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Destinasian Calling Onar

Destinasian Calling Onar

ISLAND SCENE GOOD TO go

ncircling , sacred birth - call for cruise ships sailing to the Mediter - place of , the are ranean. a five-hour ferry ride southeast from archetypal Greek isles where ’ port, Piraeus, gets you to the villages the white stuff Below, from left: A cliff-side sugar-cube villages and ancient of and oia with their whitewashed cubic church in the village of Oia; taking in the views from a villa terrace at Grace Santorini, ruins mingle with sunbaked houses and blue-domed churches perched which overlooks the island’s . , meandering hiking atop red-and-black cliffs that plummet some etrails, and spectacular views of ’s - 300 meters into santorini’s famous caldera, a dark sea—not to mention some of the best flooded crater created by a massive volcanic nightlife in the aegean. from the well-trod - eruption more than 3,500 years ago. you also den shores of santorini and to get pristine black- beaches, the aegean’s quieter escapes like , read on to finest winemakers, gourmet restaurants, chic discover the best of six of the Cyclades. boutique hotels, and sublime orangey-mauve sunsets. Where to Stay: In the cliff-top village —SANTORINI Unabashedly commercial, san - of , overlooking the caldera, Grace torini is one of europe’s most popular hon - Santorini (30-22 /8602 -1300; santorinigrace.com; eymoon destinations as well as major port of doubles from US $47 8) offers just 21 minimalist

AEGEAN IDYL LS an insider’s guide to the cycladic , greece’s quintessential offshore escapes By jane foster s e g a m i

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true blue Above, from left: A bird’s-eye view of athens temples, marble lions, and curious fertility Ahla , on the east coast of ; inside one of the stone guest cottages at nearby Onar. CyCladeS symbols. andros — nature-lovers and people looking white-on-white rooms and suites, some with for a relaxing Greek island experience will a private terrace and plunge pool. Meal Not fall in love with amorogos and its dramatic mykonos to MiSS: traditional dishes with a modern mountains, laid-back atmosphere, and alter - twist, such as shrimp in ouzo and fennel, at native ecotourism. although it had a starring Metaxi Mas (30-22 /8603-1323; santorini-meta role in The Big Blue , Luc Besson’s 1988 movie ximas.g r) in the sleepy inland village of exo about , it has remained blissfully Gonia. Be Sure to: Visit the ancient Minoan amorgos unexploited. the island’s natural beauty settlement of akrotíri, a of buildings makes up for the eight-hour ferry journey from folegandros preserved below lava for a millennia. Known Piraeus. seven well-marked paths between the santorini as the “ of the aegean,” the Bronze villages offer fantastic hiking but be prepared age site reopened in the spring of 2012 after for steep slopes. from the lovely hilltop town being closed for seven years. frescoes and of amorgos (a.k.a. Chora, the designation other finds excavated from akrotíri are on dis - which regularly hosts guest Djs such as shared by all island capitals), it’s a 30-minute play at fira’s Museum of Prehistoric . erick Morillo and roger sanchez, followed by walk to Panagia Hozoviotissa, a dazzlingly after-hours Cavo Paradiso (30-22 /8902-6124; white 11th-century monastery built into a —Mykonos Glamour and hedonism abound cavoparadiso.g r) to watch the sun rise over sheer cliff high above the sea. alternatively, on Mykonos, a four-hour ferry ride or two- the aegean. Where to Stay: at the rocabella there is a stunning path to aegiali that follows hour catamaran ride from rafina, just north Mykonos art hotel (30-22 /8902-8930; rocabella a mountain ridge with views down to the sea of athens. Greece’s answer to is an mykonos.com; doubles from US $10 3) on the west on both sides. aegiali itself has a long sandy island of golden-sand beaches, late-night coast, suites come with outdoor jacuzzis and beach as well as the amorgos diving Center clubbing, and celebrity spotting. In Mykonos the whole complex, including the pool, is lit (30-22 /8507-3611; amorgos-diving.co m), which town, long hot summer nights begin with by flickering candles after dark. Meal Not can help you explore the island’s walls and sundowners overlooking the harbor in Little to MiSS: Dinner at Bakaló (30-22 /8907-8121; reefs. Where to Stay: In amorgos town, the )

Venic e—try Caprice (30-22 /890-23541; caprice bakalo.g r), a retro-chic haunt serving modern rooms at emprostiada traditional Guesthouse 2 (

r

.g r) for exquisite mojitos. after dinner, a party Greek fare such as kolokithokeftede s (30-22 /8507-1814; doubles from US $6 4) are fur - a n o

vibe sets in, with bars playing up-beat dance (zucchini fritters) on a leafy terrace in Myko- nished with local antiques and face a carefully f o

y

music and hosting cabarets and drag shows. nos town. Be Sure to: take a boat to the rocky tended garden. Meal Not to MiSS : the tasty s e t

then it’s down the south coast to Paradise Club islet of Delos, where a World Heritage- listed home cooking and barbecued meats at taverna r u o

(30-69 /4079-4879; paradiseclubmykonos.co m), archaeological site is packed with crumbling Panorama (30-22 /8507-334 9) in the village of c

26 — DESTINASIAN.com — june/july 2013 ISLAND SCENE GOOD TO greece go

tholaria, above aegiali. the restaurant’s hanging out Clockwise from left: Relaxing at Onar; kleftiko (oven-baked lamb) is a specialty at name is misleading as there is no view at all Lucullus on Naxos; overlooking Anemomilos from the terrace, but you do get occasional live Apartments on Folegandros. music when the owner and his friends pick up their lutes and mandolins for a jam session. Be Sure to: Watch The Big Blue , screened daily at 8:30 p.m. at le Grand Bleu Café (30-22 /8507- 1585; legrandbleu-amorgos.g r) in Xilokeratidhi, near Katapola.

—Andros frequented by moneyed atheni- ans, andros is discreetly affluent and largely unspoiled. the main town (another Chora) stands on a tiny car-free peninsular, its wide cobbled streets lined with neoclassical man - sions built by wealthy shipping families. on the east coast you’ll find several fantastic beaches, notably ahla, an arc of fine white sand and pebbles that rings a deep turquoise bay, backed by plane trees and wetlands. It’s one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece and can only be reached via a bumpy 1.6-kilometer drive or by boat ride from Chora. Where to the influence of Byzantine art on modern Stay: at the eco-conscious onar (30-210 /625- and contemporary Greek painters. the per - 1052; onar-andros.gr; doubles from US $21 9), manent collection includes works by auguste you can pick from 10 stone cottages that over - rodin, alberto Giacometti, and andy Warhol. look ahla Beach, each outfitted with open fire - —Folegandros tiny, remote, and rugged, places and minimalistic furniture. Meal Not –Naxos the largest of the Cyclades, naxos is folegandros appeals to old-fashioned roman - to MiSS: freshly grilled fish on the terrace of the island for people who believe vacations are tics and escapists. It has only three villages of the welcoming to Steki tou andrea (30-22/ for exploring and staying active. Its epony - any size and a population of less than 800 peo - 8207-207 0). Be Sure to: Visit the Museum of mous port town, a six-hour ferry ride or four- ple, but it is up-and-coming with young cul - Contemporary art (30-22 /8202-2444; moca- hour catamaran trip from Piraeus, is capped tured athenians and in-the-know foreigners.

andros.g r); this summer’s exhibition looks at by the remains of 13th-century Venetian fort from Piraeus, it takes seven hours by ferry (or s i b with a maze of winding alleys lined with un- half that time by catamaran) to reach fole - r o c

;

pretentious restaurants, bars, and boutiques. gandros, but once you set eyes on the island’s r a n

the center of the island is rocky and moun - beautiful main town, built on the edge of o

f o tainous, while the north is lush and fertile, and 200-meter cliff, you’ll know that’s time well y s e

filled with silvery-green groves. for spent. from here, a donkey path leads through t r u

some of Greece’s best beaches, head to the west sage- and thyme-scented hills to the island’s o c

;

coast; agios Prokopios, and clothing-optional main cove, angali. farther on and served by s t n

Plaka are among the most picturesque strands. water taxi, the smooth white stones of Livadaki e m t

Where to Stay: set amid gardens of roses and Beach give onto an emerald bay. Where to r a p a bougainvillea, hotel Kavos (30-22 /8502-3355; Stay: the cliff-edge anemomilos apartments s o l kavos-naxos.com; doubles from US $12 3) is a (30-22 /8604-1309; anemomilosapartments.com; i m o

sprawling complex of suites, apartments, and doubles from US $12 9), where comfortable self- m e n a

villas overlooking agios Prokopios Beach. catered studios feature stunning views down f o Meal Not to MiSS:

the delicious kleftiko (oven- to the sea and the poolside bar makes a mean y s e

baked lamb) served in the cozy dining room at apricot daiquiri. Meal Not to MiSS: the local t r u

lucullus (30-22 /8502-2569; lucullus.g r), one of pasta, matsata , served with a meaty tomato o c

:

the oldest in naxos town. Be Sure sauce at Piatsa (30-22 /8604-127 4), on Kon - t f e l to: Hire a quad-bike and head to the sleepy tarini square in folegandros town. Be Sure m o

to: r

inland village of for a taste kitro , a take a boat trip around the island. Plenty f

e s lemony liquor made from the leaves of citron of day cruises are on offer in the port of Kar - i w k

trees. Local distillery Vallindra has been pro - avostasis, with stops including Chryssospilia, c o l

ducing it since 1896. a cave lined with ancient inscriptions. c

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