Sikinos

Sikinos is the smallest inhabited island of the Cyclades, and its quiet is its beauty. The ferry comes to Alopronia, the only port, and a road climbs the hill to the chora, a village of white houses and flat roofs that sits above the sea like a small, perfect jewel. The island has two monasteries and one village, a few hundred people, and more silence than anywhere else in Greece. The monastery of Episkopi, a beautiful white complex built on the ruins of an ancient temple and a Byzantine church, has a courtyard looking out over the island and the sea. The little beaches of the coast are reached down paths through the terraced fields, and at a taverna in the chora everything served is cooked on the spot. Sikinos is the kind of island that makes the world outside it seem to disappear — a place of stone terraces, blue domes, and the deep, healing quiet of the Aegean.

Sikinos has been inhabited since antiquity, and in ancient times it was known as Oinoe, the island of wine. The island was famous in antiquity for its wine, which was exported across the Aegean. The site of the ancient city stood near the sea, and the island's monasteries — the Episkopi, built over an ancient temple, and the Panagia Chorafia — preserve Byzantine elements of great beauty. In the Middle Ages Sikinos was part of the Duchy of the Aegean, and later it passed under Ottoman rule, remaining a tiny, self-sufficient island of farmers and wine-growers. In the 20th century its population fell sharply, and today only a few hundred people live here. From the 1970s, a handful of travellers discovered the island's peace, and it has become a destination for those who want the true, quiet Cyclades — an island of stone terraces, vineyards, and the deep blue of the sea.

Sikinos has no long beaches, but its coves are perfect for a quiet swim. The main beach is at Alopronia, the port, a small bay with clear water and a few tavernas. The coves of the east coast — including the lovely beach near the monastery — are reached by paths and are almost always empty. And the tiny beaches of the south coast are wild and beautiful. The water is deep, clear, and calm, and the swimming is among the most peaceful in the Cyclades. Bring a mask, water, and a book, and you will have the island's coves to yourself.

Sikinos food is the honest cooking of a small island. The island still makes wine from its terraced vineyards, and its honey, its cheese, and its olive oil are excellent. The tavernas of the chora and the port serve the classic Greek table — grilled fish, goat, and the island's own vegetables — with a warmth and simplicity that is the true taste of the Cyclades. The local dishes include the island's wine, its cheese, and the pastries made for the festivals. For a real Sikinos meal, order whatever the owner recommends — the food of Sikinos is made by hand, for friends.

May, June, and September are the best months on Sikinos: warm, quiet, and beautiful, with the sea perfect and the island nearly empty. July and August are busier, but Sikinos is the quietest of the inhabited Cyclades and never feels crowded. Spring is lovely, with wildflowers, and autumn lingers warm into October. Whenever you come, stay at least a couple of nights — Sikinos is a place to be still, and its quiet is its gift.

Sikinos is reached by ferry from Piraeus and from Naxos, Ios and the other Cyclades; there is no airport. The island is tiny, so many visitors walk from the port or hire a scooter there.

Do not miss the monastery of Episkopi and its extraordinary views. Swim at the coves, walk the paths, and spend your evenings in the chora, which is one of the most peaceful in Greece. Bring cash and a good book. And let Sikinos do what it does best: slow you down, quiet your mind, and fill you with the deep blue of the Aegean.