Folegandros
Why go?
Folegandros is one of the smallest islands in the Cyclades, little
more than a lump of rock covered with terraced fields, sprinked
with white-washed hamlets and fringed by coves tucked into the
steeply raked coastline. There's no airport - you need to take a
ferry from nearby Santorini, or from Athens (neither of which runs
daily except in high season); and there's only one road to speak of
(much better, if you want to explore, to hop on the
round-the-island cruise which operates in summer).
What there is, in spades, is charm - that elusive, lazy, blindingly
blue-and-white Greek charm sought out, usually in vain, by
Shirley-Valentine and Mamma-Mia aficionados heading dutifully to
Mykonos and Skopelos, only to find that they're 30 years too late.
Folegandros fans might tell you you're a decade too late here, too,
but we appreciate the recent changes: some gorgeous little hotels
in the immaculately flower-strewn hora, a scattering of
open-air tavernas serving surprisingly good seafood and wine, and
the beginnings of a (very laid back, predominantly Athenian) party
scene in July and August.