CYCLADES SIGHTSEEING - ANDROS

The second largest (380 sq. km.) and the northernmost island of the Cyclades is 89 nautical miles from Piraeus. It has pine-shaded beaches, old-fashioned family values and beautiful villages.

Andros is an exception among the islands. It is the only island that combines upland greenery with fine beaches, mountain villages with seaside resorts and natural springs.

Its capital Chora, on the north coast, has been built on a promontory with houses tumbling down both sides to sandy beaches.

The landscape is made up of adjoining mountain ranges with steep slopes and between them deep ravines, gullies and three verdant valleys.

According to mythology, Andros was named after the grandchild of Apollo, Andros. Until then the island was called, Gavros or Lasia.

Most foreign tourist activity is centered in Batsi, a small village with an ordinary sand beach just 8 km south of the ferry port at Gavrio. Batsi has been built amphitheatrically around a C-shaped cove with a small port at its south end.

Gavrio is the island’s only active port and connects Andros to Rafina (you can’t get to Andros from Piraeus). The small pebble and sand beach at Gavrio’s south end is reserved for the fishermen.

On Andros you will find beautiful beaches. Chrisi Ammos, Gialia, Kato Agios Petros, the famous Batsi, Agia Marina, Niborio and Palaiopoli are some of the most beautiful beaches on the island.

The Archaeological Museum of Andros features sculptures from the archaic through the Roman periods. It includes the beautiful Hermes, thought to be a marble copy of a bronze by Praxiteles.

Goulandris Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Sculpture contain remarkable collections of contemporary Greek and European art. You can find Discos in Hora, Gavrio, Batsi and Korthi. Bouzoukia are usually open at weekends and can be found at Batsi, Chora, Gavrio and Palaiopoli.

SIFNOS, ANDROS, AMORGOS, DELOS, IOS, KEA, KYTHNOS, MILOS, MYKONOS, NAXOS, PAROS, ANTIPAROS, SANTORINI, SERIFOS, SIKINOS, SYROS, TINOS, FOLEGANDROS