The name of the island, Sýros, derives from the word “Sour” or “Osoúra” which in the ancient Phoenician language means rocky, whereas Homer in his epic poem “Odyssey” refers to the island as “Syríi”. At the end of the previous century, excavations on the NE side of the island revealed findings dating from 2800 BC.…
Kýthnos island had different names over the centuries, each one with its own meaning. The name Kýthnos derived from the leader of the Drýopes, Kýthno, who initially conquered the island. In the 12th century AD the island was named Thermía, due to the thermal springs that still exist in the bay of Loutrá. The ancient…
The island took its name by the hero Kéo, son of god Apollo and the nymph Rodoéssi. His presence on the island is estimated around the 11th century BC. Earlier to that, the island was named Ydroúsa (=watery), due to its many wells, rivers and dense vegetation. According to mythology, when its name was still…
The name of Tinos is borne from her first resident, Tino. In ancient times there were other names, like Ydroúsa, which reveals that the island had lots of water, or Ofioúsa, most likely because of the multitude of snakes that existed here. Tinos was one of the first islands of Greece to have inhabitants (8000…
According to mythology, the island was named after Ándro, son of Ánios, who was a son to god Apollo. However, there is another theory, supported by the ancient Diódoros of Sicily, that the island was named after the general Ándro of King of Crete Radámanthy. Ándros was also known in antiquity as Ydroúsa, Lasía, Nonagría…
According to mythology, Mýkonos did not exist but was formed by the giant rock Poseidon threw, in order to bury the giants that Hercules killed. Hence her name, which in the ancient language meant “rocky place”. Others believe that the name of the island comes from the hero Mýkono, son of king Ánios of Delos…
From the 15th century BC. up until the defeat of the Hellenes by the Romans, Markópoulo was known by the name Myrrinoús. After that, the town started to decline and during the Byzantine years there were only a few rural settlements in its place. Around the 15th century AD, the family of Giánnis Markópoulos settles…
Monemvasiá, in ancient greek, means sole passage. The name was probably given because there is only one passage to the castle and the city, via the bridge. During the Minoan civilization, the city was known as Ákra Mínoa, meaning the tip / the border of the lands belonging to king Mínoa (he was the first…
According to historians, the village of Géraka is ancient and was inhabited around the 6th to 5th century BC. However, later it was abandoned and was not occupied for many centuries. Visit the church of Agía Paraskeví and the church of Koímisis Theotókou (the Dormition of the Mother of God, i.e. the death of Virgin…
Kyparíssi is a small and very authentic village, about1.5 km from the sea. To date, few small Dorian settlements have been found in the larger area, from the 5th and the 6th century BC. In addition, ruins of a small, fortified castle has been found on Kastráki hill, dating from the 4th century BC. Visit…