The old quarter, Áno Síros, of Hermoúpolis, was founded in the 13th century by Venetians. Refugees from the War of Greek Independence (1821–29) founded the adjacent contemporary port, which became important in Greek coastal trade. The ensuing economic prosperity created a wealthy urban class, connected to the Western European culture lifestyle. As a result, they constructed a superb capital featuring a myriad of splendid mansions, marble squares, and municipal buildings, masterpieces of Romantic Classicism, a neoclassical European-type town but on a Greek island in the Aegean.

Hermoupolis is a dynamic town with a busy port, the administrative center of the Cyclades island complex. As a 19th-century crossroads for international commerce linking West and East, Syros has become a fascinating blend of cultures. Tourism has come recently to Syros so its beaches are not overcrowded and its villages not overdeveloped with tourist complexes. Consequently the island’s superior villas, with elegant neoclassical architectural elements, overlook the spectacular scenery and have become excellent getaways for privacy and relaxation.