Vourkari is a small, sheltered harbour a few kilometres from Korissia, with a natural bay that fills with sailing yachts through the summer season. It’s the best village in Kea for an evening by the water, and the starting point for visiting the prehistoric settlement of Agia Irini.

The Harbour

Vourkari’s bay is small and well-protected, making it one of the better anchorages in the western Cyclades. In summer, the dock and waterfront fill with boats — sailing yachts, local fishing craft, and visiting motor vessels — giving the village a lively, cosmopolitan edge that is quite different from Ioulida’s quiet lanes or Koundouros’s beach focus. The atmosphere is best from late afternoon onward.

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Dining and Evenings

Vourkari’s waterfront tavernas have a long-standing reputation for fish and seafood. The setting — small tables beside the moored boats, water on one side and houses on the other — is one of the more memorable in the Cyclades for a summer evening meal. As with all specific restaurant recommendations, check current operations and seasonal opening before planning around any particular establishment.

Agia Irini

Just across the water from Vourkari, on the peninsula of Agia Irini, is one of the Aegean’s most important prehistoric sites. The settlement dates from the Bronze Age and is associated with remarkable finds including Late Bronze Age clay female figures — the so-called Agia Irini Kores — now displayed in the Archaeological Museum in Ioulida. The site itself sits on the narrow strait of Lambros Katsonis, which carries its own chapter of modern Greek history: the seafighter Katsonis used Kea as a base during the Russo-Turkish war of 1787–1792 before escaping through this narrow channel.

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Gialiskari

Between Korissia and Vourkari lies Gialiskari, a small and popular bay that catches the late afternoon light well and is easily reached from either end. It makes a practical swimming stop on the coastal walk between the two villages.

Getting There

Vourkari is around 2 km from Korissia by coastal road, and around 7–8 km from Ioulida. The walk between Korissia and Vourkari along the harbour road is one of the pleasanter short walks on Kea, passing Gialiskari en route.

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