Andros is tall. Andros is close to Athens. And: Andros is the most untouristy island in Greece, we have ever been to. How does it all fit together? We asked ourselves that too. The answer of the “locals”: For many years Andros was a very rich island and therefore not dependent on tourism. However, the crisis in Greece has also led to a rethink here. However, this is hardly noticeable on Andros. Instead of souvenir shops there are small grocers, instead of tourist restaurants there are rustic taverns. The road conditions are poor, but we still have fond memories of our little island road trip. In this article we will tell you why a trip to Andros is definitely worthwhile and of course we will also share our best tips.
1. Holidays on the island of Andros: an overview Andros is a comparatively large island, but only just live 10.000 people there. The island is greener than the rest of the Cyclades islands, but no lush green vegetation awaits you. There are essentially three major places. First of all there is the port Gavrio in the west of the island. All ferries dock there. Most tourists stay in approx. 01 drive away place Batsi. Batsi is a former fishing village and despite the many taverns, cafes and hotels still comparatively quiet. The picturesque island capital Chora lies to the east. Here – quite atypically – no ferries arrive and depart.
2. Things to do and places to visit on Andros Road trip through Central Andros Our most important tip right at the beginning: Definitely rent a car for your vacation on Andros! You won’t regret it for a second, because to really experience Andros you simply have to be mobile. If you would like to get a first insight into the island vegetation , then we recommend the following route, which we also drove:
From Batsi you first drive inland towards Remata. After Remata you get to the village of Arni and later to Vourkoti. On this way there are already many beautiful views of the ocean and the hilly landscape of Andros. After Vourkoti you always have impressive views of the island’s capital Chora – only from afar and later closer and closer. A stopover is worthwhile in Apikia. There you can visit the well-known healing spring “Sarisa”. For both of us, who are used to excellent Viennese mountain spring water, the water there was the best in Greece. A stopover is also worthwhile in Stenies, one of the most famous small villages on the island. For the perfect end to your mini road trip, get a Greek feta puff pastry (“cheese pie”) in one of the bakeries in the island capital Chora and enjoy the view of the sea.
Chora: Visiting the Capital No one should visit Andros left without having seen its capital. “Chora”, as the capital of a Greek island is typically called, is located in the east of the island and is picture-perfectly picturesque. A large part of the old town lies on a Peninsula and is closed to car traffic. This makes Chora a very tranquil place with many nice taverns and cafes. This is where you meet the most tourists on the island, but fortunately the city is (still) spared from kitschy souvenir shops.
Hiking on Andros It quickly means that an island is suitable for hiking. But the hiking network on Andros is really impressive. There are shorter day hikes as well as multi-day routes. There are paths through forests and those over rocky terrain. The nice thing about it: The hiking trails on Andros are maintained and maintained by a group of volunteers (“Andros Routes”). Of course, we were only able to walk a tiny part of the path, but we can confirm that the paths are well signposted and very diverse.
Beaches and bays on Andros Andros has a lot of beaches and bays, some of which are deserted. Many of them are pebbly or coarse sandy beaches. Our favorite is Syneti – a beach approx. 20 by car away from Chora. It can be reached directly by car and is still very untouched. There is neither a shop nor a toilet, but at least a shower and a small changing room. Syneti is not a fine sandy beach, but the water is extremely clear due to the pebbles. There are hardly any shaded areas, so take enough sunscreen with you.
Foros stalactite cave Hard to believe, but there is actually a pretty impressive stalactite cave on Andros. The cave called “Foros” is not huge, but very varied. A visit is worthwhile simply because of the beautiful landscape in which the stalactite cave is located. All around you really have a wonderful view of the green vegetation of Andros.
Opening times:
July to mid-September : Every day 11 until 25 pm, Wednesday and Sunday until 15 Watch; Attention: the rest of the year only by appointment Getting there: It’s not easy to find the cave. The cave is near the village of Aladino. If you drive the road from Aladino towards Fallika, you have to look out for signposts on the right hand side. Just park your car on the side of the road. From there it is approx. until 15 Minutes walk to the entrance of the cave.
Water sports activities: boat tours, snorkeling and diving We are always amazed at how different an island looks once you see it Viewed from the water. Therefore we can highly recommend a boat tour along the coast. There are still only a few water sports providers on Andros. One of the few is the Hotel Perrakis, which not only offers boat and snorkeling tours, but also houses a PADI diving school (“Scuba Andros”). Unfortunately, diving didn’t work out on our trip, but we enjoyed a trip on the RIB boat, steered by the incredibly friendly employee Kostas.
Book a boat tour: on the website of Scuba Andros
Tower of Agios Petros The ancient tower of Agios Petros is surprisingly well preserved for its age. It dates from the 3rd or 4th century BC. and lies sublime in the hilly landscape of Andros. Don’t expect an island highlight, but if you have some time, we can highly recommend a visit to the tower of Agios Petros.
Getting there: The Tower of Agios Petros is located on Trail number 11 of the Andros Routes. Alternatively, you can also – like us – use the arrive by car. The tower is about 00 Driving inland from Gavrio.
3. Eating & drinking: our restaurant tips for Andros Gavrio: Restaurant Thiriotrofeio Our favorite restaurant on Andros is in the port town of Gavrio. The Restaurant Thiriotrofeio was opened a few years ago by an Athenian photographer. Newly inspired Greek cuisine is served, for example: baked feta cheese with honey and nuts, aubergine salad with dried tomatoes and much more. Well suited for vegetarians! The location on the pretty, quiet square under trees is fantastic. Definitely worth a visit!
Address: Gavrio 30 10, Andros (From the port maybe 801 meters too Foot.)
Batsi: Restaurant Oti Kalo In Batsi we can highly recommend the Restaurant Oti Kalo. In this tavern local, excellent Greek cuisine is served. From Tzatziki to Moussaka you will find all Greek classics on the menu here. The baked eggplant was the best we ate during our trip to Greece! The restaurant is very tightly seated and well frequented every day. So for quiet, romantic evenings the Oti Kalo is not the best choice, but it feels very authentic.
Address: Batsi , Andros (The restaurant is located on a raised terrace at the eastern end of the Batsi harbor promenade.)
Chora: Restaurant Endochora We also had a delicious meal in the Endochora restaurant, which is located directly in the pedestrian zone of Chora. The restaurant is very nicely and comfortably furnished. The menu is pleasantly manageable. Creative Greek cuisine is served, so: lots of fish and seafood, some salads and pasta dishes. There are several vegetarian options on the menu and we were offered vegan options without asking.
Address: Empeirikos, Chora 30 00, Andros (Follows the main street in the pedestrian zone in the direction of the water. The restaurant is on the right-hand side.)
4. Hotel tip for Andros: Aneroussa Beach Hotel During our time on Andros we stayed at Aneroussa Beach Hotel, which we can highly recommend. It just has 25 Rooms, all with balcony or terrace. The rooms are comfortable. The facility is perhaps a bit old, but you still feel comfortable.
The hotel is near Batsi However, the walk there is too far. So you are on your own rental car oh instructed. We would definitely recommend one for a trip to Andros anyway. The location of the Aneroussa Beach Hotel is super quiet and very idyllic. The hotel is located on a slope and you have a wonderful view of the bay in front of it, which is also good for swimming.
The breakfast can be enjoyed on the hotel terrace. Of course, you shouldn’t expect an extensive 5hotel buffet here, but we don’t need that anyway. The dishes are lovingly prepared and there is something for every taste. All in all, the Aneroussa Beach Hotel is suitable for people who are looking for a personal, very family-run hotel.
5. Arrival to Andros First: Flight to Athens The fastest international airport from Andros is Athens. For our flight to Athens, we had the first experience with the Greek airline Aegaen Airlines and can’t report anything negative – quite the opposite. Aegaen Airlines regularly flies directly to Athens from Vienna, Berlin and many other German cities. There is no airport on Andros itself. From Athens airport you can reach the ferry port of Rafina in approx. 20 minutes by taxi (around 25 euros) or alternatively by public bus. The bus only runs about once an hour, the journey takes just under an hour and costs around 5 euros.
Then: Ferry to Andros Andros is only a stone’s throw away from the Greek mainland: From the ferry port of Rafina several daily ferry connections follow Andros (and further to other Cyclades islands). You will reach Andros after almost 2 hours. There are two ferry companies that serve the route. We used the provider Fast Ferries for the ferry ride from Rafina to Andros (as well as from Andros to Tinos). A ticket for the route Rafina – Andros costs 19 Euros (One Way). You can book your ticket online or buy it in Rafina.
Another note:
When booking the flight, make sure that the ferries to Andros only operate in the morning and late afternoon/evening driving. If possible, try to avoid having to stay overnight in Rafina. That only costs you time unnecessarily and Rafina herself doesn’t really give anything away.
6. Local transport On Andros itself you should definitely rent a car. There is just too much to see to just spend time at the hotel beach. We rented our car from Tassos Rent a Car. Don’t expect a state-of-the-art car. Some of the roads on Andros are in need of improvement, so a new car doesn’t make sense anyway. At least ours had air conditioning. By the way, an international driver’s license is not necessary.
Transparency: We were invited to this trip by Discover Greece. Our opinion remains unaffected.
Have you been to Andros? Or do you have another insider tip for Greece? We would be happy to receive your comments!
