×Tzatchickie
The Ultimate Mini Guide to Ermoupoli, Syros: 5 must do's
A trip by SophieTzatchickieThe Ultimate Mini Guide to Ermoupoli, Syros: 5 must do's
The prettiest neoclassical town in Greece. Ermoupoli, capital of the Cyclades: marble squares, a miniature La Scala opera house, a blue-domed church above the bluest swim spot, and the Venetian alleys of Ano Syros above the harbour.
Oro Suites Syros
Garden suites facing the beach at Kini, Syros's sunset village.
9.7 Alternative places to stay
SyrosDay 1
Sta Vaporia & Agios Nikolaos
Asteria Beach
Locals will tell you Asteria is the prettiest swim spot in Greece – a small organised cove on the edge of Ermoupoli where you swim in clear blue water with the blue-domed church of Agios Nikolaos rising behind you. A ladder into the deep, loungers and the Ciel beach bar make it an easy half-day; come late afternoon when the neoclassical town glows gold above the bay.
Church of Agios Nikolaos
Built in the 19th century, the church of Agios Nikolaos is one of Ermoupoli's defining landmarks – its blue dome and yellow twin bell towers stand over the Vaporia quarter and are visible from across the city. Step inside for the marble iconostasis and ornate neo-Gothic interior, then walk down to the rocks below where the captains' mansions drop straight to the sea.
Sta Vaporia
Sta Vaporia sits right above the Asteria swim spot in the elegant Vaporia quarter – a super-romantic spot for dinner, with tables looking out over the water and the floodlit church behind. The food more than holds up to the view: fresh fish, Cycladic mezze and Syros' own San Michali cheese. Book a table on the edge for sunset.
Aristide Hotel Rooftop
The rooftop of the Aristide Hotel is open to everyone, not just guests – and it has the panoramic view of Ermoupoli to beat, the whole neoclassical town tumbling down to the harbour below. Come for golden hour, order one of the original cocktails and watch the lights come on across the bay. Easily the most elegant sundowner on Syros.
SyrosDay 2
Miaouli Square & Apollon Theatre
Town Hall (Miaouli Square)
The Town Hall on Miaouli Square is Ermoupoli's neoclassical showpiece, designed by the celebrated architect Ernst Ziller – a symmetrical marble façade of columns and ornate detail presiding over the grandest square in the Cyclades. Wander in on a weekday (9am–3pm) for the courtyard and staircase, then take a coffee under the palms as the whole town drifts past.
Apollon Theatre
The Apollon Theatre is a miniature La Scala – a 19th-century opera house whose architect was so taken with Milan that he recreated its tiers of red-plush boxes and painted ceiling in the heart of Syros. A €2 ticket buys a look at one of the most beautiful small theatres in Greece; time it with a summer performance and you can hear it as it was meant to be heard.
Ano Syros
Ano Syros is the medieval upper town the Venetians founded around 1200 – a maze of stepped white alleys, bougainvillea and tiny squares climbing to the Catholic cathedral of San Giorgio at the summit. It's a steep but short walk (or a free bus) up from the Town Hall, and the reward is the best view over Ermoupoli's amphitheatre of mansions, especially near sunset.
Django Gelato
Django makes some of the best gelato in Greece – a tiny Ermoupoli institution (with an Athens outpost) turning out dense, intense scoops from pistachio to local-inspired flavours. Join the evening queue on the marble streets, take a cone, and do another slow lap of the prettiest town in the Cyclades.