Exploring the south-west of the cyclades: sweet nectar from the pearls of the aegean
As well as boasting heavenly beaches, the Cyclades Islands are also a great place for hiking with wonderful landscapes.
Here Kimberlay shares details of her itinerary including exploring cultural sites, hiking and relaxing on the beach etc.
Do you fancy sailing away and visiting some islands still untouched by mass tourism? The Cyclades are the place for you!
These unique Greek islands each have their own personality, distinct lifestyle and beautiful hiking paths.
Duration
10 days
Distance
500 kilometres
Method of transport
Boat and hiking with a backpack
Medium-sized budget
€60 per day
Best time to travel
From April to June
Themes of the route
Off-beat and the great outdoors
Kimberlay's route
(trip made in April 2017)
1. Sifnos
2. Serifos
3. Aegina
4. Athens
Serifos
It's a pretty, little island, 3 hours from Athens, easily accessible by boat and, above all, unspoilt by mass tourism.
I had the chance to visit the village of Chora, one of oldest villages in Greece. If you go hiking, remember to wear high-cut walking boots as it's quite steep in parts.
Sifnos
An island which is already quite popular and where I had the chance to photograph its famous white monasteries with their blue roofs. It's an island of marked contrasts with lush, green mountains and arid plains so I was able to take some great photos.
Aegina
It's an islandrenowned for its pistachios, which are delicious!It's 1 hour from Athens by boat so you can gently acclimatize before tackling the Greek capital.
Athens
A wonderful last stop with a visit to the Acropolis. I'm pleased that I took the time to visit this city of two faces. As I didn't have much time, I stayed around the Acropolis district which was very lively, particularly in the evening.
As a bonus...
Cyclades highlights
- The Kamarès - Faros hike, across the entire island of Sifnos
- The Livadi - Chora hike, across the island of Serifos
- Passing through Athens to visit the Acropolis district
My trip essential
Trek 100 boots: comfortable with good ankle support for hikes.
The culinary stop
Greek cuisine is a culinary delight. I strongly recommend that you try a Gyro: a typical breakfast dish!
More travel experiences:
To find out more, check out our backpacking vision !
By kimberlay, head of decathlon gennevilliers and explorer of the great outdoors
Her favourite quotation:
"Great journeys are so wonderful that the magic begins even before departure. We open the atlas and dream over the maps."
