HIKING IN ANDROS
There are around 6,000 islands spread across the Aegean and Ionian Seas, and possibly over 6,000 reasons to visit Greece. Each island is unique, both in terms of cultural heritage and scenery.
Mèlisses’ native land, the beautiful island of Andros, still surprises us every day with its diversity, both under and above its emerald waters. And as we are about to open for a new season, we would like to remind you again of the island’s charms.
Andros is well known for its wild unspoilt nature, countless beaches, and many hiking trails.
In fact, we would love to present to you the island from a different perspective… on foot! Guided by our friend, and expert on Andros’ trails, One Foot Forward founder, Ariana Masselou. Her travel agency offers hiking, bespoke activities, and guided tours of the Cycladic islands.
In 2008, Ariana made a life-changing decision. She stepped aside from her professional career in film marketing and an intense life in Athens, determined to focus on her three biggest passions - travel, hiking and tai chi. Ariana says: “Together with the decision to move to the countryside and close to nature, I took with me my experiences from travelling around the world, the knowledge of marketing, and with these two basic ingredients in 2011, I created a small travel company.”
Since then, hiking experiences in Andros grew in popularity and One Foot Forward is now active across the Cyclades, creating holiday experiences to explore the islands from different points of view.
“What makes Greece and its landscape stand out is the combination of beautiful and diverse landscapes on a small scale, combined with the ancient history and authenticity of its people. And of course, when we talk about the Cyclades, although part of the same archipelago, each island has its own special characteristics and peculiarities, and we try to highlight these through the experiences we offer.”
Ariana’s deep connection with Andros goes back decades as her father chose this particular island for their family getaway. Ariana adds:
“While I love all the Cyclades and all these years I have been exploring them bit by bit, Andros remains for me, my great love. It is the largest of the island complex, it is mountainous, it has springs and rivers and fertile valleys, it has waterfalls, an authentic rural landscape, beautiful beaches, important biodiversity, and a strong tradition and history. You can experience different landscapes every day as if you are traveling miles away. It is a very special island and still holds many hidden secrets that I continue to discover even after so many years. One thing is for sure, Andros may not be as famous as some other islands, but that it is still intact and unspoiled is its biggest advantage!”
Every trail whether included or not in the hiking network, every walking route, long or short, has its own identity, its own landscape, and locality. Ariana says: “If I had to choose and maybe suggest to someone who may have little time to spend on the island, I would choose three routes that can be walked in whole or in part, depending on the visitor's time and energy level.”
Starting from Chora and travelling to Batsi on foot is an interesting and beautiful experience for a good hiker. You’ll begin at the verdant and neoclassical architectural area of the capital, in rural authentic Cycladic landscapes, climb to the highest, wild and rocky parts of Andros with stunning sea views, and will end up in the cosmopolitan Batsi. A route full of landscape changes but also of important history; since from Venetian times, it was the main connection from one side of the island to the other. Its length is 21 km and takes about 6 hours.
The next favourite route is the one that starts again from Chora and ends at the small seaside settlement of Korthi. A route that has along the way many interesting sights: from the beautiful Venetian cobbled trail - the old artery connecting the two cities - the stone arched bridge, the impressive gorge of Dipotamata with the old watermills, the Upper Castle in Kochilou, to the famous beach of “Grias Pidima”. The route is 14km in total and takes about 4.5 hours to walk.
And the third route that is shorter (but can be longer if you want to start from Gavrio) is the hike in Frousse Valley, which can be combined with the beach of Zorgos and another short hike to one of the most beautiful caves of Andros, ending in two huge holes or 'eyes' towards the sea. Frousseoi is a small valley that hosts very intense vegetation, a small stream of continuous flow, and most impressively an entire millers village that operated until the middle of the 20th Century. This is a particularly short route at just 5km and its duration is about 2 hours.
Just because Andros is an island does not mean that it is forbidden to walk in winter! The winter season tends to be mild, so it is enjoyable to walk in Andros and the rest of the Cyclades.
As Andros doesn’t have very high altitudes or paths over 25km per day, basic hiking gear should be perfectly fine!
To get you started on your hike, pack well-closed trainers (or boots in cases of long distances), proper socks, long pants, a 35 - 40 litre backpack, water tank, and a change of clothes and socks.
During the spring and summer, you’ll need sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, and definitely more water. In winter and autumn, the key is to come prepared with layers: a base layer with insulating properties; an insulating, removable middle layer; and a waterproof/windproof outer layer.
Now that you’ve been briefed on the gear, a few precautions from the hiking expert Ariana:
If you choose self-guided walking, keep in mind the very frequent altitude differences, which may not be very high but sometimes are continuous and with strong and steep slopes. Andros is characterised by its sharp relief!
Dear friends, the snakes. Wanting or not, summer is their season and so we suggest walking in long pants and thick shoes to be safe. Your shorts and swimsuit can always be in your backpack as the beach is waiting at the end of every hike.
Check the weather before starting! Strong north winds hit Andros quite often and so it is good to avoid high points exposed to the wind that day.
In general, hiking trails in Andros are characterised by easy to medium levels of difficulty.
Now you must be wondering what’s the best season to try hiking! And for that, Ariana has a very straightforward answer:
“Without a doubt… when everything blooms, when everything smells, when everything around us dances to the rhythm of Spring. The sunlight is still sweet, the weather is mild, the flora of Andros in its forte…”
Ariana’s great love for Andros is so genuinely reflected in her wishes for the future of the island too:
“It would be great for professionals, locals, and visitors of the island to be focused on one thing: the unique nature of Andros. To protect and promote it in a gentle way, keeping it intact from mass tourism. To learn to preserve and highlight the old traditions, culture, and landscapes and to realise that only this can bring someone really close to a special place, a destination. I feel it is important to revive old practices and to develop them in a sustainable manner.”
We hope that introducing Andros from another perspective can inspire our future guests to try the unique paths of the island while staying at Mèlisses, and allow for total immersion in its unspoiled beauty. We are very much looking forward to welcoming you again soon!
For more information about hikes in Andros, visit onefootforward.gr // @onefootforward.gr
Photos by Ariana Masselou & Mèlisses archive
Interview adapted by Veronika Krizova & Allegra Pomilio