The Cycladic Islands enjoy a Mediterranean climate, with an average temperature for the year of 18 - 19C. The winters are mild and the summers - by Greek standards - cool, thanks to the beneficial effects of the seasonal winds known as the 'meltemia'. A fusion of stone, sunlight and sparkling sea, the Cyclades lie to the east of the Peloponnese and south-east of the coast of Attica; they stretch as far as Samos and Ikaria to the east, and are bounded to the south by the Cretan Sea. The Cyclades have exercised a powerful charm since ancient times, even though access to them was not particularly easy. This was the birth of one of Mediterranean's most important civilizations, one that took its name from the islands: The Cycladic Civilization (3000 - 1000 BC).