Syros | Cyclades
37.4332° N, 24.9081° E
Cosmopolitan and cultured, with gorgeous landscapes and amazingly clear water, Syros buzzes with activity all year round. The natural setting is beautiful, with valleys and hills rolling down to beaches that range from organised bays complete with tavernas and bars, to small bays that remain quiet even during peak season.
Ermoupoli, the island's stunningly handsome capital, is dominated by its two grand churches, one Orthodox and one Catholic. Around them, marble-paved plazas and grand neoclassical buildings that are quite rare in this part of the Aegean. Also rare is the fusion of Catholic and Orthodox traditions that grants the island a distinctive charm.
Syros is ideal for a relaxing family vacation with a cosmopolitan edge. It offers top-notch bars and restaurants, organised beaches, charming tavernas and many places of historical interest.
Platia Miaouli
Platia Miaouli is the central plaza of Ermoupolis and a meeting point for locals and visitors. Around it, you will find many 19th century architectural gems, including Ziller's town-hall, the Historical Archive, the statue of Andreas Miaoulis and the Cultural centre.Vaporia
Syros has a long industrial and shipping tradition. Vaporia is the area where the aristocrats of the 19th century lived, their beautifully ornamented mansions clinging to the edge of the rocks, overlooking the gleaming horizon of the Aegean.Ano Syros
Enchanting Ano Syros is the catholic, and oldest, area of the capital. Here, the pace slows down, and the buildings don't have the lustre of Ermoupoli. However this area produced one of the country's most important artists of ‘Rebetiko’, a historical Greek music genre, with eastern influences.The orthodox and catholic churches
The island's identity is defined by the combination of two churches that exist here side by side. Pay a visit to the orthodox churches of Agios Nikolaos and Metamorfosi, and the catholic San Tzortzis that sits majestically above Ano Sira, overlooking the Aegean.
The tour of Syros starts with its gorgeous capital, Ermoupoli, with its distinctive architecture that sets it apart from the rest of Cycladic isles. Wander around its cobbled streets to see the stunning Platia Miaouli, Ziller's town hall and the theatre of Apollon, before you head to Vaporia, the elegant shipowners' district.
Pay a visit to the exquisite Industrial Museum to see exhibits and archives from the island's rich history, and then the churches of Anastasi and Agios Nikolaos “of the rich” -a name given to the church to set it apart from Agios Nikolaos “of the poor”, in Ano Syra.
After you finish your tour of the centre, visit the island's other settlements, Piskopio, Kini and Posidonia, and then head to one of the island's beautiful beaches.
Ferries leave from Piraeus to Syros on a daily basis. The ride lasts 3 hrs. There are also ferries leaving from Rafina and Lavrio. Alternatively, you can fly to Syros from Athens International Airport. The flight takes 40 min.
As the capital of the Cyclades, Syros could not but boast a wide variety of holiday villas to rent suited to satisfy all tastes. Mansion-like houses turn out to be luxury villas with a swimming pool scattered within Syros aristocratic settings. From the island’s Chora to isolated spots, all luxury villas in Syros are the absolute starting point to take into an utterly blissful holiday experience.
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