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Tinos, Greece: main street where the procession of the Virgin comes Tinos The Sacred Island of the Virgin Mary and island of artists Tinos (along with Paros) is the third biggest Cycladic island. It is situated between Andros and Mykonos. It is pear shaped and 195 sq km in size. It is suggested that its name derives from the Phoenician word “Tanoth”, meaning snake, or from its founder’s name, Tinos. Other names include “Ophiousa” (packed with snakes and “Hydrousa” (rich in water). Aeons ago, the Cyclades formed a land bridge, but the land sank, leaving the tops of the mountains as a string of islands. The Cyclades were so named because it was felt that they protectively circled the sacred island of Delos. There is little to no water, and no natural resources, but the Cyclades were central to trade routes and used for exiles. You can see the evidence of the presence of Venetians who needed the ports. The island was liberated (from the Turks?) in 1821.