Have you ever fallen asleep wondering where the 19^th-century musical tradition of Rebetika — the Greek version of the Blues — originated? Just in case you have, the answer is the Greek island of Syros. Music isn’t the only reason to visit, though; Syros, capital of the Cyclades, escaped the rampant development defining many destinations, retaining an aura of tranquility and a rich landscape reflected in historic churches, eclectic museums, ancient sites, a collection of neoclassical mansions and enchanting fishing villages with traditional white-washed buildings.

© Municipality of Syros

Museums include one of the oldest in Greece: Archaeological Museum of Syros in Ermoupolis. Visitors can explore the 5,000-year-old site of Kastri, a prehistoric settlement that’s believed to date to the beginning of the Bronze Age. At the archaeological cemetery site of Chalandriani, ancient tombs have yielded a story of the island’s past through household objects, pottery and jewelry discovered in tombs. Other sites include Ancient Galissos; The Cave of Pherecydes; and the beach of Grammata, where the island’s historic communities once lived and worked.

Once home to Greek poets and writers including Vikelas and Roidis, Syros is the location of a variety of annual events including Syros International Film Festival, Festival of the Aegean, Animasyros, Akropoditi Dance Fest and International Classical Music Festival of Cyclades. One of the most notable performance venues is Apollo Theater, built in 1864 by Italian architect Pietro Sampo, whose inspiration for the theater was Milan’s La Scala.

© Municipality of Syros

The island’s food culture and culinary traditions are reason enough to visit, with a blend of Mediterranean and Greek gastronomy like loukoumia (Turkish delights) and delectable nougat pies called halvadopita. Explore the food, and be sure to fit in a visit to Hermoupolis Cultural Centre. This local cultural nucleus features exhibitions, lectures and a schedule of performances celebrating the past and present of Syros.