Amorgos:

Few beaches but great swimming off the rocks in the main port of Katapola. Many tavernas and nightlife. Most boats arrive at inconvenient times, (like three in the morning), which gives a traveler a strange first impression. The Northern port of Agiali has nice beaches and is more of a resort area and is also reached by ferry. The capital town or Chora is up in the mountains. The island grows on you. Fantastic Monastery of Chozoviotissa built into the wall of a cliff on the other side of the island from the port of is definitely worth the trip. The small beach below is excellent for snorkeling through a maze of boulders that have fallen from the cliffs. Popular with the French and aging hippies this is a great island for walking. Easy connections to Paros and Naxos, the trip from Pireaus is about 8 hours. The small boat Skopelitos visits the Small Cyclades islands of Schinousa, Donousa, Koufonisi and Heraklio

Andros:

Boats leave from Rafina and take about 3 hours. The ferryboat goes to town of Gavrio. The Hermes Flying Dolphin goes to Batsi which is touristy but fun. Lots of activities and some great restaurants, particularly in the small traditional villages in the hills above. The best place is the main town of Andros on the other side of the island. No autos allowed in the village which juts out on a peninsula between two long beaches. There is a shipping museum and an excellent art museum there. Because of the wealth of the village tourism is not encouraged. Good reason to go there. Renting a car is recommended. This is a beautiful, green island that even has a small river or two. Ferry and Catamaran connections to Tinos, Syros and Mykonos daily.

Folegandros:

Fantastic, they say, especially artists and poets who go to marvel over it's dramatic beauty. It is small and can fill up in the tourist season. The Chora is perched high in the mountains and is alive with tavernas and bars. The ferry stops at the port of Karavostasis where there are restaurants, hotels, beaches and buses to Chora and island beaches. The Cycladic School is located here offering classes in cooking, folk dancing and yoga. Folegandros is about 9 hours from Pireaus with several boats a week. The island connects with Sifnos, Milos, Santorini, Sikinos and Ios a couple times a week.

Ios:

Arrive by day to a quaint white cycladic village. By nightfall every house is a disco, bar, fast-food or boutique. Not recommended for anyone over 25, at least for not more then a day or so. It's like an international Daytona beach at Spring break. If you are of college age this place is it! You will meet boys and girls, you will get drunk and you will most likely sleep with them. If you are older, married, and looking for a nice peaceful island forget about Ios. If you are old and feel like you are young at heart this would be a good place to test it. Great beaches by the way and more nightlife then you can possibly use in one lifetime. Frequent ferry boats in the summer to and from Pireaus make the 8 hour trip with connections to Paros, Naxos and Syros. There are daily boats to Santorini and a couple a week to Sifnos and one boat a week to Crete.

Kea (or Tzia):

Quiet and traditional. Like going to the most remote island in the Aegean, but it's so close to Athens. How can this be? Try going there and you will understand. You can take a flying dolphin from Pireaus but it leaves at 7:30 in the morning. It's smooth sailing until you hit the Cavo d'Oro, the most treacherous stretch of water in the Mediterranean, and then you start praying. Hydrofoils are made for lakes and rivers, not rough seas. Alternative? Take the ferry. But it leaves from Lavrio, an hour plus bus ride to a city with 75% unemployment and is best known for being used as a stand-in for war-torn Sarajevo in the film Ulysses Gaze, when it was too dangerous to film there. If you get this far, stay in Voukari or Livadia. The village of Ioulis is a fantastic labyrinth of white cycladic houses perched on the side of a mountain. Great beaches, especially those that you can only walk to. Few connections to the rest of the Cyclades.

Kythnos:

Very few tourists. Hot springs at the resort of Loutra and great beaches around the island, which is excellent for walking. Only 3 hours from Athens. On the way to Sifnos so you can stop here and if you don't like it take the next boat out. First island in the Western Cyclades ferry route which also includes Serifos, and Milos.

Milos:

Another Volcanic island with spectacular rock formations and hot springs. Bikes or car useful if not essential. Slightly industrialized with mineral mines but don't let that scare you away. This is a beautiful island with fantastic beaches like Chivadolimni, Lagkada and Apollonia where you can take a boat to the island of Kimilos. The main village of Plaka is made up of the cubic white houses which the Cyclades are known for. The island is rich with archeological sites including Christian catacombs, a roman amphitheater, Venetian castles and museums. Those of you who took art history should recall that the famous Venus de Milo was found here. For the story of my adventure in Milos click on the above link. Daily boats to and from Pireaus connect the island to Sifnos, Serifos and Kythnos. It's about a 7 hour trip to Pireaus. There are also 3 boats a week to Ag. Nikolaos in Crete and one or two a week to Folegandros, Sikinos, Ios and Santorini. The very small island of Kimolos, accessible by daily ferry from Milos town of Polonia and by ferry 3 times a week from Pireaus is quiet, has excellent beaches, thermal springs and no gas stations.

Mykonos:

Expensive, decadent, and fun for gays, straight people and families too. Intense nightlife with clubs that never stop, and if you can't handle it there are frequent boats to escape to other less wild islands. For a little culture there are trips to the uninhabited ancient island of Delos and the extensive ruins there. Plenty of excellent if not crowded beaches but people don't come to Mykonos to escape but to party and people-watch. Bring money and credit cards. See my review by clicking on the above link. Ferry trip is about 5 hours from Pireaus and three from Rafina Catamarans and Dolphins do it in half the time. Easy connections to Syros, Tinos with several ferries a day. Also daily connections to Paros, Naxos, Ios, Santorini, Andros and other islands during the summer. Also less frequent connections to Sifnos, Samos, Ikaria, the Dodecanese, Crete and Thessaloniki. There is also an international airport.

Naxos:

Another overlooked gem in the Aegean, Naxos is big, green and may have the best beaches in Greece. It's close to the popular islands of Mykonos, Ios, Paros and Santorini with frequent ferry connections. Lively harbor town with restaurants, cafes, clubs and shops. Rent a car and see the whole island. Beautiful valleys that are like paradise if you enjoy walking, particularly the area known as Tragaia. The best beach they say is at Plaka with other nice ones at Agios Yorgos, Agia Anna, Mikri Vigla, and Kastraki, any of which would be the prized beach on any other island. The fishing village of Apollon is a popular location for day trips, with good seafood restaurants and a giant unfinished statue of the God Apollo laying in the ancient marble quarries since 600bc. The ferry trip is about 8 hours from Athens and stops in Paros. There are daily connections to Mykonos, Ios and Santorini. There are also less frequent connections to Crete, the Dodecanese, Ikaria, Samos, Amorgos, the small Cyclades islands, Skiathos, Crete and Thessaloniki.

Paros:

Grand Central Station of Aegean. Most boats stop here and you can make connections to the Dodecanese and even Samos. Town is full of foreigners and bars and also internet cafes. Head for the smaller villages or Antiparos if it is quiet you seek. If you like to party then Parakia and Naoussa will suit you just fine. The tiny idyllic fishing village of Naoussa is so crowded in the summer that you have to stand in line to walk past the cafes that surround the port but it's a great scene and worth going for Mykonos-like action without Mykonos prices. The beaches of Paros though popular are also quite nice and Paros is known as the windsurfing capital of Greece. Plenty of camping too. The ferry trip is about 6 hours from Athens and stops Syros sometimes. There are daily connections to Mykonos, Ios and Santorini and Sifnos in the summer. There are also less frequent connections to Crete, the Dodecanese, Ikaria, Samos, Amorgos, the small Cyclades islands, Skiathos, Crete and Thessaloniki. There are also Hydrofoils, Catamarans, sea-jets and other strange and speedy craft that stop at just about every island around. The travel agencies in the port list the daily boats and this is about the only accurate way to keep track of them all.

Antiparos:

The island has nice beaches and cafes and is more relaxed then Paros. There is also the gigantic Cave of Antiparos which is the most popular site on the island. There are ferries connecting the two islands leaving every half hour or so from the town of Pounta, plus excursion boats that leave every morning from Parikia.

Santorini:

Visually spectacular. Must be approached by sea to get the full effect of sailing into a giant crater so don't fly there and arrive before dark. Fira is very touristy, Oia is a little quieter. The daytime action is at the beaches, Perissa and Kamari. Good Raki and domatokeftedes (tomato croquettes). Ruins of Ancient Thira are worth the trip if you are unimpressed by the most spectacular sunsets on this planet. Most people want to stay on the cliffs overlooking the volcano in Thira or Oia but if you have children and want to get a good nights rest you may want to go somewhere less spectacular like the village of Akrotiri where you won't be worrying about your children happily playing on the edge of a 1000 foot cliff. Thira is a fantastic place to visit but I would not want to live there. The ferry ride is about 10 hours with stops along the way at Paros, Naxos and Ios and sometimes Sifnos. Daily connections to Mykonos by ferry and the rest of the Cyclades in the summer by Flying Dolphin. There are also less frequent connections to Crete, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Karpathos, Milos, Folegandros, Kassos and Halki. There is also an international airport. Akrotiri is located on the narrowest part of the island so you have the view of the volcano and red beach and you can walk to the outer part of the island and swim in the Aegean.

Serifos:

Poor neighbor of Sifnos. Relatively undeveloped outside of main port. Nice beaches. Like Sifnos, Milos, and Kythnos, for older travelers. The main town of Serifos is a beautiful Cycladic village perched on top of a mountain overlooking the large bay, the port , and several of the island's very nice beaches. Serifos is about 4 hours from Athens by ferry and there are daily connections to Sifnos, Milos and Kythnos.

Sifnos:

Visually attractive and still Greek. For the thirty and older crowd, single or married with children. Apollonia, in the center of the island, has fun nightlife. Great beaches all around the island. Fantastic food and wine. My favorite for twenty years. Port of Kamares is nice combination of beach, restaurants and a few bars all within walking distance. Stavros Hotel is great place to stay with a view of the beach and harbor from your balcony. The cleanest port in the entire Aegean. Houses and villas for rent all over the island. Vathi is quiet with excellent food at Manolis Taverna. You can get there by road or small daily boat. There are daily ferries doing the 5 hour trip from Pireaus and there are daily connections with Serifos, Kythnos and Milos. During the summer there are daily or almost daily connections to Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Mykonos, Ios, and Syros by flying dolphin. There is also a a ferry that stops in Sifnos on its way too and from Rethymnon, Crete three times a week.

Sikinos:

Not ready for Prime-time. That is more then enough reason to go there. Very little tourism, it is an island of mostly fishermen and farmers. There are rooms to rent in the twin villages of Kastro and Chora situated in the mountains and in the quiet port town of Alopronoia. Several boats a week from Pireaus connect Sikinos to Ios, Santorini, Folegandros, Milos and Sifnos. The trip is about 9 hours.

Syros:

A working class island. The capital of the Cyclades with a century old ship yard servicing ocean going freighters and tankers, right in the harbor. Beautiful town, more like a small city. Two or three of the best restaurants in Greece. Extremely nice beaches too. I am convinced that the town of Hermiopoulis, will one day be a popular destination in the off-season. The reason is the architecture. In the late 1800's the town was the main port for Greece and is full of old buildings, churches and mansions that have now been restored. It has cobblestone streets and great cafes. If you love old buildings and good food, come here. There are daily ferries from Pireaus and the trip is about 4 hours. There are daily connections to Tinos and Mykonos and a ferry that originates here goes to all the Cyclades islands doing a different route every day. There are also Flying Dolphins and a High-speed ferry from Rafina. On Tuesday nights there is a ferry to Chios and Lesvos, currently the only connection between Lesvos and the Cyclades.

Tinos:

Beautiful island close to Mykonos with excellent beaches, traditional villages, beautiful landscape and a rich history. Perhaps the most spiritual island of all, the wonder-working icon in the church of the Panagia Evangalestria attracts people from all over Greece in need of a miracle and around the 15th of August the island is packed with pilgrims, as is every boat going to Mykonos that stops here. Hotels are so full that people sleep on the streets. But except for the two weeks around that date, Tinos is a wonderful island and is not only worth a visit, you could spend your entire holiday here and be quite satisfied. And if you crave a little action, Mykonos is an hour away. There are daily ferries from Pireaus, about 4 hours away and also Rafina. Daily connections to Andros, Syros and Mykonos and two boats a week to Crete.

Island Descriptions courtesy of Matt Barrett at www.greecetravel.com