forty years (even if our site only covers trips since 2005), and we’re always happy to share our experience with those who want to make the most of it. Looking forward to the rest of your trip.

Marie Paule

Hi Elenitsa

Thanks for your kind message (and from a country expert, no less!).

As for well-maintained churches, it’s normal—the Church and State aren’t separate in Greece, and the Church has A LOT of money. It’s one of the country’s biggest landowners.

I didn’t know that… but it makes sense now. And yes, the islands off-season are amazing! We’ve always loved our stays and trips in Greece (that’s why we keep coming back 😎), but this one was extra special, I think.

Hi Marie-Paule,

I took a look at your site. We don’t travel by camper van, but any experience is worth having and drawing ideas from 😉.

you can go back several times and never see the same things! They’re also so diverse, and everyone has their favorites.

Actually, it was our first time there… but I don’t think it’ll be the last 😎.

I know you’ve felt that loneliness during your Australian travel journal 😏. You’re probably right about the holidays (next time, I’ll wait for winter to write 😏). I also think that depending on the destination, discussions can be more or less lively. Either way, thanks to the readers (whether they speak up or not 😉).

Hi Muriel, +1 on your journal—yeah, it’s tough to keep up... when the good weather arrives, I come out of hibernation 😄 Plus, right now, I’m not getting notifications for the threads I follow 😢

In the meantime, the white and blue of the Cyclades is stunning. It’s true that gray weather makes everything feel so dull 😞 I haven’t been to the Cyclades except for Santorini, which I loved, but there were way too many people in the villages—so that cooled me off a bit ☺️

Good evening Muriel, Your story is still so nice! I didn’t know about this big monastery. About the hikes starting from Koronos, especially the one going down to Lionas, I can confirm that the round trip is really long. At least, that’s what I imagine since we only did the one-way downhill, which was already quite long, and we were too lazy to walk back. So we asked the Delfinaki taverna, where we ate, if they could drive us back to Koronos. That could’ve worked for you! Jacques

Hi Isabelle, I see you're swamped with all the travel journals to keep up with 😏. For notifications, I don’t always get them either (I end up thinking, "It’s been ages since there was a new post in this journal..." And when I check, I’m 3 pages behind!).

we asked the Delfinaki tavern where we ate if they could take us back to Koronos.

Oh yeah Jacques, that could be a good solution... one we didn't think of! 😇

Thursday 29/05: After the north, the south! It was Herodotos' travel journal that made me want to discover this route. He described a stunning mountain road... and it really is. Unfortunately, the photos don't do justice to the beauty of the landscapes. So, we headed to Kalantos beach and the "Cheimaros tower." While the road (marked as secondary) starts off quite narrow, it then becomes wide and in very good condition. It's true that the views are magnificent all along the way, and I want to stop every 5 minutes! 😎









The tarmac ends abruptly at the tower (which, despite being indicated from the start, isn’t anything special—especially since you can’t go inside or even get close, as the area is fenced off) and turns into a dirt track.

The track is in good condition, at least at the start, but... A first glance at the tires tells us they’ve clearly got the same mileage as the car (100,000 km), a second look in the trunk reveals there’s absolutely nothing in case of a flat tire (yes, we should’ve checked when we picked up the car—didn’t think of it!), and a third look at our phones shows little to no signal. Playing it safe, we decide to turn back. We’ll never know if Kalantos beach was worth the detour (though photos suggest it was).

As a result, we get back to Filoti fairly early. There’s still time for a short hike: why not the one to the Byzantine monasteries starting from Halki, just a few km from Filoti? Marked as about 7 km, 2h10, it seems perfect. 7 km maybe... but we ended up doing over 11! How’s that even possible? Still don’t know 😏 We park in the large lot at the entrance of Halki and start the loop near the village. Every now and then, there’s a variant (out-and-back) that lets you get a closer look at a church, like here at Agios Giorgios Diassoritis:

...but they’re all closed 🏴‍☠️. We walk past olive groves,

And arrive at Rachidiotissa church:

And that's where we ended up walking a bit more than planned (but definitely not 4 km): 1) The path to Moni isn't signposted (the one that *is* signposted is the loop that brings you back to Halki) 2) It's a trail, whereas up until then the path had been quite wide 3) It's blocked by a fence, which does open but you have to look closely to see it 4) ... we weren't paying enough attention! 😇

So off we went on a loop that brought us back to Rachidiotissa church! And there, we took a closer look 😏 I found the climb pretty boring: the path isn't very clear in general, then you go up through the forest. It's good for the heat but you don't have any views and you keep wondering when it's going to end. It ends when you come out onto the road, opposite Panagia Drosiani. That one's open and it's stunning. Two little grannies at the entrance sell embroidered fabrics that seem to be handmade (apparently that's Moni's specialty).



The lady inside tells us we can take photos but without flash:



The climb's over... well, not really, it starts again up to Moni!

Finally, all that's left is to go back down! The descent is in full sun but it offers some lovely views:

(in the distance you can see the blue dome of Kaloxylos church, a pretty village we'll be passing through).

During the descent, we end up doing a few more unplanned hundred meters at a five-way intersection... A little aside about hiking trail markings: overall, it's well done—each trail has a number (this one was 4 or 4a for variations) and regularly, you'll find a little "4" sign up high or red dots on the ground, usually. Except sometimes you see red dots every 20 meters when you're on a straight path and there's no risk of getting lost, and other times (quite often, actually), at intersections... nothing! The marking is usually a few dozen meters further on, but sometimes it's much farther before you realize you're on the right path... or not! We pass through the village of Kaloxylos before heading back to Halki.

The heat plus all those extra kilometers meant we didn't have the energy to explore Halki. Since this village is less than 3 km from Filoti, we'll save it for another day...

Tonight, we've booked a table at Rotonda restaurant, known for its views and sunsets (well, tonight the sun's a bit hazy) but it's still nice, and the food's pretty good. Cheers! 😉

Friday, 05/30: After yesterday's hike, I admit I'm feeling a bit lazy today. Plus, the weather's pretty cloudy around here. What if we head back to Apolonas to see what it's like there? After crossing the "pass" in the clouds, we descend back to the sea under the sun. This time, we didn't forget towels, books, and swimsuits (though I won't go beyond my knees for a dip 😏).

Saturday, 05/31: We end our stay on Naxos with 2 nights by the sea, at the hotel (I generally really enjoy the breakfasts there 🙂). The weather's still more or less cloudy. We take the opportunity during the trip to make a quick stop in Halki (the island's former capital):



There are quite a few shops and workshops selling marble objects.

Next, we head to the Temple of Demeter (6th century BC), near Sagri. While the remains of the (marble) temple are quite limited,



I found the (very small) museum really well done, with reconstructions that help visualize what it was like back then:

A door hinge

The layout of the tiles (marble— the roof must have weighed tons! 🤪)



Another stop at the Belonia Tower, with a view of Naxos (Chora). Meh, we were passing by anyway, but the tower (closed) and the garden are completely abandoned. Only the small church is maintained and open. As for the view... not bad, but nothing special.

We arrive early at the hotel, but since they're very accommodating, they manage to find us another room available right away (though the hotel isn't full!)

We're just a few minutes away from the huge Agios Prokopios beach. The "town" side is mostly taken up by restaurant sunbeds.

There's more free space if you head north, but either way, it's far from crowded. So, I found Agios Prokopios really pleasant—lively without being hectic, at least at this time of year.

Our balcony overlooks salt pans whose colors change depending on the time of day (I guess it's about light and wavelength absorption, but it's pretty amazing). Up close, they're always red:



From the balcony at 7 AM

At 8:30 AM



At 2 PM



With that little detour over, we're off (Sunday, June 1st) to visit Hora, just a few kilometers away. The climb up to the "kastro" offers some great views of the town and the sea:

It took us a while to realize that the "kastro" isn't a castle like we'd think of one back home—it's where the citadel used to be, now filled with shops and restaurants (just like the "old market" is a network of small streets). We reach the cathedral: it's Sunday, mass is on... we don't go in and just admire the exterior.

I’ve seen salt flats a lot before, but I had no idea about the color differences—that’s amazing! 👍

And the color of your beach is *so* dreamy! 🤩

And the color of your beach really makes you dream 🤩

Yeah, for sure, but the water temperature, apparently, doesn’t exactly make you want to go in 🥶

This little island is really interesting, thanks Muriel—definitely a destination to add back to our list! 😊

And the color of your beach is so dreamy 🤩

Yeah, true, but the water temperature, apparently, doesn’t exactly make you want to go in 🥶

That’s because I’m really sensitive to the cold! Sure, it’s not the Indian Ocean, but there were still some brave souls (judging by the toes, I’d say around 20°C at that time and 22°C by the end of the trip on Amorgos).

And the color of your beach is so dreamy! 🤩

Yeah, true, but the water temperature doesn’t exactly make me want to go in 🥶

That’s because I’m really sensitive to the cold! Sure, it’s not the Indian Ocean, but there were still some brave souls (toe-testing, I’d say around 20°C at that time and 22°C by the end of the trip on Amorgos).

Same here—I’m *super* sensitive to the cold. I won’t dip a toe in unless it’s at least 26°C, which basically never happens 🥶😂

Ah, blue skies! A little taste of the vacation that’s coming up.

I’d left off at the start of my travel journal, and the Cyclades with gray skies just don’t cut it.

22 degrees? I’m there!

I went to Mykonos and Delos when I was a teen, but I barely remember it—except for a totally wild donkey that chased us.

And the crushing summer heat 🙁

22 degrees and I'm there!

That’s exactly what worries me about Hawaii (in winter)! 😏

And the scorching heat in summer 🙁

We were lucky with the weather (except for the first day). The first week was pretty cool in the mornings and evenings (18-19°C) but great during the day. The second week was warmer (we could finally have breakfast outside! 😎), but there was often a bit of wind (though not too much—I know it can get really windy, but that wasn’t the case). The wind cooled things down during the day. However, when there was no wind (like in the villages), it started to get really hot in the afternoons.

We're heading back down toward the port. The plan is to visit the folklore museum (supposedly interesting), located in the old market district (it's still a market... but more for tourists ).

We finally track down the famous museum, but... it's closed! (Apparently on Sundays and Mondays, but there's no sign.) So, we head to the islet of Palatia and its unfinished Temple of Apollo.





From there, we have a great view of the town, with a very rough sea on one side (so rough we got sprayed while walking along the breakwater ), and a very calm sea on the other.



It's not too late: why not go check out that monastery we can see in the photo (right in the middle)? The views from up there must be nice!

We walked there, but it's a road, so you can drive (though we didn't see any cars). On the way up, we get another viewpoint over the town:



When we arrive at the monastery (Agios Ioannis Chrysostomos), a sign tells us (in Greek—thanks, Google Translate!) that it's open for visits... but closed on Sundays! Seriously! 🏴‍☠️

The view makes up for the disappointment a bit 😉