Syros island. The noble lady of the Cyclades!
The Cyclades islands epitomize the postcard image of Greece: bright blue church domes offset dazzling white buildings and golden beaches meet an aquamarine sea.
Syros is considered one of the most attractive vacation destinations in all of Greece. Scenic and picturesque, home to hundreds of neoclassical and Venetian buildings — until the 19th Century, the island was the most dynamic port in the southeastern Aegean and has carefully maintained its charming originality and traditions through the years.
Hermoupolis, the capital of Syros and of the Cyclades, is situated on a natural harbour and is one of the most well-preserved neoclassical cities in Greece. As you arrive you immediately discern its noble and aristocratic air. The majestic town hall on Miaouli Square with its soaring palm trees, the work of Bavarian architect Ernst Ziller, and the renowned Apollon theatre, built in 1864 in the style of an Italian pallazo, are just two of the most significant and striking places of interest in the city.
Hermoupolis distinguishes itself with its rich cultural life. Among the artistic capitals of Greece, each year it is host to exhibitions, concerts, theater and dance performances, as well as many festivals and athletic competitions.
On the hill high above Hermoupolis, is one of the few Roman Catholic settlements in Greece – Upper Syros, a place recounted in a thousand folk songs, was founded by the Venetians in the 13th Century. The medieval architecture, untouched by the passage of time, is an unforgettable experience for those who make their way there. The narrow streets, the quaint houses, the tiny alleys with a thousand steps, the baroque church of St. George on the summit, the Capuchin cloister, the monastery of the Jesuit order – these make up the charming setting of the “Upper Town” as it is called by local residents. Happily, it is a place where automobiles are forbidden so nothing dispels the visitor’s journey into its splendid history…
The sights, the alluring beaches, the renowned Delli Grazia with its breathtaking Cycladic-style villas and manors, the many shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and inviting taverns, the casino for those who feel lucky…
Depending on the time and the mood, life on Syros can be a different experience each day. Easygoing, intense, romantic, stimulating…
Syros offers everything a visitor could need:
- a developed road network
- a fully equipped hospital
- an airport
There are daily flights from the international airport of Athens to Syros (1/2 hour journey). Ferries run every day to the island from the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Salonica. From Athens, the trip by regular ferry is 4 ½ hours — or 2 ½ hours by high-speed ferry — and just 2 hours from the port of Rafina. Syros also boasts excellent connections with many others islands in the Aegean.
