Last weekend we were planning to have a getaway to one of my favorite destinations – Andros. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it, but I still keep daydreaming about it. Fingers crossed, we’ll manage to go early July. It’s one of my favorite weekend getaway destinations and frankly, I really miss it. For those who may have never heard of Andros before, allow me to introduce her to you. It is the northernmost island of the Cycladic complex in the Aegean archipelago. It is an island with golden sandy beaches and small waterfalls, but it’s also known for its Sariza spring at Apoikia. It’s a mountainous island like the other Cycladic islands, but much more green.
To be honest, I haven’t toured the whole island, so this post is definitely not the ultimate travel guide for this island. But, let me tell you what I do love about Andros and why I like to visit the island as often as I can. For starters it is very close to Athens. It is about an hour’s drive to Rafina Port and just one more hour with the ferry. That is really close and therefore, ideal for weekend getaways, especially if you have little children and want to go somewhere afar, but stay flexible too.
The main reason I love this beautiful island though, is that I can totally rest. Once we get there, we head straight for Batsi – a seaside village with a beautiful sandy cove. The moment we park our car outside our room rental, Villa Galazio, we know that we don’t have to use it again till it’s time to return to Athens. That’s because our room rental with its sea- side view is located on the one least crowded end of this cove and is only a two minute walk to the beach. Furthermore, the taverna where we usually have breakfast, lunch and dinner is just a road crossing behind the very sunbeds we rent every morning.
Now, that is like heaven to me. The perfect combination of facilities with an easy going attitude for unwinding, recomposing myself and more importantly enjoying our family time together. Imagine three days or even a week of sunbathing (or even napping on a sunbed), swimming in clear blue waters, eating all those Greek specialties, drinking juice cocktails, eating ice-creams at least twice a day, and sleeping like a log after watching the coming and going of sailing or fishing boats and flickering lights from the village across… Ugh!!! I’m telling you – this is the ultimate relaxation break for me. And I almost forgot, that we also stretch our legs but strolling to the touristy village of Batsi while taking in the views and sounds. It’s a loaded itinerary, but we cope. LOL!!!
In case you’re feeling a little more adventurous than me, then visiting the main town of Andros, once a major shipping center, and/or exploring some of the other popular beaches is in order. Water sports or hiking are both good options for the more active ones. Now a tip to remember: visit the main town in the mornings, only! We mistakenly ignored that tip, the first time we visited Andros and we were quite disappointed by the town which is not a very touristy place, and hence, things don’t look very lively like in the mornings. 😉
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So there you have it. The beautiful, green island of Andros has won me over because life there is simple, quiet, and peaceful, allowing us to enjoy to the fullest the little things that really matter to us. Can’t ask for more than that. 😉
Love always,
