Ano Syros: Everything you need to know before you visit

Most people come to Syros to see Hermoupolis.

Sooner or later, almost everyone finds themselves walking through Ano Syros as well, and for many visitors it ends up being one of the places they remember most.

Built on the hill above the capital, Ano Syros feels like a different world. The streets become narrower, the cars disappear and soon you’re climbing stone steps between white houses, colourful bougainvilleas and more cats than you can count. There isn’t a route to follow or a list of places you have to tick off. The medieval settlement of Ano Syros is best discovered one corner at a time.

Getting there is easy by car or scooter. As you approach the settlement you’ll see several free parking areas, although during the summer they’re often full. A better option is to park a little earlier, before the uphill road leading to the Kamara, the old stone gateway at the entrance of Ano Syros. From there it’s only a few minutes on foot.

If you’re exploring the island by car or scooter, you can collect your vehicle from our Port Office in Hermoupolis before making the short drive up the hill.

Once you walk through the Kamara, everything happens on foot. The steps replace the roads, small courtyards appear between the houses and almost every turn reveals another view over Hermoupolis and the harbor below.

At the highest point of the settlement stands the Catholic Cathedral of Saint George, one of the oldest churches on the island. Whether you decide to go all the way up or simply wander through the lower neighbourhoods, the walk itself is what makes Ano Syros special.

Ano Syros is also the birthplace of Markos Vamvakaris, one of the most important figures in Greek rebetiko music. His influence is still part of Ano Syros today, and if you visit during the summer you’ll often hear live music drifting through the streets.

August is an especially good time to visit. The ANO Festival, now celebrating its 10th edition, brings concerts and cultural events to the settlement, giving visitors another reason to spend an evening here.

If you can, don’t leave as soon as you’ve finished exploring. Find a table outside, have dinner, watch the lights slowly come on across Hermoupolis and take one last walk before heading back. Ano Syros feels different once the day visitors have gone home.

Some places are famous because of what there is to see. Ano Syros is a place you’ll remember because of how it made you feel.