Greece Travel Index   Greek Islands  

Kea, (Tzia)

Is Kea an undiscovered paradise for hikers and travelers searching for 'the real Greece' or is it an over-saturated haven for Greek yuppies and an out-of-control laboratory for real estate developers to practice the art of building summer houses? Well, it's all of the above.

The Greek island of Kea is known for many things. It has exceptional beaches and one of the best system of walking paths and trails of any Greek island. Kea is a hiker's paradise with numbered routes that take you through a variety of landcapes to remote coves and the ruins of ancient cities. The restaurants on Kea are among the best in Greece and the summer features a number of cultural events, and an outdoor movie theater with new first-run movies (usually in English) that change every 2 days. Because of its proximity to Athens (just 2 hours by bus and ferry) Kea has always been popular with Athenians who have holiday homes here that they only use on occasional weekends in the summer and for much of August. But come any other time and you won't even see them. If you are looking for an island that is close to Athens but has the feeling of an island much further away, then Kea may be the place for you. I should know. I live here.

Index to My Kea Guide