Seeking Wanderland

Kea is a well-known, picturesque Cycladic island with numerous traditional customs and a fascinating history. Its verdant fields, steep hills, vineyards, olive groves, ravines, coves, and quiet beaches will captivate any visitor. Kea , also called Tzia, provides exhilarating treks, historic sites and a diverse selection of sandy beaches. The island is cosmopolitan and welcoming, featuring tranquil beaches, aged windmills, old churches, Hellenistic towers, watermills, and hiking paths, which traverse through four ancient cities (Ioulis, Korissia, Poiessa, and Karthaia). According to mythology, Kea was the original home of the nymphs.

Visit the Cyclades’ largest oak woodland and keep a look out for the diverse bird life, explore the mining region at Orkou and its several caverns; follow the 81 km of trekking pathways to explore the island’s four historic cities and dive in the sea to discover the HMHS Britannic (the sister ship of the RMS Titanic), the ocean liner SS Burdigala, the paddle steamer PS Patris, and the German aircraft Junkers-52.

Chora, located in the island’s center, is constructed on the site of the ancient town Ioulida, which served as the capital of Kea from the late Roman to the early Byzantine period. It is a wonderful tiny village with classic clay tile-roofed buildings, stone-paved streets, little terraces, galleries, and a lot of steps. The Town Hall, the Historic Municipal buildings, the prehistoric Museum of Kea, which displays artifacts from prehistoric sites across the island, are located in the capital of the island.

There are several monasteries and churched on the island to be explored. The monasteries of Episkopi, Agia Anna, Agia Marina and Agios Nikolaos, are only some of them. The port, called Korissia or Livadi is a scenic settlement on the island’s west side with many stores, bars, cafés, restaurants, and beautiful sandy beaches. The peninsula of Agia Eirini is popular for its charming rural church and one of the earliest prehistoric human settlements in the Cyclades Islands, several sculptures from the 15th century BC were discovered in the Agia Eirini settlement.

Kea is a great destination for sailing enthusiasts, due to its proximity to the Athenian mainland, families and couples. There is a variety of things to do in this island and an extensive list of landmarks and beaches for one to visit. It is a cosmopolitan but serine island, combining surprisingly well those very distinctive elements. Kea is a favorite destination both for international travellers and the Greeks