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Syros, Greece: From stop over to revelation
I was standing on the deck of the big Greek ferry which was to carry me from the island of Naxos to Samos near the
Turkish coast. Syros was a mere stop over along the way, but when I watched the port of Ermoupolis
approach, I knew I had arrived at a very different Greek island and decided, on the spot, to stay longer and explore.
We all have seen the many pictures of Greek
islands, dominated by the ever present whitewashed stone houses and orthodox
chapels with their brilliant blue roofs and white trims. By contrast,
Ermoupolis looks majestic. Three and four story buildings climb up the
hillside, topped with a rather cathedral-like church on each side.
Syros: A New Greek Island
Getting off the ferry and taking a closer
look, you see what it's all about. To understand why Syros and the capital
Ermoupolis is so very different you need to know a bit about the historical
background.
Whereas the emphasis on many Greek islands is on the distant
past, Syros' particularity lies in
recent history. Ermoupolis is often describes as a Greek miracle because
the city was only founded in 1821, named in 1826 and developed into a wealthy,
thriving center of commerce and culture within the short time span of approx.
75 years.
This came about because Syros became a safe haven for the many
refugees who found a new home and
shelter on the island following the wars and upheavals of the 19th
and early 20th century.
These refugees who came from other islands
as well as Asia Minor, were by no means poor, they were professionals,
artists, traders,
merchants, craftsmen and above all, ship builders. They brought with them
their
skills and wealth and made Ermoupolis into a center of trade and culture
and the island into the capital of the Greek
district of the Northern Cylades.
Their sophistication is the reason why you
can admire so many excellent neo classical buildings when you start your walk
along the water from, turning right after getting off the ferry dock.
Exploring Syros
The town houses, many of which are today
hotels like the wonderful Diogenis Hotel, have often been commissioned by
European architects.
After a few hundred meters along the
promenade, you can turn left, walk up Eleftheriou Venezelou and reach Miaouli Square
to admire the town hall, build by Austrian architect Ernst Ziller and one of
the most imposing buildings of the island.
Another one is the Apollon Theatre although
it's in need of restoration. The opening of the theatre was the pride and joy
of the island, a unique institution which attracted famous performers not
only from Greece but also from abroad.
Syros and its citizens can also lay claim
to have been among the first in the whole of Greece to have established the
following industries and institutions: steam ship company, chamber of
commerce,
ship building, high schools and colleges and the famous social club
'Hellas' to
name but a few. An industrial museum as advertised on one of the boats moored
in port, bears witness to this past.
In fact the people of Syros love dance, music, opera,
performances and fashion. In the early 20th century the ladies of
Ermopulis were considered the most elegant in Greece.
I had the good fortune to have arrived on a
Saturday afternoon and could experience first hand that this jolly
lifestyle is
alive and thriving to this day.
Doing the Promenade
After a wonderful meal in one of the many
restaurants along the promenade I resumed my walk. As darkness fell, the
coast
road was closed to traffic and life music was set up in front of some cafes.
People, all beautifully turned out and made up for a night on the tiles,
streamed in and promenaded up and down, stopping to great their friends and
neighbours, enjoying an ouzo and listening to the music.
Due to the fact that this island is not one
of your typical Greek island tour destinations, few tourists were around
and a stop in Syros gives you the chance to observe and participate in purely Greek
entertainment at its best.
Other places to visit during daylight are
the Ajios Nikolaos church with its beautiful blue cupola and the bell
tower and
of course, if you are up to it, climb the 900 steps (!!) to Ano Syros
which was
once built to escape the never ending pirate attacks which plagued the
island.
Syros specialities are loukoumia and thyme honey which are offered in
many quaint shops along the waterfront and also on the Piatsa of Ano Syros
which
are open till late.
Of course, there is more to the island than
just the capital. Inland in sheltered valleys farms and green houses are
to be found which produce the best vegetables which are exported to the rest of Greece
and beyond.
Getting There
You can book several island tours which are round trips, i.e.:
south of Ermoupoli to Vari, Achladia and Megas, or south west to Pagos and
Galissas or north to Chalandriani. Each tour provides new aspects of this
island and information and booking can easily be arranged in one of the many
agencies which are to be found near the ferry dock.
I went on the south trip
the next day, but you can also hire a car and drive around yourself.
Born in Germany, Inka Piegsa-Quischotte has lived and worked as an international attorney in Spain,
Switzerland and the UK for many years. Two years ago she turned novelist and travel
writer and now lives between Miami and Istanbul as basis for her many journeys
either West or East. Her articles have been published in GoNomad, The Expeditioner, Literary Traveler,
Travel with a Challenge, Europe up Close, Neos Kosmos newspaper, Lighthouse Digest
and In The Know Traveler among others. She contributes regularly to Europe a la
carte and is the Beirut expert for NileGuide. Her personal travel blog is called GlamourGrannyTravels.com
© 2010
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