Cyclades, the islands that circle around Delos.

What are the Cyclades?

A Greek archipelago in the centre of the Aegean Sea, southeast of Athens. The name comes from kyklos, circle: the ancients saw the islands arranged in a ring around Delos, the sacred island where, according to myth, Apollo was born. There are some two hundred and twenty islands and islets, of which a good twenty are inhabited. Administratively they form part of the South Aegean region, with its capital at Ermoupoli, on the island of Syros.

The landscape repeats with variations: dry rock, little shade, villages of whitewashed houses crowded high up or beside the harbour, blue-domed chapels and beaches in coves facing the side sheltered from the wind. What changes from one island to another is the size, the people and the rhythm. Santorini is a sunken volcano with villages on the edge of the caldera; Naxos, the largest, has cultivated plains and mountains; Milos is white and red volcanic rock with sea caves; Mykonos and Paros concentrate the nightlife; Folegandros, Amorgos or the Small Cyclades are quieter and harder to reach.

How do you get there and move from one island to another?

The gateway is almost always Athens. From Spain there are direct flights to Athens all year and, in season, also to Santorini and Mykonos, which have international airports. Naxos, Paros, Milos and Syros have airstrips with short flights from Athens, of half an hour to three quarters of an hour.

The rest of the journey is by ferry. Boats leave Athens from three ports: Piraeus, the main one, linked to the centre by metro; Rafina, closer to the airport and better for Mykonos, Tinos and Andros; and Lavrio, for the northern islands such as Kea. Durations depend on the type of boat: to Mykonos, about two hours forty minutes by fast ferry and four and a half hours by conventional; to Naxos, three to six hours; to Milos, three to four and a half hours; to Santorini, five to eight. Between neighbouring islands the journeys are shorter, and in summer there are almost daily connections between the islands of the central axis (Paros, Naxos, Ios, Santorini). Islands of different groups, for example Milos and Naxos, may not be directly linked and may require going via another island or Piraeus.

Within each island there are KTEL public buses linking the capital with the villages and main beaches; on Naxos and Santorini they cover almost everything, on Milos little. For distant beaches and inland villages you hire a car, motorbike or quad, and in July and August it is best to book before you arrive.

Which islands to see depending on the trip?

For a first trip, the Naxos–Paros–Santorini axis is the simplest: frequent boats, a good bus network and three very different islands. Santorini gives the image of the caldera, the prehistoric city of Akrotiri under the ash and the black beaches of the east coast; Naxos, long sandy beaches in the west, marble villages such as Apiranthos and Halki, and Mount Zas, the highest in the archipelago; Paros, harbour villages such as Naousa and the little island of Antiparos next door.

The western Cyclades (Milos, Sifnos, Serifos, Kythnos) combine well with each other. Milos is the island of the Sarakiniko and Kleftiko formations, reached only by boat; Sifnos is known for its cooking and signposted paths. To the north, Tinos has a pilgrimage shrine and stonemasons' villages, and Syros, the capital, a neoclassical city that lives all year and not only from tourism.

Delos deserves a separate mention. The whole island is an archaeological site, a World Heritage Site since 1990, with the sanctuary of Apollo, the Terrace of the Lions and districts of houses with mosaics. You cannot sleep on it: it is visited on a day trip with the boats that leave from Mykonos, about half an hour away, and there is no shade, so it is best to go first thing.

When to go and what changes in each season?

June and September are the best months: the sea is already warm, boats run daily and prices have not reached their peak. May and October work well for walking and sightseeing, with cooler water and some services still closed or already closing.

In July and August the meltemi blows, a dry and sometimes strong north wind that lasts for days. It cools the heat, but stirs up the sea: small boats and fast catamarans can be cancelled, and the beaches on the north of each island become uncomfortable. It is also the season of most people and highest prices, with daily cruise ships at Santorini and Mykonos.

From November to March many islands almost close: hotels and beach restaurants stop, ferries reduce frequencies and the small islands are left with connections a few days a week. Syros, Naxos and Santorini keep more life, but it is not beach season.

How many days do you need?

Allow three or four nights per island. With a week, two well-chosen islands, for example Naxos and Santorini or Milos and Sifnos. With ten days or two weeks, three or four fit, as long as the itinerary follows a ferry line and does not force you to go back to Piraeus each time. If you arrive by flight to Athens, leave a day's margin before the return flight: a ferry cancelled by wind is common in summer. The most practical thing is to fly to an island with an international airport and leave from Athens, or the other way round, so as not to repeat a journey.

What is worth knowing before you go?

Ferry tickets are bought on each shipping company's website or through a comparison site; in July and August, in advance if you have a car. Check which port your boat leaves from in Athens: Piraeus and Rafina are on opposite sides of the city. There is little natural shade: a hat, water and sun cream are essential for archaeological visits and paths. Tap water on many islands comes from desalination plants and people usually drink bottled water. Accommodation prices change a lot between the Santorini caldera or Mykonos harbour and the rest; sleeping outside the best-known villages cuts the bill considerably.