The whitewashed houses of Serifos cling to each other as they perch on the rim of vertical rocks above Hora. Facing east, they seem to tumble down the slope, solid and fluid all at once. They rest on the scattered ruins of the ancient town, referred to by Xenophon. A stairway leads higher and higher to the Venetian castle that encloses the chapels of Agia Varvara, the Saviour, Agios Konstandinos and Agios Ioannis. The view from here one of the best in the Cyclades.

Blue or green, shallow or deep waters, sand or pebbles, shaded or sun-drenched, blessed by a chapel or garnished with its very own taverna? The choice is yours.  Lia, Koutalas, Vagia, Ganema, Kalo Ambeli, Psili Ammos and Sykamia are some of the highlights. But you’ll need several summers to explore all 40 of Serifos’ officially recognised beaches (though the locals claim the number is actually 72) … an impressive number even for an island, let alone one in the Cyclades. Perhaps you might be hiring that yacht after all?

Greeks and foreigners have bought and renovated many of the abandoned houses in the upper town (Ano Hora) and brought them back to life. Serifos’ main square, Pano Piatsa, is dominated by the church of Agios Athanasios and the neoclassical Town Hall. At night, it becomes one big party as the tables fill with appetisers, ouzo, coffees and other drinks. To avoid the heat, walk down to the lower town (Kato Hora) in the early morning. It’s a Cycladic maze of whitewashed alleys and small courtyards and cascading bougainvillea, a startling contrast with the bare expanse of mountains beyond.