The magical words “Greek islands” conjure up images. For most they suggest sun and sea, bare rock, vineyards, whitewashed cubic architecture and ancient ruins, fresh fish, and lean cuisine. The Cyclades are what one thinks as the “typical” Greek islands. All the islands of the group share common historical experiences but each island differs significantly from its neighbors. We started our exploration from little, bare Folegandros, one of the secret islands of Cyclades lovers, the ultimate Cycladic islands of the Aegean archipelago. What one expects to find on an island one can find it in Folegandros, the materialization of a fantasy.
After a relaxing morning of sailing, we disembarked at the small port of Karavostasi late in the afternoon. A bus took us to the gorgeous main town of Chora, built on the edge of a precipice, a hilltop setting which is one of the finest cliff sceneries of the Cyclades. The Chora is well out of sight, an important consideration in the centuries when the seas were plagued by pirate raiders. From there one can see terraced slopes of the island and understand the tedious efforts of the locals to cultivate any inch of available land. In the springtime these slopes are full of thyme and oregano.
Approaching the Chora from the port, the first thing one sees is the spectacular whitewashed church of Koimisis tis Theorokou, or Dormition of the Mother of God, dominating the town on the high cliff where the ancient settlement first stood. A large party from our group climbed to the top to enjoy the view, to visit the church and to find out that on Easter Sunday the chief icon is carried through the town. We all visited the town. Today Chora—small, white, old, and well preserved—is the main reason to visit the island. Its main street meanders through five little squares, each with a few restaurants and cafes shaded by a few trees and bougainvilleas. The highlight is the Kastro built by the Venetians in the 13th century. The Kastro, the fort, is strikingly lined with two-story cube houses that form a wall atop the towering cliff. We strolled through the quiet town, admired the wise folk architecture and visited a church. We then sat in the shade of the trees of the square and enjoyed rakomelo—a local liqueur.
Returning to the ship, a tasty Greek buffet was waiting for us to complete the first day’s Greek experience.
