Summer in Cyclades

WEATHER

Summer in the Cyclades begins in May and ends in early October.

Under normal conditions, the temperature in May and September reaches 19 to 20 degrees Celsius, while in June, July and August the minimum is 25 degrees and can reach 32 to 35 degrees.

The meltemia [etesian winds], which intensify in July and August, bring relief from the sweltering heat, and thus one only rarely experiences a heat wave. However, the north winds often blow with great force, consequently making the sea dangerous—particularly for amateur yachtspersons. The winds intensify in the morning and afternoon hours, and die down in the evening.

Do not be fooled, however, even though it may be windy; the sun still reigns supreme in the Cyclades, giving life to us and to everything around us—but this is beneficial only when we exercise prudence whenever we are exposed to it and also use sunscreen protection.

At sunset, humidity makes its appearance and it gets chilly, especially near the water. For this reason, it is recommended that visitors pack a light jacket, light sweater or sweatshirt in their suitcase for their evening outings next to the waves.

FOOD

The specialties of the island are, of course, fish and seafood mezedes, the treasures of the sea. Antiparos is renowned for its octopus. Just as on all Cycladic isles, here too you can sample delicious cuttlefish, squid, small fry and fresh Aegean lobster.

Among the local dairy products, ‘ksinomyzithra’ really stands out. A popular island cheese with a creamy texture, ksinomyzithra goes well with almost any dish, though it is most commonly found in a ‘dako’ [wheat rusk topped with tomato, onion, olive oil, capers, oregano and feta or ksinomyzithra]. It just absolutely goes so well with home-cut French fries!

Although we can enjoy tomatoes all year round thanks to greenhouses, they are naturally in season in summer. Other summertime garden vegetables are cucumbers, green peppers, green beans, courgettes and eggplants. On the islands, owing to the uncontaminated earth and cultivation methods used, the tastiness of the garden vegetables mentioned above has remained unchanged through time and we can pride ourselves in the fact that on the islands ‘a tomato smells like a tomato’.Τhe same goes for fruit. Summertime fruits include watermelons, grapes, melons, figs (in August), prickly pears (end of August), pears and pomegranates. 

CAMPING

If you intend to spend the night at a campsite, here is a brief list for beginners:

  • Sleeping Bag
  • Sleeping Pad (for underneath, to avoid getting a stiff back!)
  • Tent (if you have your own; otherwise, you can rent one at the campsite)
  • Plastic beach slippers (for the shower)  
  • Toilet Paper (if you forget it, you can get some at the campsite’s mini-market)
  • Toothpaste, shampoo, body wash
  • A small lock (to lock the tent—just in case!)
  • A flashlight (you’ll be using it a lot!)
  • A light jacket, light sweater or sweatshirt (for the chill at night by the water)
  • A plastic bag (to put in it the clothes, etc you need for your shower).