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Sat in a secluded spot right on the edge of the famous caldera along the ancient pathways connecting Oia with Imerovigli. Individually created traditional houses hug the rock formations – these exceptionally sleek designer dens are more than villas, their tonal whitewashed minimalism gradually revealing handcrafted touches and a cool boutique aesthetic.
The slow-paced Cyclades Island of Koufonisia (neighbour to Naxos) comes drenched in Aegean blue vistas – a sun-kissed retreat of four cubic Cyclades-style merchant houses that lazily gaze onto the mystical island of Keros - which is an archaeological site.
Under The Sun Cycladic Village in Tinos (neighbour island of Mykonos and Syros) is a raw and natural addition to this dramatic xeric cliff-scape where Aegean blues blend sky with sea and a rugged architecture creates the perfect setting for a soulful escape of design simplicity.
Behind the hotel's soft rose-coloured, shuttered facade, Aristide bares those aristo signifiers of prosperity: heavy wooden entrance doors, high vaulted ceilings, ornate frescoes, marble balconies, gleaming wooden floors and tall mature trees that shade the courtyard garden.
Bathed in mellow smoothness, this new boutique little number of barefoot aesthetics comes with an eco-heart and a sweet design narrative of Aegean coastal living on the raw island beauty of Sérifos. Billed as the island's first 'green' hotel, Nōstos is a casual-style refuge, a marriage of sustainability, nature, design and creativity that is neatly wrapped by the doorstep bustle of the main arrival port.
The topography of each island offers a diverse canvas; from the volcanic isle of Santorini with its red beaches to the large boulders that look like giant eggs on Tinos, the landscapes wrapping the bays are stunningly beautiful. Whilst the Chora beaches offer a fast dip, we traverse the Cycladic coastlines to highlight our favourites - from organised posh to wild untouched and of course, we include those off-grid naturist pitstops.
A wonderful six-suite design guesthouse-hotel in the creative heartlands of Athens in the Kolonaki Quarter - home to the creative set, bookstores, publishing, galleries, museums and cafes.
Our favourite route is to hop through Athens and either ferry on down to the islands or hop onto a smaller jet and fly direct to Santorini or Naxos, alternatively you can fly into Mykonos and take the fastcat 20 minutes to unspoilt Tinos and about 9o minutes to Koufonisia. Travel between the Cyclades has recently been made, at last, much easier to plan with many ferry services now fully online – yeah.
Check out HELLENIC SEAWAYS for the fastcats services and GREEK FERRIES for the softer pace.
Cool design, contemporary styling and a hug to local island culture make our pick of five easy-to-get-to Cycladic island escapes of Santorini, Tinos, Syros, Sérifos and Koufonisia, all the more irresistible.
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The Greek island of Tinos is fast becoming the Cyclades' hidden art destination - from heritage crafts to hotel bastions of style and design.
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Éros Kéros Villas, on the slow-pace Cyclades island of Koufonisia, come drenched in Aegean blue vistas – a sun-kissed boutique retreat of four cubic Cyclades-style merchant houses that lazily gaze onto the island of Keros.
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Escape to Tinos – the Greek island of over 60 Cycladic villages, art, culture, great natural food, pristine beaches and enough churches (1500+) to feel totally blessed – and slip into a new way of living, the Tinos way.
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Giorgos and Alexandra Alexiou are simply two of the nicest people you can meet, a creative couple that fuse you with their beautiful Greekness. Meet the creative owners behind the fabulous Aenaon Villas on the Cycladic island of Santorini - they found a perch right on the edge of the Caldera.
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Seamlessly slotting into Tinos’ wild and remote surroundings, design hotel Under The Sun is a raw and natural addition to this dramatic cliff-scape where Aegean blues blend sky with sea and a rugged architecture creates the perfect setting for a soulful escape.
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Dramatic settings, coastline and the famous caldera views, Santorini has equally hot beach settings including a red sand beach to complete the Aegean beauty.
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Sun and Aegean worshippers love a bit of Sérifos down time with more than 50 beaches to pick from whether you like your raised sun lounger or love a bit of nudism au natural.
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Discover the best beaches on the Small Cyclades islands of Koufonisia - Pano and Kato – separated by a narrow 200-metre channel, and both offering Cycladic beaches of beauty.
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Art + Tinos go hand in hand, so an afternoon in a museum dedicated to Greek artist Costas Tsoclis is a must-do for experiencing the true poetry of the Aegean.
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Villa Charissa is a new addition to the hip, designer-cool Aenaon Villas Santorini. Built in the same traditional island’s cave house style, locally called “yposkafa”, Villa Charissa is a luxury suite that cascades into tiers all cocooned in a rigorous aesthetic of pure white.
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From vast Doric columns to tiny, intricately carved religious artefacts, beautifully smooth busts and imposing door lintels, the Museum of Marble Craft in Tinos reveals the surprising malleability of this revered material.
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