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Syros is the heart as well as the official capital of Cyclades.  It is an island with great significant presence and intense historical course in Aegean sea. 
The origin of its name is the Phoenician alphabet since Phoenicians are considered the first habitants of the island.  For example, from the word Ousyra or Ousoura , meaning Happy or from Syr, meaning rock.

According the extension, it is the 11th island of Cyclades, with total extension 84 km2 and full length at 22,5 km.  The soil is basically rocky and infertile with intense carved differentiations that give Syros a unique charm.  Harsh hill-sides, narrow streams, more flat and fertile areas, intense vegetation at some places in its inlands, shores with numerous sage bays, beautiful beaches, scattered maritime settlements as well as cottages amphitheatrically built high on hill-sides, compose its uniqueness.

On the east coasts, are found Ermoupoli and Ano Syra that consist the biggest settlements of the island.
Ermoupoli, capital of the island, consists both historically and culturally, the sole urban center in the whole complex of Cyclades, since it gathers almost 11.799 inhabitants. It is a city that during the 19th century had been distinguished to the most important commercial and shipping center of Free Greece. As the great politician Eleftherios Venizelos had once said: « In Ermoupoli Greece has been reborn».

Ano Syra comes next, sited up on a conic hill that stares form high at buzzing Ermoupoli and the deep blue, with 1109 inhabitants. It is a settlement that has very well preserved its medieval elements and revives before the visitor's eyes two different eras and the perfect, until nowadays, coexistence of two different worlds.

This coexistence has been one of the basic elements of the cultural development of the island that had a great flourish on literature, music and theater.    
As well as at other traditional professions that had been established and consist until today a significant economical factor of the island. The most vivid example is the Syriana Loukoumia handicraft that is still alive even nowadays, making loukoumi (Turkish delight) and nougats the trade mark for the island. In Tarsana area, small wooden ships are constructed according to the traditional methods, while the nuns at the monastery of Agia Varvara still weave unique traditional textiles with their looms.

Tourism is a relatively new occupation for the habitants of Syros and turns to become more permanent and flourishing at the maritime areas and the settlements. New hotels, numerous dwelling places and other tourist business pop out every day in order to establish in the island a new economical and tourist activity that shows off and promotes the beauty and uniqueness of the island, attracting visitors as well as investors.