Guide of Andros

The island of Andros, is just a few kilometers from Athens and is the second largest island in the Cycladic archipelago. The island is rich in flora and fauna, with waterfalls, historical sites, hidden paths, hills and a rugged coastline that alternates between beaches and bays overlooking the sea. The varied nature, mountains and rivers that run from west to east  are the main attraction of this island, providing tourists with an alternative to sunny beaches and typical little blue and white villages.

History 

According to the legends, the name of the island derives from the nephew of Apollo. This island was conquered and invaded many times over the centuries,  by the Phoenicians, Cretans and Persians. It was then linked to Sparta and against Athens, eventually it became the subject of contention for its strategic position during the expansion of the Roman Empire, under the Venetian domination and for the Ottoman Empire. In 1943, during the Second World War, the island was literally razed to the ground due to lots of bombings, which sadly destroyed many important historical sites.

Places to visit

Besides its splendid nature, Andros offers treasures like Chora, an elegant town with some nice neoclassical style palaces and gardens and the Modern Art and an Archaeological Museum where you can find a Roman copy of the famous statue of Hermes of Praxiteles. Holidaying on this little-known island is pleasant because there are varied activities available from the typical beautiful beaches equipped for families to trails and mountains that will please most hikers thanks to the lush island nature, rivers valleys and mountains.