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Iraklia

Calm in crystal-clear waters — and an emerging gastronomic destination

圣乔治
6–9h from Piraeus
Παπάς 419m
Tranquility
Hiking
Nature

How to get there See the map

Culture

History & heritage

Iraklia has been inhabited since deep antiquity and always belonged to the sphere of influence of neighboring Naxos. Its name is attributed to the hero Heracles, while the ruins of the Hellenistic tower above Livadi attest to organized habitation and fortification already from ancient times. The Cave of Ai-Giannis appears to have been known and used for worship since ancient times.

During Roman and Byzantine times the island followed the fate of the surrounding Cyclades. After the Fourth Crusade and the fall of Constantinople (1204), Iraklia was incorporated into the Venetian Duchy of the Aegean, based in Naxos.

During the years of piracy, like most small Aegean islands, Iraklia was almost completely deserted: the inhabitants abandoned the coasts to escape the raids. For long periods the island remained uninhabited, used only for grazing and cultivation by residents of Naxos and Amorgos.

Permanent resettlement came in the 19th century, when families mainly from Amorgos and Naxos settled on the island, living from livestock farming, agriculture and fishing. Today Iraklia, with very few permanent residents, remains one of the most untouched and authentic islands of all the Cyclades.

Explore

Sights & Trails

Monasteries, castles, ancient towns and hiking routes.

Cave of Ai-Giannis

The largest cave in the Cyclades, on the southern foothills of the island. Large chambers with impressive stalactites and stalagmites hide within, while at the entrance stands the chapel of Agios Ioannis, where the island's great festival takes place every August 28th.

Hellenistic Tower of Livadi

Above Livadi beach lie the ruins of an ancient Hellenistic fortified tower, testimony to the island's habitation and strategic importance in antiquity.

Mount Papas

The highest point on Iraklia (approximately 419m). The marked trail to the summit rewards the hiker with unlimited views over the Small Cyclades, Naxos and Amorgos.

Bay of Merichas

An impressive deep bay with vertical cliffs exceeding 100 meters — a refuge for birds of prey and one of the wildest landscapes on the island.

Church of Panagia

The central church in the upper settlement of Panagia (Chora), which gave the settlement its name, with panoramic views over the sea.

Church of Agios Georgios

The church that dominates the port settlement of the same name and celebrates the island's patron saint.

Old windmills

On the hills around the settlements lie the ruins of old stone windmills, a reminder of rural life in past centuries.

Network of trails

An extensive network of marked stone paths crosses the whole island, connecting the settlements, the cave, the summit of Mount Papas and the remote beaches.

Countryside chapels

Scattered across the untouched interior, the white chapels stand among the dry-stone walls and mark the hikers' trails.

Church of Agios Nektarios

A more recent church dedicated to Saint Nektarios, in the settlement of Agios Georgios, overlooking the harbor.

Local flavour

The SMALL or EASTERN CYCLADES are a cluster of small islands and uninhabited islets southeast of Naxos, a small archipelago in the Aegean Sea. The largest of these islands is the now uninhabited Keros, while the only inhabited ones are Donousa, Iraklia, Koufonisia, and Schinousa. Although each island has its own unique characteristics, the shared roots of their inhabitants shape a generally common gastronomy. An important role in the history of the Small Cyclades was played by the Monastery of Hozoviotissa on Amorgos, which owned the then uninhabited deserted islets “Iraklia, Schinousa, Keros, and Akouria,” where mainly landless Amorgians worked as shepherds and farmers. When the monastic estates began to be expropriated, the formerly landless shepherds settled permanently with their families, laying the foundations of the villages we know today.

Businesses

Find what you need

Accommodation, restaurants, activities and local products of the island.

Locations come live from the official Cyclades business directory.

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