Syros is the administrative capital of the Cyclades, which surprises visitors who assume that title belongs to Mykonos or Santorini. But Syros earned its status in the nineteenth century, when its port city Ermoupoli was the most important commercial hub in Greece — wealthier than Piraeus, with shipyards, warehouses, and a grandeur that the island has never quite lost. The result is a Cycladic island that looks nothing like the whitewashed postcard image. Ermoupoli has neoclassical mansions, marble squares, and a municipal theatre modelled after La Scala in Milan.
The town rises in two hills from the harbour. To the left is Ano Syros, the medieval Catholic quarter, a labyrinth of narrow lanes and archways crowned by the Cathedral of San Giorgio. To the right is Vrodado, the Orthodox quarter, topped by the Church of the Resurrection. The two communities — Catholic and Orthodox — have coexisted here for centuries, giving Syros a cultural texture unusual in the Cyclades. The main square, Plateia Miaouli, is one of the most elegant public spaces in Greece, lined with cafes under palm trees and dominated by the imposing town hall.
The Apollon Theater — modelled after La Scala and built in 1864 — is the most startling building in Ermoupoli. The Archaeological Museum holds a fine collection of Cycladic figurines, and the Industrial Museum tells the largely forgotten story of how this island briefly became the commercial capital of Greece. The Vaporia quarter east of the harbour contains the mansions of the sea captains who built all of this.
Beyond Ermoupoli, Syros is a quiet island of rolling hills, small coves, and farming villages. The beaches are modest compared to other Cycladic islands — Galissas and Kini on the west coast are the most popular — but the swimming is good and the crowds are manageable even in August. The island has a strong musical tradition, particularly in rebetiko, the Greek urban blues that found an early home here. The prehistoric site at Kastri in the north is one of the most important Bronze Age settlements in the Cyclades.
Syros works well as a base for island-hopping, with ferry connections to most of the Cyclades. But it also works well as a destination in itself, particularly if you want to experience Greek island life without the tourist monoculture that has overtaken some of its neighbours. The Ermoupoli waterfront on a summer evening, with the lights climbing both hills and ferries gliding into the harbour, is one of the finest sights in the Aegean.