Kea is the closest Cyclades island to Athens, often called Tzia Kea Greece by locals. Known for its oak forests, the famous ancient lion, and beautiful scuba diving spots, it's the perfect Greek islands escape. Just 1 hour by ferry from Lavrio port, it's a favorite quick escape for Athenians seeking nature in the Aegean Sea.
Kea shatters every assumption about what a Cycladic island should look like. Just an hour from the port of Lavrio, which makes it the closest Cycladic island to Athens, Kea trades the expected arid whitewashed landscapes for oak-forested valleys, terraced hillsides bursting with wildflowers, and stone-walled paths that wind through a surprisingly green interior. This is the Cycladic island that Athenians have kept largely to themselves, a weekend escape where the food's outstanding, the hiking's world-class, and the beaches are blissfully uncrowded.
The island's crown jewel is the ancient Lion of Kea, a 6th-century BC sculpture carved directly into a rocky hillside above the main village of Ioulida. This enigmatic, smiling lion, which is nearly six meters long and carved in situ from natural bedrock, has watched over the island for over 2,500 years and remains one of the most remarkable ancient sculptures in Greece. Nearby, the hilltop Chora of Ioulida tumbles down a mountainside in a cascade of tile-roofed houses, offering a character distinctly different from the typical Cycladic blue-and-white palette.
Kea's other persona emerges at Vourkari, a glamorous little harbor village where sleek yachts moor alongside fishing boats and excellent waterfront restaurants serve some of the best food in the Cyclades. The contrast between Vourkari's cosmopolitan dining scene and the wild, path-laced interior captures the island's dual nature. It's sophisticated enough for well-traveled foodies, yet rugged enough for hikers who want to disappear into oak forests for days on end.
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