Kea

Kea, also called Tzia, lies an hour from the Attic coast and is unusual among the Cyclades for its woodland: valonia oaks cover much of the interior, giving shade and a landscape closer to mainland Greece. Its Chora, Ioulida, sits inland on a saddle, a compact town of stairs and arches, and a short walk from it lies the Lion of Kea, a large figure carved from the living rock some time before 600 BC, worn and smiling, its purpose unknown. The island's four ancient cities left ruins, notably Karthaia on the southeast coast, reached only on foot down a valley to a beach with a temple terrace above it. Kea also has around eighty kilometres of restored and signed walking paths, and the wreck of the Britannic lies in deep water offshore, a technical dive site.

History

Kephala, on a rocky promontory in the north of the island, is a Late Neolithic settlement that gives its name to the Attica-Kephala culture of southern Greece; recently dated to about 4600-4500 BC, it was the only significant open, unwalled settlement of its time in the Cyclades, home to perhaps 45-80 people who grew cereals, kept sheep, goats, cattle and pigs, and fished. The island is also known for the Lion of Ioulis, carved from the rock some time before 600 BC, which legend links to a lion the jealous gods sent to lay waste to the island of the water nymphs (Wikipedia, Kea (island)).

Highlights

• The Lion of Kea - a nine-metre archaic lion carved in the hillside.
• Ioulida - the inland Chora of stairs, arches and small squares.
• Karthaia - an ancient city site reached only by footpath, above a beach.
• The path network - eighty kilometres of waymarked routes across the island.

When to go

Spring and autumn for walking, when the oaks are green and the paths comfortable. Weekends in summer fill with Athenians, since the island is a short drive and ferry from the city; midweek is calmer.

What to expect

Kea is a weekend island for Athens rather than an international destination, so August weekends are crowded and midweek can feel closed. Karthaia requires a walk of about forty minutes each way with a climb back. Ferries run only from Lavrio.

Nearby

Kythnos lies southeast on the same ferry line; Lavrio and Athens are an hour away by boat.

Key facts