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Kea Island – Greece

Friday, 11 July 2025

It’s the furthest north of the Cyclades Island group and more a Greek holiday destination than a foreign one. In fact if you want reassurance that overtourism has not taken over the world then Kea is a good place to come. This is not Mykonos, Santorini or even Hydra.

Ferries run regularly from Lavrio on the mainland in about an hour to Korissia, the island’s port. At a standard fare of €14 they’re pleasantly cheap. Many Kea visitors are Athenians with a weekender on the island, but there’s no shortage of accommodation for visitors including, for my group of nine friends, the very flashy One&Only Resort at Vroskopos, south of Korissia. The regular arrivals of helicopters, for guest who can’t be bothered with ferries, indicates what sort of resort this is. Otherwise a fleet of shiny new Land Rover Defenders are lined up ready to convey visitors around the island.

◄ The absurdly pretty hilltop ‘capital’ of Ioulida is the main centre on the island. A useful stroll beyond Ioulida takes you to the Lion of Ioulida, the most notable landmark on the island it dates from the 6th century BC.

▲ The Lighthouse of Agios Nikolaos offers stunning views across the bay to Vourkari and Korissia.

▲ Walking round to the lighthouse from Vourkari you pass the fenced off ruins of Agia Irini.

▲ Much of the island is marked off by stone wall, upright stones separating the stacked horizontal ones.

◄ From Stavroudhaki on the western side of the island a steady downhill walk takes you to the ruins of ancient Karthea. The fact that it takes visitors an hour’s walk to the site (and longer back uphill?) means this is definitely not an overcrowded site.

Ioulida has an excellent small Archaeological Museum with one floor dedicated to finds from Karthea and another to Agia Irini. Other island locations include the ruined watchtower of Agia Marina, it was five stories high until earthquakes damaged it, currently it’s shrouded in scaffolding and undergoing restoration.

▲ The Athena Temple is the main attraction at the Karthea ruins.

▲ Plus the amphitheatre.

▲ Kea Island is particularly noted for its superb sunsets, looking across Makronisos Island to the mainland. Your ferry trip to Kea Island from the mainland dodges around Makronisos and at one time the island was used as an isolated prison.

◄ There are plenty of walking opportunities around Kea, as the signposts indicate.

▲ Towards the north-east corer of the island is the beautiful Panagria Kastriani Monastery.

▲ En route to Kea Island, or on your way back, it’s only a short detour from the Lavrio port to the impressive Poseidon Temple at Sounion.

Kea Island – Greece

11 July 2025 | Places

It’s the furthest north of the Cyclades Island group and more a Greek holiday destination than a foreign one. In fact if you want reassurance that overtourism has not taken over the world then Kea is a good place to come. This is not Mykonos, Santorini or even Hydra. ...

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