The White and Blue Cyclades

All the white and blue buildings overlooking the water.

The first thing you will notice when you see pictures of the Greek islands is that all the buildings look similar, they are all painted white with blue details (doors, shutters and sometimes roofs).  On some islands it was the law to paint your house white and blue, there was no other choice.  Why is this so?  Well there are a few stories about why all the houses are white and blue, the first one is a romantic story.  Some people say that these are the colours Greeks paint their houses on the islands because they are the two colours in the Greek flag.  Everyone is so proud of being Greek, they use the colours as symbols of their pride and unity. 

Here is a little path lined with restaurants.  Even the tables and chairs are white or blue.

There is a more scientific explanation about the paint choices.  The Cyclades get very hot in the summer, and in Science we learned that dark colours absorb heat and light colours reflect it.  So knowing this it would make sense to paint your house white if you wanted to keep it cool during the hot summer months. 

Schools, hotels, shops and churches (all buildings) are painted in the same way.

The last story is a pratical one.  The houses are painted white and blue because it makes them easier to clean.  A whitewash is used on the main building, and a lavender wash (producing a blueish colour) is used on the trim.  Which one is the true reason, we might never know.  I personally think the people of Greece paint their houses white and blue because it looks beautiful.  Isn't that a good enough reason?



You can see how the buildings look under their water paint.  Don't they look nicer all white?