Greece · Cyclades
Yacht Charter Syros
The capital of the Cyclades, and a neoclassical city built by refugees who then out-traded Piraeus.
Ermoupoli was founded in the 1820s by refugees from Chios and Psara, and within twenty years it was the largest port in Greece — bigger than Piraeus, with a shipyard, a stock exchange and an opera house. The money went into marble and neoclassical facades, and because the trade moved away rather than collapsing violently, the city is still all there. Syros is the administrative capital of the Cyclades and has never lived on tourism.
Ermoupoli
Miaouli Square is paved in marble with a town hall by Ernst Ziller across one end, and behind it the Apollo Theatre of 1864 is a small working copy of La Scala. The Vaporia district has captains' houses built straight over the water with steps down into it.
The Neorion shipyard is still operating, which is unusual on a Cycladic island and part of why Ermoupoli feels like a city rather than a resort. About twelve thousand people live here year round.
Ano Syros and the coast
Ano Syros is the medieval settlement on the hill above, Venetian-founded and Catholic — Syros has the largest Catholic population in Greece, and two cathedrals face each other from two hills. It is stepped lanes and no cars.
Grammata bay on the north-west coast is a sheltered cove where sailors carved prayers into the rock from antiquity through the Byzantine centuries. Kini and Delfini are on the same side; Mykonos and Tinos are close to the east.
Practical notes
- Ermoupoli is the administrative capital of the Cyclades, with about twelve thousand residents year round
- The Apollo Theatre of 1864 is a small working copy of La Scala
- Ano Syros on the hill is Catholic and Venetian-founded, stepped and closed to cars
- Grammata bay on the north-west coast has ancient and Byzantine prayers carved into the rock
Reached from: Athens, Mykonos and the Cyclades
Where to dine
A table by the water
Mazi
ErmoupoliIn a lane off Miaouli Square, doing Cycladic cooking with the island's own capers and cheese.
Petrino
Ano SyrosUp in the Catholic quarter with the whole port below it, and the goat is the thing to order.
Allou Yialou
KiniOn the sand on the west coast, facing the sunset, with the fish landed in front of it.
What to do
Anchorages & excursions
The Apollo Theatre
An 1864 opera house in Ermoupoli, a small working copy of La Scala.
Miaouli Square
Paved in marble, with a town hall by Ernst Ziller, and the centre of city life since the 1820s.
Ano Syros
The Venetian-founded Catholic settlement on the hill, stepped and closed to cars.
Grammata bay
A sheltered north-west cove where sailors carved prayers into the rock from antiquity onward.
The fleet
Yachts available for Syros
Vessels that operate here, from flagship motor yachts to smaller crewed boats. Every rate is quoted on enquiry.
Good to know
Questions we are asked about Syros
- Why does Syros look so grand?
- Refugees from Chios and Psara founded Ermoupoli in the 1820s and made it the largest port in Greece within twenty years. The money went into marble, and the trade moved away gradually enough that the city survived intact.
- What is Ano Syros?
- The medieval settlement on the hill above the port: Venetian-founded, Catholic, stepped lanes and no cars. Syros has the largest Catholic population in Greece and two cathedrals facing each other.
- What does a yacht charter in Syros cost?
- It depends on the yacht, the season and the crew, so we quote on enquiry rather than publish a figure that would be wrong for most weeks.
Destinations
Nearby destinations
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Enquire about a charter on Syros
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are, and we will come back with the right yacht and a full quotation.