Cyclades Island Hopping

This place is simply romantic with traditional old houses built right on the edge of the sea, their terraces already above the lovely blue water.

From here, it is undeniable that the sunset could be seen at its best. Here is where you can truly feel the seaside experience, with waves crashing beneath your feet as you sit down on the bottom of the wooden stairs.

Little Venice captured the heart of many people including numerous artists who have even chosen to live in the place and make Little Venice the subject of their artworks. Because of this, many art galleries scatter in the area.

Party animals would also love the place with the abundance of bars there. It is said that Little Venice served once in the 16th and 17th century as the loading and unloading station for goods brought by pirating.

Paros lies to the west of Nasxos, the two islands are separated by a channel thats a bout 8km wide. The ferries take about an hour to make the journey from the Chora on Paros, which is on the west of the island. Some ferries between Paros and Naxos drop into Mykonos ( which is further north ) on the way to Naxos. The old town lies south of the port and is a maze of small streets, some with nice bars and cofffee shops.

Even the harbour of Naxos is fascinating and is actually quite busy. Rows of white boats could be found here, a typical harbour setting.

What is unique about the harbour is that it is characterized by the industrial vestiges of the cable railway system. Along the harbour, local restaurants are ideal for a relaxing lunch overlooking the harbour and the beautiful nearby citadel. There are also many bars, coffee shops, and local shops in the area. The iconic landmark of the harbour is the archway of Portara which was originally built as the entrance to the temple dedicated to Apollo. However, the temple was not completed.

Now, the archway just stands there to welcome the visitors of Naxos who came via ferries. A relaxing stroll along the boardwalks is a good activity for visitors. Boat tours are also available there, if tourists fancy a visit to the other islands like Santorini, Paros, Mykonos and Delos.

After a volcanic eruption on the island, a large caldera or cater 7x12 km was formed. With two openings to the sea, the water rushed in to fill the void.

The cliffs surrounding the caldera on which the towns of Fira and Oia perch are about 300 m high.

The two Nea ( New ) and Palea (old) Kameni Islands are at the center of the caldera.

Perched on the top of the 300 metre cliffs accessible until recently by series of steps the two white washed villages ( towns ) of Santorini and Oia, set against clear blue skies, are a major attraction for backpackers, families and cruise ships.

Milos Bay was formed when the a volcanic crater was flooded with sea water. The bay is over 100 metres deep in places. The bay is contained between two halves of the island joined by an isthmus. The bay is so deep that large vessels can moor in the sheltered waters.