Iraklia (Irakleia or Heraklia) is located south of Naxos and has only two small villages, Agios Georgios and Panagia. It is a quiet destination with wild beauty and a very relaxed way of living, offering an alternative way of having vacations. Among the highlight activities on the island is the scuba diving that gives a great chance of enjoying the superb seabed.
Iraklia, like all islands of Lesser Cyclades, was inhabited from the prehistoric era. During the centuries that followed Iraklia has been a base for pirates and during the Second World War, Iraklia had a radio, giving details to the Greek government in Cairo against the Nazis.
The capital of Iraklia is Panagia, build with the traditional Cycladic architecture, where someone can see the church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, built during 1919. Very close to Panagia there is the cave of St John, which includes impressive stalactites and stalagmites. It is the largest cave of Cyclades and one of the most interesting of Greece, since here the visitor can see the phenomenon of "cave milk", a rare stalagmite substance in watery condition.
Agios Georgios is the second most important village of the island, it has a port, it is located on the north while its most significant attraction is the church of St George, built in 1834. Another important attraction of the island is Kastro, a region near Livadi beach, where someone can see the ruins of the temples of the god Zeus and the goddess Tihi (which means luck in Greek).
The beaches of Iraklia are rather shallow and have crystal clear water, most of them are situated in enclosed and wind-protected bays. The sand beaches are Livadi, Borini Spilia, Alimia, and Agios Georgios. While the pebble beaches are Tourkopigado, Karvounolakos, and Ammoudi. During the summer there are daily boat tours that reach remotely beaches, which are usually very quiet, beautiful, and with crystal clear waters.