The green and mountainous island of Euboea or Evia is the second largest island of Greece (Crete is even larger). It measures 3580 km2, and has approximately 165,000 inhabitants. Evia is a very green island and still hardly discovered by the mass tourism. It is ideal for people who like peace and quiet and nature. You can do wonderful hiking.
Through Skiathos the island of Evia is connected by the ferries with the islands in the Cyclades group in the south and with the other Sporades islands in the north. It is also accessible by ferry from the port of Rafina near Athens (a half-hour drive from the airport). From Rafina you can go with the boat to Marmaris / Karystos or you can go from Agio Marina on the mainland to Nea Styra on Evia. Even by bus or by train from Athens Evia is easily accessible. According to some travel guides Evia doesn't have many beaches or sights and so it not really on the tourist map. I think it is just more due to the fact that the island of Evia is unknown, because there are quite a few beaches and monuments.
Evia is located on the northeast side of Attica and is connected to the mainland through a 30-metre-long suspension bridge. The capital of Chalkida or Chalkis lies on both sides of the sea and thus partly on the mainland. It has about 75,000 inhabitants. On a number of other places, there are ferries between the island and the mainland. In ancient Greece the Chalkida capital was strategically located on an important position and nowadays it is mainly a modern happening. Chalkida is the center of the island and from here the buses on Evia depart.
Around Chalkida are a number of towns, of which the most striking is Eretria. It is slowly becoming a tourist resort. Like Chalkida Eretria was an important city in the ancient Greek time (6th century BC), before Athens began to dominate the area and the city turned into decline. In the 19th century, the population had shrunk so much that the city was used to house the residents of the island of Psara. They fled in 1824 for the Turkish occupying forces. Therefore Eretria is also known under the name Nea Psara (new Psara). In the area of Eretria are plenty of archaeological remains of the old city and to the east of the port is a good beach.
At 8 kilometers south of Eretria and 28 kilometers from the capital Chalkida lies the attractive coastal village of Amarynthos. The village has a little over 3500 inhabitants and has a cosy atmosphere. On and around the village square are some nice tavernas and there is a reasonable choice in accommodations. It is a popular holiday and weekend destination for the inhabitants of Athens. The village of Amarynthos extends mainly along the coast and the beaches are not unattractive.
In the south of the west coast of the island of Evia lies the seaside resort Nea Styra with some beautiful sandy beaches and a nice (partially) car-free promenade with hotels, shops and restaurants. From Nea Styra ferries leave for the town of Agia Marina on the mainland. Nea Styra is a cozy village, which extends along the coastline. It is a popular destination for the people of Athens who come here to relax. At four kilometers away is the village of Styra, with a large church, shops and a medical center. Around Styra you will find various "drakospitos" or dragon houses.
Loutra Edipsou in the northeast of the island of Evia , is connected by ferry to the village Arkitsa on the mainland. Loutra Edipsos is the main spa of Greece as well as a tourist destination in its own right. Here, as many as 80,000 people can find a hotel room. On the seashore are the major luxury hotels and in the city is a wide choice of restaurants, tavernas and caf�s. Along the promenade at the port are eucalyptus and pine trees. The coastal town of Limni (also in the northwest just below Loutra Edipsos) and Pefki on the north coast are more fun. Pefki is a harbour where sometimes hydrofoils depart to the Sporades islands.
The southern part of Evia is dominated by the two ports Karystos and Marmari both with a ferry link to the Athenian port Rafina (I think the ferries from Karystos no longer go). Many Athenians make a weekend crossing to escape from their busy metropolis. Karystos is the best of the two and lies in a wide bay with a Venetian style port and the fortress Bourtzi. In this picturesque fishing village are also a number of fine neoclassical buildings. Above Karystos is the Castello Rosso (Red Castle). Marmari is less attractive but from here excursion boats depart to the green islands Megali Petali and Xero in between Evia and the mainland .
The seaside resort of Kimi or Kymi on the east side of the island of Evia is the place where the ferries to the island of Skyros in the Sporades and in the high season a few times a week to other islands in the North Aegean area leave. It is a very beautiful little town and just below the harbour is a beautiful beach. Unfortunately, here in this village it is not easy to find accommodations. Especially northern Evia is very mountainous and besides the few more touristy spots, there are beautiful beaches and unspoiled villages to be found. The wooded hillsides are dense with pine trees and other trees and streams are running through it. In addition there are the valleys with olive trees.
South of Kimi lie the villages of Ayioi Apostolis and Petries with a fishing harbour, restaurants and a couple of beaches with coarse sand. The distance to the capital Chalkida is about 65 kilometres.
Here we stayed a week in May 2017. It is a place for people that are looking for total peace. There is virtually no traffic and it is very quiet. No barking dogs and no music, but instead just the birds and in the distance the rustle of the sea, and beautiful views. Nearby are I do not know how many nice beaches. If you are going to stay here you need to rent a car. The road to the accommodation is very good though.
At a distance of 9 km from the centre of Karystos Town, the traditionally built Penelope Villas offer self-catering units with views over the Aegean Sea and the mountain. Agios Nikitas Beach is 20 km away. Fitted with a fireplace and built-in beds, this air-conditioned and tastefully decorated house of Penelope features 2 separate bedrooms. Opening to a furnished patio, it consists of a living room with flat-screen, satellite TV and an open-plan kitchen with dining area and oven with cooking hobs. A hair dryer is included. Guests may enjoy the property's BBQ facilities, along with al fresco dining. Activities in the surrounding area include cycling and fishing.
A restaurant, a caf� bar and a mini market for the general supplies are 1.5 km away. Karystos Port is 9 km away and the ruins of the Venetian Castle, Castello Rosso, can be reached within a short drive. Free private parking is possible on site. This property also has one of the best-rated locations in Karystos! Guests are happier about it compared to other properties in the area. Couples particularly like the location - they rated it 10 for a two-person trip. This property is also rated for the best value in Karystos! Guests are getting more for their money when compared to other properties in this city.
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The charming Agnadi Hotel is proudly situated right next to the sea, amongst beautiful gardens and olive groves, close to the coastal village of Rovies, Evia. Each room has been decorated to offer warmth and comfort, with some featuring beautiful open fire places. Guests can also enjoy a magnificent view of the sea and sunset from their private balcony. The beach, directly in front of Agnadi, is perfect for swimming and water sport activities and there are plenty of local tavernas providing evening entertainment. The nearby village of Rovies is a great place for visitors, with its historic Venetian castle and lush olive groves.
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Avra Studios is situated in an elevated position just 50 metres from the beach of Kymi. It offers air-conditioned apartments with fireplace, free Wi-Fi and patio overlooking the Aegean Sea. A kitchenette with cooking facilities and fridge is included in all apartments at the Avra. Each has a flat-screen TV and hairdryer. Staff at the 24-hour front desk can offer information on points of interest such as Mourteri Beach, 20 km away.
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The Valledi Village Hotel, at Kimi Beach, provides luxurious and comfortable rooms and apartments with attics as well as fantastic Suites. All our Rooms have a balcony with View to the Sea, provide air conditioning, TV, Cuisine, Refrigerator and Phone. At our Hotel you will find a swimming pool, breakfast hall, TV hall, Bar, Souvenir Shop as well as a Parking space for your car. We provide beautiful and comfortable spaces for you to enjoy your Coffee or Drink and enjoy the Magnificent view of the Aegean Sea.
Kymi is a small town built amphitheatrically on a evergreen hill, offering majestic view at the sea, and for that reason Kymi took her call-name Aegean balcony. Only 91 km NE away from Chalkida, Kymi offers frequent transports for either Chalkida or Athens. Kymi's port (one of the greater of Greece) connects the island of Evia to Skyros.
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The beautiful nature and the pinetree forests covered mountains on the Greek island of Evia are worth a visit on its own.
The Euripus channel at Chalkidi where the flow of the water can change at any moment (8 tide changes per day). The Euripus channel is 30 meters wide. People have been trying to explain this phenomenon and there is a story that Aristotle drowned himself here when he jumped into the sea because he wanted to know how these tide changes emerge.
Signs to the old city Chalkidi are difficult to find, but in the Archaeological Museum of Chalkidi are the many finds that were discovered on the entire island. In Chadiki are the remnants of ancient temples and there is a 15th century fortres (Karababas). The current city Chalkidi is essentially a modern happening but on the quay, with its quaint hotels and cafes there is still a bit of the old atmosphere.
The remains of the old rival of Chalkidi, the old city Eretria, has more antique remnants to take a look at. Chalkidi and Eretria fought many wars to get control on the plain between the two cities. There is a theater, a marketplace, the foundations of a number of houses and a part of the city wall with the best-preserved gate of this period in Greece. In Eretria there is also an archaeological museum.
Kimi, 90 miles northeast of Chaldiki, is one of the oldest cities on the island. It is situated high in the mountains (with a port 4 miles away where the ferries arrive). In Kimi you can find a folklore museum. There are remnants of the old town and there is a Byzantine monastery. In Kimi there are many beautiful neo-classical buildings.
In Limni in Loutro Edipsos in the north of the island are remnants from the ancient time. In Loutro Edipsos are the remains of the ancient spa, because the village has been a spa since the ancient times. Most dates from the Roman era and were build under the reign of General Scylla. There are also remains of the Temple Dafniforos Apollo, the Palaestra with beautiful mosaics and an old theater. On a 7 kilometers distance of Limni build at the foot and against a mountain ia the beautiful Byzantine nunnery Galataki that dates from the 7th century. It stands on the ruins of the Temple for Posidon Aegeas and has a courtyard, so-called "cells" for the monks (rooms for the monks - or in this case the nuns) and a medieval Byzantine tower. This is the oldest monastery on the island and there are beautiful frescoes to be seen. Also here are the remnants of the old cities Aiges and Elymnion and there are small chapels from the Middle Ages in the area.
The fishing village of Rovies was called Orovies in earlier times and it was a fairly major city in antiquety. There was also an oracle of Apollo. During an earthquake in 428 B the city was partially destroyed but then rebuilt and expanded. Also in the Byzantine and later in the venatian time, it was a town of importance, as witnessed by the remaining Venetian tower from the 13th century. Today Rovies a modern city with about 1500 residents and it attracts a lot of tourists.
Evia has been inhabited already from the pre-historic times. The first major settlement was Chaldiki. This town is the closest to the mainland. There were copper mines and trade was driven. The name of the island means "rich in cattle". In the 5th century BC was Evia part of the Athenian Leage and stood against Persia, that destoyed the city Eretria. In the 4th and 5th century it was a major cultural center. In the 3rd and 2nd century BC Evia was besieged by the Romans and the island became part of the Roman Empire. In the Byzantine Period were many churches and monasteries were built on the island. The island had to resist many attacks by pirates. In the 13th century the island became a part of the Venetian empire, and after that it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. The war of independence against the Turkish occupation began in 1821.
The beach of Alikes lies not far from the capital Chalkidi. In the summer you can rent umbrellas and sunbeds and there are tavernes and snack bars open. There is a long sandy beach where you can also enjoy water sports.
The beach of Edipsos in the village / spa with the same name is located in the north of the island. It is a nice beach with facilities and tavernes.
The beach of Eretria is close to the centre of the city. There are tavernes and other facilities. It is popular with the Greeks themselves. It is usually not very busy. At the beach of Eretria are palm trees.
The beach of Istiea or Istiaia is a long beach in the north of the island of Evia, near the town with same name.
The beaches of Kalamos lie in the east of the island south of the village Kimi. It consists of a quantity of small bays with fine sandy beaches in a spectacular setting. OIn the area are some tavernes and a single hotel.
The beach of Lefkandi or Lefkanti is situated just under the capital Chalkidi between Chalkidi and Eretria. It is a two kilometer long sandy beach. There are a number of tavernes and there are also a few accommodations.
The beach of Limnionas is a beautiful beach on the east side of the island of Evia, an hour and fifteen minutes driving distance from the capital Chalkidi. Near the beach are two tavernes.
In the north of the island lies the village of Pefki. In this area are also beautiful long sandy beaches. The landscape in the area is very green with olive trees and pine trees. In the summer there are sometimes hydrofoils to Skiathos and the other Sporades islands.
Near the villages of Rovies in Limni, in the northwest of the island of Evia you can find the long beautiful pebble of Rovies.
The beach of Xiliadou lies on the east coast of the island behind the Dirfhis mountains, about an hour's drive away from the capital. It is a quiet and beautiful sandy beach with some tavernes and a few small hotels.
In the southeast not far away from Styra lies the beach of Zarakon. It is located in a quiet bay and usually it is not very crowded. On the beach are two tavernes.
The beach of Hikiadou. Once one of the best naturist beaches of Greece, but in recent years a little less, imeaning more people in swimwear and busier. The beach is located on the north side of the island just west of Kimi. Outside the high season and on weekends worthwhile to try.
The beach of Potami in the southwest of the island. Follow the path of Karystos to Aetos and keep following the coastal road. Here is more quiet and there are several quiet beaches suitable for naturism.
The pebble beach on the northern side of the campsite Rovies, located in the northwest of Evia, is used by naturists, often on the basis of "first come".
The southern section of the beach at Vasilika in the northeast of the island of Evia is used by naturists.
The southern part of the beach of Agia Anna is also used by naturists. Great beach with room for everyone.