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Welcome to my travel blog about Andros, Greece. A beautiful, green, unspoilt island in the Cyclades. An excellent choice for those fond of walking, hiking and other outdoor pursuits. A far cry from some of the overcrowded and expensive tourism hotspots. I hope the information and resources on this blog help you in planning your trip. Most of the information is contained in the blog posts listed on the right hand side.

Please comment below if you have a question and I will do my best to help out. Please note this is a non-commercial blog.

(video created by Epameinondas Marmaras)

43 thoughts on “Home”

  1. Hi there,I was looking to book a hotel in Andros in august. A nice clean and kid friendly hotel preferably walking distance to the main strip. Not sure if the beaches are walking distance as well. Please let me know if you recommend this island.

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    • Hi Pen. I would recommend Andros for children yes. I think staying in Batsi would be the best idea as it has a beach within walking distance, plenty of places to eat and stay. Batsi is the main tourism hub of the island and has plenty of families staying with children during the summer months. Krinos suites, Mare vista and Chrissi Akti are some of the more popular hotels in Batsi. Have a look at trip advisor for ideas. Batsi is built in a bay which has a nice beach in the middle of it. The whole coastline on that side of the island has many other beaches you could visit also (ideally accessed by car or taxi however). Other options to stay would be in Gávrio or Chora however with a family I would probably recommend Batsi as it is well geared towards keeping young children entertained. Hope that helps. Andreas

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  2. Hi
    We staying in Ktima lemons in August. two teenage children. We enjoy water sports and food/wine. Can u suggest where to go and eat/drink. Also can we hire motorboats to go to other islands ?

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  3. Hi. I am returning to Andros in September for the first time since the early 90’s staying in Batsi. Really looking forward to it but I have a few concerns. How do the prices in tavernas compare to other islands? Also does the meltimi still blow in September? We used to get about my moped but probably will hire a small car.

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    • Hello Julie,
      I have been visiting Andros a few times a year since around that time and it has changed a fair bit since the early 90’s. More buildings but still the same character and people. Price wise it is still very reasonable for a Greek Island. Cheaper than the more popular islands like Mykonos. Taking a popular restaurant like O’Kossis you can expect to pay about € 15 – €20 per head for a meal and drink. If you want a few more examples of prices, the link below has some costings: http://www.alpha-guide.gr/en/restaurants/restaurant.aspx?id=10005547&lan=2

      Regarding the meltemi winds, the Aegean basin still gets these intermittent winds between May to September. Most of the time they are just a cooling breeze but at times they can get quite strong. Usually lasting only a day or two though. Plenty of people still rent mopeds from places like Dinos rent-a-bike in Batsi but a car will allow you to see more of the island, comfortably. If you are going to quieter beaches many of the roads are still dirt-track making them a bit exciting on moped. Hope that helps, Andreas

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  4. Staying in Andros for 3 nights in June . Not sure if I will be better basing in Chora the main town or Batsi. Thinking of hiring a car for a couple of days. Advice would be great. Thanks Ruth

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    • Hi Ruth,
      I will list a few pros and cons of each to see if that can help you decide:

      Batsi – Main tourism base so a large number of tavernas, bars and other attractions. Has a nice beach centrally within Batsi. Close to the port town of Gavrio where you will arrive from the mainland (about 10 minute drive). Batsi is the most lively place to be in summer on the island with many bars/restaurants being open late into the night. It can however get quite busy. Batsi is close to the main beaches on the island such as agios petros and chrissi ammos. These beaches have amenities and you can rent watersports equipment. There are many accommodation options in and around Batsi with a large number of hotels and apartments to stay. Batsi is well placed for exploring the rest of the island with a rent a car as it centrally located on the island.

      Chora- The islands capital has many neoclassical mansions, an art gallery and a variety of other tourist attractions making it a great place to explore and learn about the history of the island. It does have two beaches within walking distance and it also has a range of places to eat and drink. It is however about 45 mins-1hr drive from the port of Gavrio. To get here you would need to catch a bus from Gavrio or rent a car. Chora is the starting point of many of the Andros routes walks, making it an ideal base for any hiking/walking holidays. A visit to Andros isn’t complete without having a look around Chora. It is the historic center.

      Hope that gives you some food for thought, Andreas

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  6. Hey there. Im thinking about visiting Andros by the end of july along with my girlfriend. Where would you recommend us to book a room? We are mostly looking for some quiet and peaceful vacation but we also want to have options for bars , restaurants and shops. Note that none of us owns a driver’s license so hiring a car/moto is impossible. Would be really grateful of you if you could provide some official info about andros’s bus stops/schedule etc . Thanks in advance!

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    • Hi there,

      If you want to have an option of bars, restaurants and shops then you would be best basing yourself in either Batsi, Gavrio or the capital Chora. Chora is 45mins-1hr away from the port of Gavrio where you will arrive. Batsi is about 10-15mins away. For bus timetables have a look at this website and scroll down to bus timetables:http://andros.gr/en/how-to-get-there.html The bus runs several times a day and links up Gavrio/Batsi/Chora so don’t worry about not having a car. They generally co-ordinate these buses with the boats so you shouldn’t have to wait long. What about staying somewhere close to Batsi but a little bit out of the centre? There are many Airbnb rentals in the surrounding area. This will give you the option of many restaurants and bars if you fancy this one some of your evenings. Batsi centre is the liveliest place to be on the island in the evenings during summer. Hope that helps.

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  7. Hi. Can you tell me if pre paid money cards are widely used in Batsi in tavernas and shops. Also how many ATM machines are there. Thanks Julie

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    • Dear Julie, there are plenty of ATMs on the island. Batsi, Gavrio and Chora have several 24hr ATM’s so getting cash isn’t a problem. Regarding prepaid cards my understanding is that most prepaid cards are Mastercard or Visa, meaning just like credit or debit cards, they’re accepted by most retailers abroad. I haven’t used one myself but cards are widely accepted in shops and the larger tavernas so I can’t foresee a problem. Hope that helps, Regards, Andreas

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  8. I visit the island about 3-4 times a year and have never had an issue getting cash out. I normally withdraw from an ATM in Gavrio on arrival with the ferry. As I mentioned above there are several ATMs to choose from, in each of the larger towns on the island.

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  10. For peaceful and high quality accommodation services in Andros you could also try St.Peter’s beach area which is not mentioned in the previous proposals. It is just a KM away from the port and 10’ by car to Batsi. It has the most wind protected beaches of the island (when meltemi is present) which are ideal especially for families and a walking distance from most of the apartments of the area. There are beach bars, water sports etc, ideal for relaxation purposes. Do your research online on booking or TripAdvisor for apartments and you will come up with some worth noticing options.

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  11. Hi Andreas,

    We are considering a family holiday at the end of May / beginning of June, in Batsi.

    From what I’ve seen and read on the web it looks an absolutely amazing place, however, i’m concerned if there will be enough to keep my 12 & 15-year old son’s occupied.

    On Batsi Beach or nearby, are there any watersport activities on offer? I’m thinking snorkelling, speedboats (to hire or the ones that tow the inflatable rides)?

    Are there also any child friendly bars that have games (pool table, air hockey etc) to keep the boys occupied whilst their Mum & I have a quiet drink.

    Any recommendations / advice / help on the above, plus any other general information would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks in advance.

    Tim

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    • Hi Tim,

      Most of the watersport activities are located in Agios Petros beach not far from Batsi. Andros Surf club (see their facebook page) rent surf boards, SUP boards, kayaks etc. There is plenty in this area to keep kids entertained. Kypri beach also has similar equipment and it also has scuba diving. There are plenty of shops in Batsi selling snorkels and it is a large sheltered bay good for exploring. The coastline either side is also littered with beaches that have plenty of interesting rocky coastline to explore with a snorkel. Vitali beach has some great diving rocks if you wanted to go for a trip further afield.

      I must say, there are often lots of windsurfers out on the coast around there but I haven’t seen many speedboats towing inflatables but maybe message Andros Surf Club on facebook and I am sure they can advise. I know boats can be rented for touring through Mamais Marine (http://www.androsmoto.gr/index.php/info-3).

      Batsi has large numbers of family groups during summer so I am sure the bars/tavernas on the shore have options to keep kids entertained but I would recommend asking this question in the Andros Trip Advisor forum for a more specific answer.

      I spent all of my summer holidays as a teenager in Andros and was never bored provided you have a few resources like snorkels, bat & balls etc.

      Hope that helps, Andreas

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  12. Thanks for your kind reply Andreas.

    You’ve given me some really helpful advice there & the surf club looks fantastic

    We’re very keen to visit and hopefully we get can get something booked.

    Thanks again

    Tim

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  13. Hi there!
    Nice blog, my compliments!We have visited Andros twice and this year we will go back there at the end of July… We know quite well the island, although we don’t much about rivers…. Coul dyou please let us know where we could swim in a river if the meltemi is too strong? Could you tell us which route I have to get to go to these rivers?
    Thanks a lot in advance
    Gemma

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  14. Hey Andros,

    Me and my wife (young couples) will be coming to andros and staying in Batsi at the end of September for 6 days and renting a car.
    Is it too much 6 days? will we have things to do in this period?
    thanks

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    • Hi, I would say 6 days is perfect. That way you can spend a day visiting the capital Chora, a day exploring Batsi and then the remainder exploring the rest of the island by car. Good beaches to visit as day trips would include Fellos, Vitali, Zorkos, Achla and grias to pidima. You could also include some other activities if you like such as visiting the olive museum, museum of contemporary art, Monastery of Panachrantos. I am not sure if you like walking or hiking but maybe include an Andros routes walk? In other words, with a list of things you want to do and a car, 6 days is a good amount of time to fill with activities. Anything longer than a week, may get repetitive if you don’t want to do the same activities twice such as visiting beaches. Hope that helps, Andreas

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  15. Hi Andreas, nice blog, my compliments!
    We’ll arrive tomorrow (19/7) for the first time in Andros. and we stay 10 days.
    We are a couple with a daughters 6 years old.
    Could you suggest us a Routes walks to do in a windy day, not too sunny exposed, max 10 km?
    thanks
    alessandra

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    • Hello Alessandra, thank you. I would recommend some of the routes round Chora given what you said. Route 17 circular is a must. Sections of route 1 also appropriate. Outside of Chora route 9a in paialopolis also a nice one: takes you to a nice quiet beach, it’s about 4.5km. Ar1 circular in Arni is beautiful, it’s very wooded so lots of shade. Hope that gives you some ideas. It’s worth noting that a lot of the routes will have uphill sections as the island is quite mountainous. Have a great holiday! Andreas

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  16. Hello
    Thanks for a great blog.
    I plan to celebrate my 55 birthday in Andros from 13 to 17 of October.
    I see that there is a foot festival and wonder if you think the place will be very busy and cruded specialy Chora.
    We plan to stay near batsi.
    Still want to hike near Chora.
    Do you think there will be parking spaces there? Do you recommend to sleep in Chora?

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    • Hi Sari. Thanks 👍. The festival brings in a good number of walkers but as it is in October the island is considerably quieter than summer. Last year on the island at that time, I wouldn’t have called it busy. Those attending the festival stay all over the place; Gavrio, Batsi, Chora, Ormos Korthiou. There will certainly be parking spaces at this time of year at those sites. Whether you choose to stay in Chora depends on what you fancy. Batsi is the most popular area. Chora on the other hand is a bit quieter but it is the historic centre of the island with some beautiful buildings and the majority of Andros routes walks are out of the valley Chora sits in. I’d recommend looking at some accomodation at either place and get a feel for which would suit you more. All the best, Andreas

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      • Thanks a lot !
        We chose to sleep in Chora.
        Most of the routes we plan start close to there.
        if you please – another question – would you recommend renting a Jeep car like a Trios or maybe a smaller car.
        We also want to get to the special beaches and realize that 4×4 is better
        Thanks for your advice

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      • I have travelled all over the island in a Daewoo Matiz before (very small car) however if you want to visit beaches like Achla and Vori, a 4×4 would make the drive considerably easier as you won’t have to take as long navigating over the bad sections of dirt road. A Jeep is not a necessity I would say, it would just make life a bit easier. Andreas 👍

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  17. Hello
    How do you recommend doing Route 14 if we only have one vehicle.
    We must make our way back to the car.
    Where to start? Is it worth doing the 14b forth and back and as well as the 14a forth and back ?
    Or another part? we think of adding this to route no. 20 on the same day, so plan to do a part of no. 14
    We would love to hear your opinion
    Thanks a lot
    Sari

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    • Hi Sari. Good question! I would recommend doing the section in the valley as that is the most beautiful – we usually park the car at the start of 14b then walk along to then follow the river. That’s the best bit! As it is not a circular however you then have to double back to the car. When you feel you have gone far enough, turn back and head to the car. You could certainly then go and do route 20 as this is short, provided you don’t spend too much time on 14. Hope that helps! Andreas

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      • Thanks for your reply
        If i got it – you mean to start at 14b and than go to right side on route no. 14
        Is it also possible to start from the other side where route 14 start on the map till 14a and continue on lane 14 and is it worth doing Route 14a?
        We will arrive after no. 20 sowe will not have much time to do all the way
        Thanks and sorry for so many questions.
        Best regards

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      • My view on this is to start at the 14b end and once it joins the main 14 route, follow the river valley. You can park your car at the small church near the other end of route 14 but it takes longer to get to the good bit. 14a is nice if you have time but it is a forested detour that takes you to a small church in a forest. Last year we took 20 of our wedding guests to the valley and we went on the route I have described – 14b, 14 for about a mile, then turned back on ourselves. I have heard of people park at the church, do the whole of 14, then walk/run along the road to get back to the car. I have also heard of people organize taxi drop off/pick up to get around this non circular route. Hope that helps, Andreas

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  19. Hello Andreas,
    Thank you for a most interesting and helpfull blog.
    I am planning a trip with my wife for 23-27 on February, and was wondering if Andros is a good destination for this time of year.
    We are coming in from Israel and I was thinkung of flying intop Athens on the 23rd, and staying there till the 24th when we will go on to Andros, where we will stay until the 27th.
    Is the weather good enugh for hiking this time of year?
    Is there a risk of ferries being canceld ?
    Any input would be much appreciated.
    Thank you
    Baruch

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    • Hi Baruch,

      Thank you. The weather can be a bit changeable at that time of year, some days quite cool and occasionally rain. There will however likely be plenty of clear sunny days too. I generally go in April as I love the spring flowers. It is a good time for hiking yes but there won’t be many other hikers at this time of year (that might be a good thing for you). There will be fewer restaurants/shops etc. open as it is still the low season. You will however always have bakeries, supermarkets and some coffee shops open.

      Ferries only get cancelled when the weather is very windy. This can occur at any time of year but it is rare. I never worry about this personally. The shipping companies do their best to keep a regular service to the islands.

      Hope that helps., Andreas

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  21. Hello Andreas
    I have another question for you, if it isn’t too much of a bother.
    The plan is taking shapem and I was wondering what you think.
    We are arriving at Gavrio on 24th of February on the 17:30 Ferry that reaches Andros at 19:30.
    We will take a hired car there for the 3 days we will spend on the Island.
    Should we make a base, say at Chora, and drive around to see the other towns, or should we stay at different towns every night?
    Thank you
    Baruch

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    • Hi again Baruch,
      Personally I would prefer to base myself in Chora (a bit busier than Batsi maybe at that time of year) and then explore the island using this as a base. However if you don’t mind moving from place to place and checking into new hotels each day, then moving to a new place each day is a great way to experience the island. The island isn’t that large so even if you do choose to stay in one place, it isn’t *that* far to get out and explore.
      Hope that helps answer your question 🙂

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  22. Hi Andears,
    Thanks for your great reply.
    Since we are coming over on the 17:30 ferry that gets in to Gavrio at 19:30, we decided to go to Batsi for the night (renting a car from Escape in Andros) and the next day explore a little and then move on to Chora for the rest of the week.
    If you have ideas for exploration (like Foros cave) we’ll be happy to hear.
    Thanks again
    Baruch

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