This is what comes in mind when you hear this word, right? White houses with blue doors and windows and beautiful sea!
Cyclades is a group of greek islands in the Aegean sea. They are 33 islands, not all inhabited and famous for their white and blue building constructions. The biggest island is Naxos and and smallest Delos. The list of the islands comes in the end of the post and 25 of them are inhabited.
They got their name cause of their circular position around the island Delos, since Delos in the ancient times was a very important island. “Kyklos” means circle in greek and this is where the name “Cyclades” comes from.
Why is Delos important? According to the greek Mythology the gods Artemis and Apollo (twins) were born on Delos from Leto, that was running away from the wrath of Hera. Hera cursed Leto not to be able to give birth on solid earth and this is when the island of Delos emerged from the sea as a floating island. This area is one of the most important in Greece from archaeological point of view.
Cyclades have a mild climate with not a lot rainy days, lots of sun and winds especially in the summer, which makes it ideal for sailing. Depending on the position, they have different rocks. The ones for example in the north have volcanic rocks.
They are islands that are generally dry and many of them have desalination plants, that convert the saline/sea water into fresh water. In Cyclades there are 27 desalination plants. What lots of people visiting these islands do not know is that they have a serious problem with the water. The worst period of course is the summer because of the heavy tourism. So please do not waste water.
Naxos, Andros, Tinos and Donousa have running water and you can see a lot of green areas in those islands.
One more mental image that goes together with Cyclades is the blossomed Bougainvillea (Apollon, Naxos)!
The list of the island with direct link to wikipedia:
Amorgos, Anafi, Andros, Antiparos, Delos,Thirasia, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Folegandros, Serifos, Sifnos, Sikinos, Syros, Tinos, Thira or Santoríni. All are inhabited.
These are the mikres kyklades or small kyklades or lesser cyclades: Donousa, Irakleia, Koufonisia (these are 2 islands: Ano and Kato Koufonisi), Keros (not inhabited) and Schoinousa.
There are very small islands that are not inhabited: Eschati, Gyaros , Makronisos , Rineia , Polyaigos, Antimilos (or Erimomilos), Despotiko.
There are though lots of islets (small islands) and rocky islets, that are not inhabited and even if they belong in Cyclades normally they are not being counted.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclades
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_Cyclades
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delos
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leto
- https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9B%CE%B7%CF%84%CF%8E
- https://web.archive.org/web/20100726134811/http://hellas.teipir.gr/prefectures/greek/kikladon/Dilos.htm
- https://web.archive.org/web/20120130233443/http://www.tdpeae.gr/index.php?ID=QckvjDbdwWCYMRft
- https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-26-tr-1067-story.html
- https://mikropragmata.lifo.gr/aksechasta/athanati-elliniki-mythologia-pos-timorise-ti-thea-lito-i-ira-gia-tin-apistia-tou-dia/
- https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%95%CF%83%CF%87%CE%AC%CF%84%CE%B7_%CE%98%CE%AE%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%82
- https://el.wikivoyage.org/wiki/%CE%9A%CF%85%CE%BA%CE%BB%CE%AC%CE%B4%CE%B5%CF%82
- https://cycladic.gr/page/geografia
- https://nomosphysis.org.gr/14226/kyklades-kai-nero-pros-mia-viosimi-diaxeirisi-ton-ydatikon-poron-i-oxi/
- https://www.naxospress.gr/arthro/oikonomia/aigaio-ydrofores-telos-kai-pleon-den-ehei-metafora-neroy-sta-nisia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desalination
Yannis and Stella @Apollon, Naxos 