Vari village in Syros

At a glance: South coast of Syros, around 8 kilometres from Ermoupoli, set in a deep, sheltered bay. The oldest inhabited village on the island, today a quiet, family friendly resort with a Venetian tower and a sandy beach protected from the island’s stronger winds. Best suited to travellers who want a calm, low key base with genuine ancient roots.

Is Vari worth visiting

Vari has a longer history than almost anywhere else on Syros, with archaeological evidence pointing to settlement here as far back as 4000 BC. Today it carries that history lightly, presenting itself as one of the quietest resort villages on the island, tucked into a sheltered south facing bay that stays calm even when the wind picks up elsewhere on Syros. It suits travellers who want an easy, relaxed base with fresh fish tavernas and a genuinely old settlement story behind the calm surface.

Highlights

• A settlement history reaching back to around 4000 BC, making Vari the oldest inhabited village on Syros
• A Venetian tower standing in the village, a reminder of a much later chapter in its long history
• The nearby site of Koskonas, where remains of an ancient settlement have been uncovered
• A sheltered, south facing bay that stays calm even on windier days, unlike more exposed beaches elsewhere on the island
• The Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary on 15 August, one of the village’s biggest annual celebrations

A bay settled since the Bronze Age

Vari’s history stretches back further than almost any other village on Syros, with evidence of habitation dating to around 4000 BC found in and around the area. The nearby site of Koskonas has produced remains of an early settlement, adding weight to Vari’s claim as the island’s oldest continuously inhabited spot. A Venetian tower still standing in the village marks a much later period of its story, while the deep, sheltered bay that shaped its earliest settlement continues to define Vari today, giving it one of the calmest, most reliably swimmable beaches on Syros.

Where Vari is

Getting to Vari

From Ermoupoli: Vari is about 8 kilometres away, around 15 to 20 minutes by car or taxi.

By bus: Regular bus services run from Ermoupoli to Vari in season. Check current routes and times on the Syros bus timetable.

By car or taxi: See getting around Syros and Syros taxi for prices and booking details.

Arriving on Syros: For ferry routes and flight options to the island itself, start with how to get to Syros.

Where to eat

Vari has a relaxed choice of tavernas serving fresh fish and traditional snacks, well suited to a long, easy lunch by the water. It is generally quieter and less pressured than the busier resort villages elsewhere on the island.

Where to stay

Vari suits travellers who want a calm, family friendly base with a genuinely old settlement story behind it, with a smaller choice of accommodation than the island’s busiest resorts. For a private villa with a pool elsewhere on Syros, see Syros villas with a private pool.

The beach at Vari

Vari’s sheltered bay makes for one of the calmest, most reliably swimmable beaches on Syros, particularly useful on windier days when other coasts are less comfortable. For the full picture of the beach itself, see the Vari beach guide.

Best time to visit

Vari gets busiest from mid-June once Greek schools close for summer, so May and October are worth considering for a quieter, more relaxed visit with warm enough water for swimming. 15 August brings the village’s biggest celebration, the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, drawing large crowds to the local church.