Kea

Kea, known to Greeks as Tzia, is the closest of the Cyclades to Athens, reached in around an hour by ferry from the mainland port of Lavrio on the tip of Attica. That proximity makes it a favourite weekend retreat for Athenians, yet it remains greener and less developed than many better-known islands, with rolling hills, terraced valleys and one of the largest surviving oak forests in the Cyclades.

Ferries arrive at the port of Korissia on the north-west coast, below the handsome hilltop capital of Ioulida, one of the few Cycladic Choras built inland and out of sight of pirates. Its amphitheatre of tiled-roof houses, unusual for the whitewashed Cyclades, spills across two hills linked by stepped lanes. A short walk from the town leads to the island's most famous sight, the Lion of Kea, an archaic figure some six metres long carved from the living rock in the sixth century BC, wearing an enigmatic smile.

Kea has a long and layered history. In antiquity it held four city-states, and the ruins of ancient Karthaia, reached only on foot or by boat, occupy a beautiful remote bay on the south-east coast with the remains of a Doric temple. The island is criss-crossed by a well-restored network of old stone paths, or monopatia, once used to link its villages and monasteries, and now among the finest walking routes in the Cyclades.

The coast is dotted with sheltered sandy bays such as Otzias, Gialiskari and Koundouros, and the clear waters off Kea are popular with divers, including on the wreck of the HMHS Britannic, sister ship of the Titanic, which lies offshore. Because the island turns green and shaded rather than bleached and bare, it feels gentler than much of the Cyclades, and its unusual architecture of pitched tiled roofs adds to that softer character. With good tavernas, gentle scenery and easy access, Kea suits walkers, families and anyone wanting an unshowy island break close to Athens rather than the full Cycladic party.