NOTE: Flight requirements for this itinerary; Arrival before 14:30 at Athens Airport
Start: Athens Finish: Tinos Island
After your arrival at Athens airport our taxi driver will take you to the port of Rafina, from where you depart in the late afternoon to Andros. The ferry crossing is app. 2 hours. After your arrival in the port of Gavrio you travel by local bus in app. 1 hour to Chora, the capital of Andros. Your pension is in the area Nimborio.
In case your flight arrives after 14.30 hrs, we advise you to book an additional night before the arrangement starts in Rafina or in Athens. In that case, you travel on the morning ferry to Andros.
In the morning there is plenty of time to visit Andros Chora with its impressive mansions and museums. Andros has always been an island with many shipowners who built beautiful houses and donated museums to the island.
In the afternoon you take a taxi to nearby Apikia, a village built along a wide, green valley. You descend via old, walled mule tracks leading you through the valley. You come along the dilapidated tower of Bitsis with its mystic atmosphere. Via olive groves you reach the beach of Gialia. After a swim, you ascend briefly to cross a cape and further descend to your pension on the beach of Nimborio.
Challenge: 2.5 / 4 hours, 5 - 9 km / 3 - 5,5 mi, 90 / 410 m ascent, 340 / 380 m descent
From Andros Chora you ascend via a beautiful paved path (kalderimi) along high cypresses and through olive groves. The walls left and right of the path are constructed of slates in a traditional, almost artistic way. You come through the villages Lamira and Mesaria with their imposing churches and natural springs. Follows a pleasant descend to an ancient Venetian bridge crossing the river bed. Higher up the mountain the Monastery of Panachrantos comes in sight. A steady climb leads you up to the Monastery, that appears to be literally clinging to the side of the mountain Gerakonas. The views over the island and the warm welcome in the Monastery are well worth the climb.
After your visit to the Monastery you descend through the green valley of the Livadia river back to Andros Chora.
Challenge: 6.5 hours, 17.5 km / 11 mi, 600 m ascent and descent
Today you will enjoy great views over the sea, Ormos Korthiou and Andros Chora. The walk starts from Ormos Korthiou from where you ascend via an intact old kalderimi along orchards and past the quiet village Kochilos. After Kochilos, the ruins of the old fortress Paleokastro come in sight. The last section to the top is an optional detour, but definitely worth the effort, because of the awarding 360 degrees view over Southern Andros. Through the impressive Dipotama-gorge you make your way to the village Sineti, where you find a local café and a folklore museum. Leaving Sineti, you face your last climb, before making your final descent to the sandy beach of Paraporti, on the east side of Andros Chora. You cross Andros Chora to reach Nimborio beach.
Challenge: 6 hours, 14 km / 8,5 mi, 530 m ascent and descent
In the morning you take the public bus to Gavrio and travel per ferry to Tinos. A taxi takes you to the village Falatados in the inner land. In the afternoon you can make a round walk from Falatados. Via a kalderimi you walk to the village Myrsini and descend to the (dry) river bed of the Livada river. You can opt to return from here via another kalderimi back to Falatados and enjoy some free time or you may continue to Livada beach and return partly via the same route.
It is definitely worthwhile to spend some time exploring the narrow alleys in Falatados and discover this very traditional village in your own way.
Challenge: 2 / 5 hours, 4.5 - 12.5 km / 3 - 12,5 mi, 200 / 440 m ascent and descent
Todays walk is a great walk leading you all around the remarkableExombourgo mountain and along the finest villages of Tinos. You walk through valleys and terraced fields, through villages with narrow alleys andalong numerous churches and a monastery. In the wide valley betweenLoutra and Kambos are the finest dovecotes that are so characteristic forTinos Island.
Challenge: 6 hours, 15 km / 9.5 mi, 570 m ascent and descent
This last walk on Tinos offers great views on Tinos town and the south coast. You will be transferred to Falatados and walk through agricultural fields towards the Exobourgo. On the top of this mountain you find the Venetian Fortress Exoburgo (optional). Then you head southwards, descending via old mule tracks. You pass a few remarkable ruins of windmills and then descend via a long kalderimi to Tinos town. The walk is only 3 hours and hence there is plenty of time to visit the lively town of Tinos, dominated by the big church of Panagia. Or you may prefer to go to one of the sandy beach that are near the town.
Challenge: 3 hours, 8 km / 5 mi, 100 m ascent, 470 m descent
For today there are two options that you need to indicate at the time of booking.
(Hotel in Athens NOT INCLUDED)
All hotels of this trip are carefully selected because of their location, atmosphere and/or unique services. All rooms are en-suite.
In most cases you will stay in the standard accommodation listed below. Occassionally an alternative accommodation will be confirmed to you. This may happen especially in the busy town of Tinos Chora. When an alternative accommodation is necessary, we always try to maintain the same standards and quality. When staying in an alternative accommodation, the walks are never affected.
Extra overnight:
You can book additional night(s) at any of the accommodations along the way. If your flight arrives later than 14:30 hrs into Athens airport, you will need to book an extra night in Rafina or in Athens before your trip. If you stay in Rafina you will be transfered from the airport to the hotel in Rafina and walk to the ferry the next morning. If you stay in Athens down town, the transfer from the airport to Athens center is not included. Instead, you will be transfered from Athens center to Rafina port the next day in the morning and you travel on the morning ferry to Andros.
Pension Stella is a friendly family-run pension. Owner Popi Regoukou will make you feel at home. The beach of Nimborio is right in front of the pension and there is a nice shadowed terrace for a drink and breakfast. All rooms have private facilities, a kitchenette and a balcony.
The Vincenzo family offers comfortable rooms with private facilities on a central location in Tinos town. There is also a car rental service, convenient if you book an extra night on this location. There is a nice outside area with a small jacuzzi.
This tour can be booked from April to October starting on any day of the week
The best time to travel to the Greek islands is between April and June and September to the beginning of November. In Summer it gets very hot. We recommend doing this tour in Spring, when Spring is at its best, or in Autumn, when the sea water is still warm.
Best arrival and departure airport is Athens ATH. There are direct flights from many European countries to Athens.
The transfer from Athens airport to Rafina port is included (app. 30 mins) as is the ferry ticket from Rafina to Andros. Duration ferry is 2 hours. Last ferry in low season leaves at 17:30 hrs. In summer season can be later.
From Tinos there is either a ferry ticket to Piraeus included or a ferry ticket to Naxos in case you have booked the Naxos-Santorini trip immediately after this trip.
The arrival time in Piraeus is usually at 20:00 hrs. Ferry crossing Tinos-Piraeus is 5 hours. Between Tinos and Naxos there is usually a catamaran in the morning. Occassionally it may be necessary to travel via Paros or Syros with a stop-over.
We offer the possibility to book an additional transfer from Piraeus to Athens and hotel accommodation in Athens.
We can send you GPS tracks of this trip upon request and after booking.
Included
Not included
Optional services (to be booked in advance)
IMPORTANT:
• THE ACCOMMODATION TAX (ALSO CALLED RESILIENCE FEE) WILL INCREASE IN 2025. THESE FEES WILL BE PER ROOM PER NIGHT. THIS IS PAYABLE ON THE SPOT UPON ARRIVAL BY THE TRAVELLER HIMSELF.
1-2* HOTELS: 2,00 EURO (WAS 1,50)
3* HOTELS: 5,00 EURO (WAS 3,00)
4* HOTELS: 10,00 EURO (WAS 7,00)
5* HOTELS: 15,00 EURO (WAS 10,00)
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am – 6:00pm (CET)
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am – 6:00pm (CET)