Syros
Syros is an authentic merging of traditional and modern Greece. It is one of the smallest islands of the Cyclades (its outline bears a quirky resemblance to the British mainland), yet it has the highest population and is the legal and administrative centre of the entire archipelago. It is also the ferry hub of the northern islands and home to Ermoupoli, the largest and handsomest of all Cycladic towns.
Our Recommended Syros Properties
Syros is not just another beautiful island, but an island with a vibrant culture and a strong passion for arts. Therefore, visitors should not neglect visiting museums and galleries, but should also relish walking around picturesque streets of traditional villages, and exploring gorgeous beaches and impressive caves.
Although the island’s capital Ermoupoli is rather a town than a village with a population of 12,000 people, it deserves to be presented as a place to visit. This wonderful insular city devoted to Ermis, the ancient god of commerce, has it all: a magnificent Town Hall situated on a great square, Miaouli Square, similar to the squares of the modern European cities; a Municipal Library with about 35,000 books; an old aristocrats’ district, Vaporia, with neoclassical houses of unique architecture; the amazing Apollo Theater, a theater with a great history which was designed by Pietro Sampo in 1864 and has been totally renovated; numerous museums and galleries; shops and a vibrant nightlife; splendid beaches next to the city center; various accommodation choices; the first high school ever established in modern Greece, which was established in 1833 and among its students were former prime ministers, famous artists and important personalities in the Greek history; a historic shipyard, Neorio, with a separate part for the construction and repair of wooden ships; and last but not least, a hospital, a port and an airport. What more can visitors ask for?
At about 3.5 km. from Ermoupoli, there is the medieval village of Ano Syros. Visitors may enter the village from one of its three entrances and should be aware that access by car is not possible at the largest part of Ano Syros. Ano Syros is famous for its narrow streets and picturesque white houses interconnected with stairs, its traditional taverns with live music and flavoursome food. Visitors in this renowned village should be prepared to walk and enjoy the feeling of being in village that looks like an open air museum!
Episkopio Village
Yet another wonderful village of Syros, which was very prosperous in the 19th century but now is almost deserted, is Episkopio at about 4.5 km. from Ermoupoli. This was the island’s most important and most aristocratic resort with large villas built amphitheatrically and palm trees and statues of their owners adorning their wonderful gardens.
Visitors should walk up the stairs that lead to “Profitis Elias” and admire the breathtaking view of the port and the area around it.
Chroussa and similar villages
Chroussa, Parakopi and Dellagracia also have neoclassical houses that were mainly built in the 19th century and were used as summer homes. Chroussa is a traditional village in a rural area, which has two churches, an old holidaymakers’ club and a path that leads to Agia Thekla, which is considered among the oldest prehistoric settlements of Syros.
Pagos village & more
Pagos is another rural village that is famous for its slaughterhouses and the fact that it maintains the tradition of organizing celebrations before Christmas, which is the time period when fresh pork meat is being processed in different ways (e.g. it is turned into ham) in order to last all year long. Around Pagos there must have been settlements of the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Finally, the most famous beaches of Syros like Galissas, Kini, Azolimnos, Vari, Megas Gialos and Foinikas are surrounded by settlements that offer accommodation and many services to visitors.
Syros is a beautiful island with unique architecture and many narrow streets with picturesque neighborhoods and traditional, island houses. Visitors should expect that they will walk a lot and therefore they should bring flat/athletic shoes with them. Syros is increasingly attracting divers due to the large number of caves, shipwrecks, reefs, different fish species and even seals that can be found around its sea. There are two scuba diving schools in Syros, where equipment can also be rented, the Salt Water Diving and Syros’ Diving centre, both in Ermoupoli.
Visit Syros and discover one of the most endearing islands in the Aegean, with several attractive beaches, great eating options and the best of everyday Greek life.