Jun 28, 2024
We have outlined a simple plan to explore the Cyclades: three islands and two weeks to enjoy!
Our first big trip together
Before Departure
There are journeys that we dream about for years, and others that we decide on a whim.
Ours was a bit of both. Mathilde had long dreamed of returning to Greece, not just for its islands, but for its rhythm, its light, its art of living. For me, it was a first, and I believe there was no more beautiful initiation than that.
We laid out a simple plan: three islands and two weeks to discover the beauty of Greece.
The route was already a promise:
Paris → Mykonos → Paros → Milos → Athens → Paris.
A blue line on the map, punctuated by sunsets and roads by the sea.
Mykonos, three days of wind and light
When the plane flew over Mykonos on April 28, the sea sparkled like broken glass.
The wind swept everything in its path, and the sun beat down on the white facades. Off-season, the island breathes differently: the clubs are closed, the alleys are almost empty, and the cats are the only inhabitants strolling leisurely.
Our first hotel, Tagoo Studios Mykonos, stood on a hill overlooking the Aegean Sea.
A turquoise pool, a lovely team, and an almost unreal calm.
That same evening, the sun set before our balcony. We walked twenty minutes in the wind to reach a small tavern by the port. First Greek dinner, first drink, and the feeling of having arrived exactly where we needed to be.
The next day, we rented a quad from the hotel to explore the island.
The roads are free, the panoramas spectacular. We sped to the Armenistis Lighthouse, stopped randomly at coves, and got lost in paths of dry grasses.
The wind whips our faces, the sun beats on our shoulders. It’s raw, joyful, alive.
In the evening, Mykonos empties out. In the Chora, the cobblestones still shine with the salt of the day, the blue shutters gently clap, and silence takes over from the tourists.
This is the Mykonos we love: that of fishermen, cats, and sunsets without music.
Practical Guide - Mykonos
Sleep:
Tagoo Studios Mykonos - 194 € / 3 nights (off season)
Eat:
Brunch: Feel Good Café
Dinner: Molaraki Mediterranean
See / do:
Secluded beaches and coastal caves Getting around: quad or scooter (rental via the hotel, competitive rates) Advice: bring bottled water (not drinkable on site) and sunscreen as the wind deceives the sun.
Our most beautiful discoveries!
Paros, five days of authenticity and sweetness
The ferry leaves Mykonos under an immovable sky.
Forty minutes later, the silhouette of Paros appears, greener, calmer, almost asleep.
Our Airbnb awaits us with a large terrace, a talkative host, and flowers everywhere.
The sea is just a few meters away. This is where we truly felt like we were on vacation.
From the next day, we head to the village of Naoussa, still deserted. The cats guide our steps through the alleys, the cobblestones are polished by the wind, and the silence has something sacred about it.
We stop at a café to eat gyros, a cat comes to claim its share, as always.
Then we take the quad to follow the coast to a lost cove.
The water is clear, icy, and the wind rises. We shelter behind a rock, we laugh, we tan a little, as if time had stopped.
A few days later, we cross the sea to Antiparos, barely fifteen minutes from Port de Pounda.
The island is tiny, almost silent. We ride two on the quad, we discover the Castle of Antiparos and we try to access the cave of Antiparos (closed that day, but the view was enough).
In the evening, we return to Paros, soaked by the rain, to have dinner in a restaurant perched above Parikia.
We were alone, four customers in total, a storm outside and a tavern that smelled of thyme and mulled wine.
That evening, it was Greece that we loved the most: simple, sincere, unexpected.
Practical Guide - Paros
Sleep:
Airbnb near Parikia (terrace, sea view)
Eat:
Brunch (€14): Cosa All Day Café
Dinner: restaurants in Parikia (sea view, local atmosphere)
Drink at sunset: Bebop Bar
See / do:
To get around in the off-season: a quad or car (quiet roads off-season), however in high season, the roads are crowded, so be careful!
Advice: always check ferry schedules and open sites (Antiparos closes early in spring).
Milos, three days of adventure and surprises
The sea was calm when the ferry left Paros, but upon arrival at Milos, night was already falling.
A small planning error: our Airbnb was only booked for the next day.
Result: here we are wandering the dark streets searching for a roof.
An elderly grandmother at the reception, an elderly grandfather guarding the door, and a room with spartan comfort, but a welcome worthy of a scene from a Greek film.
We fell asleep laughing at the situation.
The next day, it was time for our real accommodation: a small apartment facing the sea, secluded, perfect for stargazing.
We rent a car, the roads of Milos are long, rocky, and quads are no longer sufficient, especially since the southwest area of the island is not accessible with most rental vehicles!
We start with the fishing villages:
Mandrakia, then Klima.
Colorful boats, houses carved into the rock, blue everywhere.
In the evening, we climb to Plaka Castle for the sunset. The sky ignites, the sea fades, and we say nothing.
The next day, we set off in a kayak around the island.
The guide takes us into caves, arches, and beaches invisible from the road.
The water is icy, but the light is golden. It’s one of the most beautiful memories of the trip.
Then comes the exploration of the old abandoned mine, a relic from the 50s, swallowed by nature.
An odd silence, almost suspended. We walk for hours, alone in the world.
On the last evening, we dine at Taverne O! Hamos!, one of the best restaurants on the island: local cuisine, family atmosphere, and this feeling of being welcomed as friends.
The next day, we take the night boat to Athens.
It’s cold at the port, we wait in the car lent by a compassionate local.
A few hours later, the plane takes off for Paris.
And we already know we’ll come back.
Practical Info - Milos
Sleep:
Family hotel (unexpected but warm)
Airbnb with sea view, off the beaten path and quiet
Eat:
Groceries: Masoutis Market
See / do:
Kayaking around the island
Abandoned mines (free access, caution)
Getting around: car essential (distances are large and roads steep)
Tip: the island is wilder than its neighbors, good shoes are needed if you explore the mines.
Last Moments
On May 10th, as we boarded the return flight, we thought that this trip might be the true beginning of something. Two weeks of roads, laughter, surprises, shared meals, and happy silences. Two weeks learning that a successful journey is not about having everything planned, but about having lived everything.
