Scott Eddy - Hospitality’s No-Nonsense Voice

🇬🇷 Syros is the kind of place that makes me wonder why everyone keeps talking about the same two or three Greek islands.

We arrived with a @varietycruises, and almost immediately I was reminded why I love exploring Greece on a smaller ship. You're not coming here for a giant cruise terminal or a checklist of tourist attractions. You're coming to see an island with its own character, where life doesn't revolve entirely around visitors.

Ermoupoli, the capital, is gorgeous, but not in the way people usually picture the Cyclades. Instead of endless whitewashed buildings, you'll find colorful neoclassical architecture, elegant squares, cafés along the waterfront and a history shaped by shipping, trade and culture. Look up toward Ano Syros and you see another side of the island: a medieval settlement with narrow streets and a completely different atmosphere.

Syros also has its own food traditions, including loukoumi and San Michali cheese. Those details interest me just as much as the views. They tell you about the people who actually live here.

This is my fifth cruise with Variety, and it's a big reason I keep coming back. Their small ships make it possible to explore islands that don't always get the attention they deserve. And for me, that's a much better reason to book a cruise than another onboard attraction.

If you're planning a trip to Greece, don't limit yourself to the names you hear every day. Syros deserves a place on your list.