Less than two hours away from the Athens airport, Kea is an unspoiled Cycladic island that managed to resist the pressures of time and has maintained the traditional Aegean rhythms, authentically simple life, and ways of the past.
Kea is the northern-most island of the Cyclades, thirteen miles southeast off the tip of Attica, the region around Athens. Approximately fifty square miles in area, the island is characterized by a mountainous terrain outlined by pristine beaches.
Kea boasts a long history and despite its proximity to Greece’s capital, the island has remained quite unchanged. It has great alcoves with blue-green waters, a rare ancient oak forest nested in the slopes of the tall central mountain ridge, and a mysterious smiling lion carved around 600 BC onto a gray rock the size of a small whale.
A rich archaeological past is manifested by the remains of ancient classical cities as well as earlier neolithic settlements. An extensive and well-kept network of trails and old stone-paved paths, the old mule roads, is now being shared by people who love nature and enjoy exploring the island on foot.
The island’s proximity to Athens and surrounding islands, as well as its naturally sheltered bay, make Kea an ideal sailing port for those keen on sea explorations.
Recent years have witnessed Kea becoming a favorite weekend destination for many Athenian residents who respect its resistance to the pressures of tourism and who treasure the island’s commitment to preserving local agriculture and the authentic Mediterranean landscape and way of life.