SPETSES
Spetses is a beautiful island with rich vegetation and many pine trees. It has various wonderful sandy beaches and lovely secluded bays. Its villages are picturesque and authentic and its capital is a real architectural beauty full of two- story neoclassical houses with wooden balconies and colored walls, and narrow s t o n e - p a v e d a l l e y s . Ar c h a e o l o g i c a l findings indicate that Spetses has been inhabited since Early Bronze Age (also called first Hellenic Era, about 2500 BC). One of the most famous heroes of the Greek Revolution was the Spetsiote female captain Lascarina Bouboulina who took the command of her husband’s fleet when he died, fought in many important battles and spent most of her fortune to finance the war.
KOS ISLAND
Endless beaches with turquoise waters, lush vegetation and abundantly flowing streams, ancient and medieval monuments, grand edifices of Italian architecture all come to spell one word: Kos, the third largest island of the Dodecanese Group, only 4 miles away from the coast of Turkey. Kos is the island that gave the world Hippocrates, the father of medicine.
PAROS ISLAND
Paros is so fascinating on so many levels that many people love it having seen only one of its faces. Don't jump to conclusions about what you like, get to know the island first and find your "own" Paros, the face that suits you best. No doubt, though, it will charm you even if you see a different side from the one expected.
The island of Paros is famous for its golden beaches, clear blue waters and nightlife. However, it has much more than that to offer visitors, who will see a different island, offering many alternatives: its rich natural resources, the fascinating cultural heritage, the unique customs, the original traditional dishes and the famous wine, are some of the island's secrets that make visitors return.
Parikia, the capital of Paros, is a beautiful Cycladic village with whitewashed cubic houses and impressive neoclassical mansions. A well preserved 13th century Venetian castle stands proudly on a hill at the center of the village offering an amazing view of Parikia.
Wander through beautiful traditional villages like Naousa, a colorful village, where the ruins of a Venetian fortress stand at the entrance to its small harbor. Lefkes is located at the highest point of Paros and enjoys stunning views of the island. The village is set up in the mountains
and is surrounded by a rich green landscape. It has very well preserved Cycladic and neoclassical buildings, beautiful squares and narrow marble alleys.
Paros offers quality facilities to practice windsurfing, kite surfing, diving, horse riding and trekking. The island has several diving schools (the beaches Chrysi Akti, Santa Maria, and Pounta are ideal for diving). Pounta is the best beach for kite surfing, while the favorite beaches for windsurfing are Tserdakia, Chrysi Akti, Santa Maria and Pounta. The island also has surfing clubs. Amateur fishermen will find ideal spots on the coasts of Paros.
IOS ISLAND
Íos or Niós, as the locals call it, is one of the most beautiful islands of the Cyclades, like a flower, as its name “Ion” denotes. According to the ancient tradition, Íos was the homeland of Homer’s mother and the final resting place of the great epic poet. Upon reaching the island, the view before you is enchanting: as pretty as a picture, Chora lies very close to the harbor in Ormos and greets the travelers, built in an amphitheater -like manner on the slope of a hill, on the top of which there are ruins of a medieval castle. This is a listed traditional village, one of the finest examples of Cycladic architecture.
Snow-white little houses, picturesque arcade-covered alleys (“stiyádia”), the twelve windmills, churches with arched belfries and light blue domes create a unique residential area. Chora’s sheltered alleys is the “stage” where Koúnia, an ancient local custom is performed every May, as follows: young men make swings for young ladies who rock themselves while listening to traditional love songs being sung to them in the form of a dialogue.
Ios offers many activities, including hiking, watching the amazing sunsets, visiting historic sites, and enjoying the laid-back lifestyle of Greece. For those who love hiking Ios is the ideal destination. Its hilly morphology and the innumerable paths opened by shepherds on its hills enable visitors to see amazing places of wild beauty and enjoy the view to the nearby islands. If you want to experience daily farming works performed in the old fashioned way, local stock farmers wit be willing to show you through the entire production process (grazing, milking, cheese-making).
Explore! Mylopótas, Magganári, Psáthi, Yialós, Kálamos and Ayia Theodóti beaches are known worldwide –among others– to be top choices for dives in the island’s emerald waters. In order to explore the inland, follow the paths that shepherds prefer to take (Ayia Theodóti- Hóra, Ayia Eirini-Valmás Beach, Hóra-Pýrgos-Psáthi, Hóra -Ayios Spyridonas-Perivólia-Ayios Prókopas-Pelekaniá) and discover the pristine natural beauty of Íos through magic scents and colours.
SERIFOS ISLAND
Serifos, with its rugged mining sites, ladened with history, has its own distinct Cycladic flair. The island exudes a calm atmosphere and speaks directly to your senses. Despite its arid and wild land characteristics, Serifos is gracefully embraced by the deep blue colors of the Aegean Sea and has some magnificent beaches. The locals have respected the Cycladic architectural tradition by building white and blue houses making the islands towns and villages all the more wonderful.
Chora town is built amphitheatrically on a rocky hill commanding the island from the top. It is one of the most elegant Cycladic towns that will inspire you, even before the ship docks, on your arrival to Serifos. You’ll get to visit two neighborhoods; Pano (meaning upper) Chora and Kato (meaning lower) Chora connected by a stairway. You’ll find some bars, cafés and tavernas in the town’s narrow streets blending in with the whole scene harmoniously. It is worth taking a 10 minutes walk up to the Venetian castle, built in the 15th century, to drink in the view of the blue sea! An ideal place for taking a stroll or making a stop by the nearby cafés, fish tavernas and pastry shops located next to the seashore is the Serifos main Port, also know as Livadi. This area has a beautiful sandy beach
but is also very close to Avlomonas and Livadakia beaches.
Serifos’ cuisine bursts with aromas and flavors! On your vacation here don’t miss: delicious meat products such as louzes, syglina (traditional cured pork) and sausages, as well as the islands rich aromatic spices. Taste marathopites and marathotiganites (fennel pies baked or fried), revythada (traditionally cooked chickpeas) with a local variety of raisins,sun-dried octopus, local cheeses such as myzithres and xinomyzithres. Make sure to accompany your meal with the islands local wines. If you have a sweet tooth then try pasteli (sesame bar) which is cut in a diamond shape, with an almond in its middle and usually laid down on a lemon leaf as well as their delicious sweet wines.