Karthea was the most important among the four cities of Ancient Kea. It was founded at the archaic era and had a long duration of life, until the beginings of the Byzantine period. It is found on the south-eastern part of the island, in the coastal region which today is named Poles. If you find yourself there you believe that time has turned backwards, because nothing reminds of the 21st century, not even the way to reach it. Access to Karthea is until today only available through the ancient road that connected the city with the other cities of the island. The acropolis is surrounded by walls with at least six entries, while towers existed from which the region was being monitored. The path that has been established has as a starting point the settlement Stavroudaki and it abstains 17 kilometres from Ioulida. After about 400 metres of earth-road, we will meet the paved path. From there, we leave modern Kea behind us. The natural and historical landscape of the path is one of the most important in the Cyclades. Advancing in the ancient path, the fauna and the flora of Kea introduces itself to us while we can hear the flow of the water of Vathipotamos. By the time our eyes get used to the dense vegetation, we reach our destination. In front of us unfolds the sea. Here are Mikres Poles, solitary and imposing. After a rest at the church of “Panaghia ton Polo” and having dived in the waters that have been protecting the city for centuries, we can begin our exploration. At the southern utmost of the hills of Aspri Vigla the most important monuments can be seen: the temple of Athena (end of 6th/beginning of 5th century) in the north and the temple of Apollo (530 BC) in the south. Two more monuments, a propylos and the building D (beginning of 3rd century), are on the terrace of the temple of Athena. In the valley of Vathipotamos, the theatre and part of the system of the water feeder of the city were discovered. In the east of the acropolis lies the cemetery of city. The Archaeological Museum exposes parts of the pediments of the temple of Athena. From the splinters of the sculptures on the pediments we conclude that the southern pediment had as subjects the fight of the Amazones with Athena in the centre, while the grabbing of Antiopi from Thisseus was found on the southern side, as testified by two architectural members, bearing the signs of Thisseus and Antiopi.