

Your best bet is to choose one of the lived-in, local isles. That means things often go into hibernation during the winter – tavernas stop serving, hotels close. Many of the Cyclades islands survive on tourism. But we think every season has its draws… The Cyclades in winter Scorching in summer, warm in spring and autumn, and chilly with breezes in winter, it shouldn't be too hard to decipher when most of the crowds come. The Cyclades islands follow a very clear seasonal pattern.

Furthest south is Santorini, a rugged island and onetime volcano, washed by the waves a mere 300 miles from the coast of North Africa. The northernmost of the isles is Andros, closely followed by Kea, which sits just a stone's throw from the ports on the eastern side of the capital. They sort of bridge the gap between mainland Greece and Crete, running north to south in a paint-brush splatter (white paint, of course).

The Cyclades islands stretch from the very end of the Attica Peninsula (the home of Athens) into the depths of the Aegean Sea.
