On Tzia, ancient sites, historic trails and coastal landscapes offer different ways to shape a stay. Travelers looking to explore a destination steeped in history will find archaeological sites and museums on Kea; the old trails and seaside activities also offer practical starting points for planning excursions.
Ancient Sites and Museums
At ancient Karthaia, visitors can see a Doric temple of Apollo Pythios and a stone theater. The temple was built around 530 BC; the theater dates to the mid-4th century BC and had a capacity of approximately 900 people. The archaeological site can be reached by four traditional paved trails, a short path from Kaliskia Bay or by sea. Karthaia-Poles beaches lie beside the site and can be reached on foot.
Agia Irini also offers a glimpse into prehistory: the settlement on Kea is an archaeological site of Cycladic culture, dating mainly to the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. Excavations uncovered clay figurines known as the Korai. They depict women in Minoan dress, possibly dancing. In Ioulida, the island’s capital, the Archaeological Museum of Kea displays finds from Agia Irini and the Neolithic settlement of Kefala.
Further points of interest include the Folklore Museum of Kea in Mylopotamos, with old agricultural tools, household objects, traditional 19th-century costumes and photographs, as well as the Lion of Kea. This archaic sculpture was carved into a solid schist boulder about eight meters high in the 6th or 7th century BC. Ioulis, meanwhile, is the only one of Kea’s four ancient cities to have been continuously inhabited from antiquity to the present day.
Old Trails and Landscape
Kea’s trail network comprises twelve routes and a total of 81 kilometers; many trails are paved with stone. As early as the 7th and 6th centuries BC, footpaths formed part of a road network linking the island’s city-states. Today, the trails are known as a “network of routes of cultural interest.” One specific option is the 5.1-kilometer “Leon” route: it runs from Ioulis through Leon, Dosonari and Diaselli to Otzias. The network’s overall extent and a single route described by its length and course therefore provide different points of reference.
The landscape includes small fertile valleys between mountain ranges, as well as springs and streams that carry abundant water, especially in the winter months. The coastline is deeply indented, with numerous small bays, including the large Bay of Agios Nikolaos near Korisia. A lighthouse was built there in 1831 on the ruins of a sanctuary of Poseidon. It was the first lighthouse in the Cyclades and is designated a historic monument. Kea lies 16 nautical miles from Lavrio and forms a natural bridge between the Cyclades and Attica.
Activities and Local Specialties
Activities available on Kea include water skiing, wakeboarding, surfing, wakesurfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, jet skiing and diving. A dive center provides visitors with information about dive tourism and the opportunity to arrange a personalized diving experience. The Cyclades Regatta starts in Kea; details and schedules may vary from year to year. Electric bicycles can be used through a local company for tours along the old trails. Check before traveling which providers are currently operating.
The cuisine has its own distinctive touches, too: Loza is a traditional Kea pork specialty and the island’s version of prosciutto. Kea honey is made from thyme blossoms. Together with the archaeological sites, museums and trails, these offer different themes to consider when planning a trip. You can choose your focus based on whether you are most interested in ancient history, hiking trails, the coast or local products.
Discover more destinations: Kalo Livadi, Kea Kithnos, Otzias, Vourkari, Melissaki, Ioulida, Kea Koundouros, Spathi.
Go to the main travel overview: Kea Kithnos.
