Vari Beach is 1 km from the village of the same name. The village of Vari lies directly behind the beach. The beach is in a small cove, where sun loungers and umbrellas are available. As these facilities may change, check before your visit.
Beach and Boating
With your own or a rented boat, you can anchor at the nearby beaches of Achladi or Fabrica. This is a different way to spend time by the water than at Vari Beach itself: here, the focus is on the cove and its beach facilities; there, on anchoring at two named beaches. When planning, note that the boating option requires your own or a rented boat.
Culture on Syros
On Syros, the range of cultural themes spans stage and industrial history, archaeological sites, and sacred art. These insights complement the beach theme of Vari with a distinct perspective on the history and culture of Syros, the wider destination.
Apollon Theatre and Ermoupoli
The Apollon Theatre in Ermoupoli was built between 1862 and 1864 to designs by Italian city architect Pietro Sambo. It hosts theatrical performances, artistic events, and international festivals, including opera, music, and dance festivals featuring local and international artists. A small exhibition recalls the history of the theatre. On display are works by local and other artists, historical posters and programmes, manuscripts, theatre publications, photographs, and objects of significance to theatre history. Specific programme dates may change, and exhibition contents may vary; check the details for your visit.
Ermoupoli is the capital of Syros and the Cyclades. The Ermoupoli Industrial Museum also has a distinct focus: it is housed in four different historic buildings in the city. Thus, theatre and industrial history stand side by side on Syros as distinct cultural themes.
Archaeology from Kastri to Chalandriani
The Archaeological Museum of Syros was founded in 1834–1835 as the central museum of the Cyclades. It displays finds from Kastri and Chalandriani, as well as sculptures, inscriptions, and tombstones from the ancient city of Syros. Kastri and Chalandriani are on the northeast coast of Apano Meria on Syros and rank among the most important prehistoric sites in the Aegean.
The fortified settlement of Kastri dates approximately to 2300–2200 BC. Its described fortifications include a low outer wall, a main wall with horseshoe-shaped towers, and an arched wall on the hill. The museum’s collections and the specific features of a prehistoric settlement therefore offer different ways of exploring archaeology on Syros: finds and inscriptions on the one hand, and the layout of a fortified site on the other.
Sacred Architecture and Art
The Agios Georgios church complex on the summit of Ano Syros was built between 1832 and 1834 by Hadjisimos Nikolaos from Tinos. It is a three-aisled basilica with a porch of five arches. In Ermoupoli, the Ottoman bathhouse is located in the bed of the Lalakia stream. It is considered a unique example of this building type on Syros and is architecturally notable. The Church of Panagia Episkopiani in Piskopio is also an important monument on Syros.
Another connection to art is the Assumption of the Virgin icon by Domenikos Theotokopoulos, known as El Greco. The work, painted on wood in egg tempera, is exhibited in the church of the same name in Ermoupoli on Syros. The icon is considered especially important for understanding the painter’s artistic development. Together, these examples show different facets of the island’s history: church architecture, a distinctive example of architectural history, and a work of art with its own art-historical significance.
Discover more destinations: PosidhonĂa, Parakopi, Kini, Finikas, Chrousa, ErmoĂşpolis, Galissás, AzĂłlimnos.
View the wider travel guide: Syros.
