The
Cyclades are a group of islands of varying sizes scattered
over the deep blue waters of the Aegean. Some of them
are well-known both to the public at large and the international
jet-set, while others remain little known and scarcely
figure on the tourist scene. Taken as a whole, they make
an ideal holiday destination for visitors of the most
varied tastes.
A fusion of stone, sunlight and sparkling sea, the Cyclades
lie to the east of the Peloponnese and south-east of the
coast of Attica; they stretch as far as Samos and Ikaria
to the east, and are bounded to the south by the Cretan
Sea. According to the most likely tradition, they owe
their name to the notional circle which they appear to
form around the sacred isle of Delos.
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The
Cyclades have exersised a powerful charm since ancient
times, even though access to them was not particularly
easy. This was the birth of one of Mediterranean's
most important civilisations, one |
which
took its name from the islands: The Cycladic Civilisation
(3000 - 1000 BC)
Geologists attribute the peculiar form which the Cyclades
take today to a succesion of geological upheavals - earthquakes,
volcanic erruptions, movements of the earth's crust which
resulted in the submergence of large chunks of land. Many
believe that one such stretch of land was the lost continent
of Atlantis.
The diverse outlines of the islands as they protrude from
the blue waters of the Aegean, bathed in the dazzling
sunlight and embellished with little white houses, resemble,
in the words of the Nobel Prize-winning poet Odysseas
Elytis "...stone horses with rampant manes...".
Above all, the people who live here, with their own individual
approach to the world, bring to life the narrow alleyways
of the villages and the pathways of the countryside, the
countless tiny chapels, the windmills, the dovecotes or
the wind-beaten hillsides, and are themselves a basic
feature of the charm which these possess. Yet, in spite
of the charcteristics which the islands have in common,
sparkling sea, sun, the landscape, and the austere line
of the architecture - each retains its own individual
features, which visitors can discover as they explore
them one by one.
The Cycladic Islands enjoy a Mediterranean climate, with
an average temperature for the year of 18 - 19C. The winters
are mild and the summers - by Greek standards - cool,
thanks to the beneficial effects of the seasonal winds
known as the 'meltemia'.
These small and beautiful islands, few of which have any
amenities, are an ideal destination for those in search
of solitude and peace. The rugged beauty of the barren
landscape, the sea- lashed rocks, the little coves along
the coastline, a chance to get away from the crowds and
the culture of technology - these are the charms which
attract visitors to these virtually virgin islands. Archaeological
excavations have shown that the islands were inhabited
in prehistoric times.
In
Iraklia, where there is a cave (Ai-Yanis) with superb
stalactites, traces of the Cycladic civilisation have
been found. At the pretty harbour of Messaria on Shinouss
there are ruins of medieval fortifications.
Koufonisia has a fine sandy beaeh at Finikia (Pano Koufonissi)
where the water is crystal-clear, and (on Kato Koufonissi)
further beaches with coarse sand. The remains of buildings
from the Hellenistic and Roman periods have come to light.
Keros has yielded the remains of settlements from the
Early Cycladic period, together with archaeological finds
of the same date which are considered among the finest
anywhere in the Cyclades.
Donoussa, too, with its incomparable beaches, has traces
of prehistoric habitation. A few rooms are available for
rent in Iraklia, Pano Koufonissi and Shinoussa.
Regions
Of Greece:
Attica
and Saronica Islands
Cyclades
Dodecanissa
Crete
Peloponissa
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