Cyclades

Photo by flickr user saumilshah

The Cyclades are the quintessential Greek islands: labyrinthine villages of whitewashed houses built around little harbours or perched high above the sea, tiny blue-domed churches, and rocky, terraced hillsides brightened by splashes of oleander, green miniature vineyards and silvery olive groves. There are more than 20 islands in the Cyclades, from the relatively large, such as Andros, Naxos and Paros to dots in the sea such as Iraklia and Schinoussa. Santorini and Mykonos are world famous for stunning boutique hotels and stylish shopping. Ios has been notorious for raffish nightlife since the 1960s. At the other end of the spectrum, Tinos is a place of pilgrimage for elderly Greeks, thanks to a (supposedly) miracle-working icon, and uninhabited Delos, within sight of Mykonos, is an important archaeological site. You can find tiny coves and clean pebbly beaches on all the islands, but the best sandy beaches are on Mykonos, Naxos, Ios or Amorgos - Santorini has huge strands, but their black volcanic sand gets far too hot for comfort in high summer.

Most principal villages have the same name as the island, and are usually called Chora by locals. Hotels on all the islands except Mykonos close between November and April. Prices vary widely and seasonally, but Mykonos and Santorini are the most expensive. The order by which the hotels are listed bears no reflection on our preference.

Written by Robin Gauldie