Tinos – Guide to the slow Greek Cyclades Island of culture

Villa life is the accepted way of living here on the island, attracting a wealth of writers, poets and thinkers who reside here throughout the year. So what better way to get into your very own Tinos way of living than a stay here at our place, Under The Sun.

This relatively recent addition to the island has been designed, practically built and decorated by a local man, who after a brief spell on the international stage, returned home to his beloved Tinos and set about creating private-pooled villas that have hotel services, are eco in concept, are very much local in style with added urban touches for the modern nomad. These are perfect for families, groups of friends or an indulgent “I want my own villa” vacation – ideal for the independently-minded traveler. Earthy and rustic stone villas convey an air of comfortable luxury with just a hint of glamour.

The fragrant herbal aroma from the gardens permeates the breeze while the sugar cube villas bring the outside in with all white interiors. Wake up to breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea then enjoy breakfast in your own private garden. There is certainly no shortage of things to do and see on Tinos – from our base at Under The Sun, is is easy to set off and explore and so go village, church & beach hopping.

Tinos boasts over 60 villages to discover and more than 1500 orthodox and Catholic churches – highlights are the fabulous The Church of Virgin Mary or Evangelistria Church in the hora (main town) – check out the dazzling jewels donated by the local women during prayers and hours of need, the Monastery of the Lady of the Angels at Kechrovouni, and the Abbey of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

Village exploration is high on most visitors agenda, including ours – Volax is a must – just for the  bizarre setting in Tinos, famous for giant stones and basketry, Kardiani is known for its fountains and arches – a place to get pleasantly lost in, Isternia is like a balcony to the Aegean Sea and Pyrgosone of the oldest ones and an artsy cultural hub of the island.

For example, Tinos is the birthplace of many Greek marble sculpture artists; and its Museum of Marble Crafts in the village of Pygros is a fantastic place to visit. As is Thierry Veyron’s age-old oil extraction workshop, where you can distil Tinos’ Greek wild flowers and plants into your very own essential oils - a lovely take-me-home gift.

If you don’t wish to exert yourself too much then make the most of the stunning landscape by relaxing and taking in the spectacular views. With more than 120 km of shoreline around the island there is plenty to discover, with the famous Agios Sostis beach just 3km from the estate. Otherwise we dipped our toes into the beaches of Isternia, Lichnaftia, Agios Romanos, Kolumbithra and the very private Pachia Ammos.

Our favourite route is to hop through Athens and either ferry on down to the island, alternatively you can fly into Mykonos and take the fastcat 20 minutes to unspoilt Tinos. 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.