After the sun goes down the choices are many and varied.

There are tavernas serving local specialty dishes, fish tavernas with fresh fish and seafood, a wide variety of restaurants, ‘mezedopoleia’ (small bistros serving appetisers or snacks and drinks) and bars that stay open till the early hours, often with live music.

The star of the island’s nightlife is the famous ‘Steno’ (narrow alleyway) in Artemonas, for all forms of entertainment until the small hours. There are more relaxed bars with a less frenetic atmosphere in Kamares, Platy Gialos, Faros and Katro.

Evening is the time of day when most of the island’s cultural events are held, particularly during the summer. They include concerts, evenings of traditional local dance and music, theatrical performances, book launches, and important art exhibitions, including exhibits on loan from the National Gallery and the Benaki Museum.

The festivals, the basic entertainment of the local people in earlier years, are still a particularity of the island today that is definitely worth experiencing.

For those whose idea of entertainment is a quiet romantic stroll, the island does not disappoint. The inland villages with their cobbled streets, the castle fortifications in Kastro that are illuminated at night, or the many secluded beaches and rocky outcrops of the coast will leave the best of impressions.