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ABOUT KEA

Also known as Tzia, Kea is considered as one of the hidden gems of the Hellenic Republic. Among its Cycladic neighbors, the island’s most distinct feature is the quiet charm that envelops the island’s atmosphere. Enlaced with scenic beaches, picturesque trails, and quaint architecture, Kea offers a memorable vacay experience without the buzz of the big crowd! 

Kea might be known for its soul-searching ambiance, but this jewel is also a home to a plethora of activities. Aside from scuba diving, this island also offers a variety of adrenaline watersports such as wakeboarding, water skiing, and wake surfing. If you’re looking for more relaxing water activities, you can try the island’s sailing, snorkeling or canoeing. 

Aside from aquatic play, Kea also offers some mountainous settings and scenic trails that are perfect for hiking or trekking. A total win –win for active adventurers! 

Things to do in Kea

Kea is a perfect place to satiate your wanderlust and this destination caters to traveler who prefer Greek beauty without the crowd. This tranquil paradise is festooned with mesmerising beaches, idyllic hills, and charming architecture that will blow your mind away! Find out everything about your holidays in Kea on our travel guide! Kea island, which is also known as Tzia, sits in the Aegean sea, south of Attica and belongs to the Cyclades group of Greek islands. Although it is typically a Cycladic island, Kea has a different landscape and different architecture than its Cycladic counterparts. Kea doesn’t have the little whitewashed houses and blue-domed churches of its neighbors, but it is characterized by earthy tones and elegant architecture.
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🏛️ Art, History, and Architecture

Kea is a small island close to Attica, just opposite the port of Lavrion. This is a popular weekend and summer destination for the Athenians and for people who don’t want to travel far from Athens. Its traditional vibes and quiet beaches give visitors many relaxing moments. Ioulida and Vourkari are the most picturesque villages to stroll around in Kea, while nice beaches include Koundouros and Otzias. Hiking is a very frequent activity in Kea, as hiking paths lead to nice sites. A short hike from Ioulida leads to the Stone Lion, while a much longer hike leads to the archaeological site of Ancient Karthea.

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Kea Stone Lion

Location: Ioulida. The Stone Lion of Ioulis in Kea: A little further up the road of the Spring of Kounderis, on an old stone road, lies the Lion of Kea. The Lion of Kea, or Lionda, is one of the most famous sights on the island and is an archaic structure carved out of stone. According to mythology, Kea was once known as the Water Island and was given the name Ydroussa. The island was considered to be inhabited by water Nymphs. Due to its exceptional beauty, the Gods were jealous of the island and sent a lion down to ravage it of its beauty. The lion drove all the Nymphs out of the island and the island dried out.
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Kea Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum of Kea Greece, Cyclades: The Archaeological Museum of Kea is found close to the entrance of Ioulida which leads to the central square. The building was constructed in 1970 and houses findings from all the excavated sites of the island. Findings come from the four ancient towns of Kea: Ioulis, Karthea, Korissia, and Poiessa, that flourished a lot in antiquity and quickly developed strong political institutions.
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Kea Ancient Karthea

Ancient Karthea in Kea, Cyclades: Ancient Karthea was the most important of the four city-states of Kea in the antiquity. It is located in a region that is pretty hard to access, on the southeastern side of the island, right above the bay of Poles. Ancient Karthea was founded in the archaic times and its lifespan reached till the early Byzantine period. The route there is popular for trekking on the island, as this site is located about 23 km from Ioulida, the capital of Kea, and 30 more minutes on foot. Little remains today from the ancient town of Karthea. The city was surrounded by walls from the archaic and the classical times with at least 6 entrances and towers to protect the area. The city had an extensive defense mechanism which included many towers. Also, it had public buildings, laboratories, mines, water supply system, and its own authorities and laws.
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🌊 Beaches

Kea is an island that gets popular in summer weekends as a getaway for Athenians but it remains calm during the week. Some beaches in Kea Greece are organized with tourist facilities, such as Gialiskari, Koundouros, and Korissia. The rest of the Kea beaches are small and secluded, ideal to enjoy privacy and isolation.

Koundouros beach

Koundouros beach is on the northwest part of the island. The location of this beach, at 18 km from Ioulis, the capital, makes it a very popular area that usually receives many yachts from the mainland during the weekends. The beach itself has nice features and is very picturesque, with restored stone mills. Among its advantages we can point out its protection from the north winds, and its facilities which include some taverns, as well as good accommodation options. Although some areas on this beach are being under construction -with all the discomfort this implicates- the remaining areas provide great crystalline waters and a nice, calm atmosphere in which just the sound of the waves can be heard.
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Pisses beach

Pisses is one of the favourite beaches on Kea, on the south-western coast at 11 km from Ioulida, the capital of the island. The trip to this location offers a great landscape. Other nice beaches that can be found in the close areas are Koundouros, Kastelakia, Lygia, and Liparo. However, in the case of Pisses, apart from offering great environment on the way, it has the particularity of being located on a fruit and cypress trees valley, with lots of flowers and also farms. Regarding the available facilities, in terms of accommodation, Pisses offers some good options of room rentals, as well as the island's only organized camping site. Pisses also counts on is a tavern serving very good dishes. Unlike most of Kea beaches, Pisses can be affected by the summer winds of Meltemi, making the sea a little rough. Although this will be surely enjoyed by surfers, when the waters are calm, they turn great for snorkelling and swimming. That is why this beach is usually chosen by families.
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Otzias beach

The beach of Otzias is a picturesque environment bordered by trees on the north side of Kea, at 11 km from Ioulida, its capital. It belongs to a small settlement with many beautiful narrow paths, ideal for strolling in spring. Otzias beach extends over 700 m, and one of its main advantages is that it gives the chance of performing wind surfing. Kea, unlike other Greek islands, is not affected by the summer winds of Meltemi. Most of Kea beaches have tranquil waters that are not the best for this sport, except for Otzias. The ruins of some harbour facilities reveal that Otzias beach used to be a port in the classical times.
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