General Information & Reviews

Reviews

• fanaticislan34 10 Mar 2011
  Enjoyed my days there

  I traveled to Andros for four days, just enough time to see a small part of the island. I stayed in Chora, at a friend's house and every morning we made a small tour for about an hour or so around the area. If you have only a few days to spend there, the best thing is to make a plan so you will have the chance to see more of the island.
  
  Chora is the centre of Andros in every aspect. It has great nightlife, traditional taverns with delicious local food in good, reasonable prices most of them and numerous shops where you can find everything you need. It is a modern town that has successfully preserved the traditional style and character. Don't forget to visit the three museums. Chora has many churches as well.
  
  We went to some nice beaches called Agios Petros and Chrissi Akti, that were very well-organized with clear waters. I enjoyed my days there, very nice island.
  
• tweetty 06 Jul 2010
  Romantic island

  We went directly from Athens Airport to Rafina (about 20 min by bus, there are buses to Rafina outside the terminal and leave every hour or 30 min) and then jumped into the boat to Andros, two hours away. The boat docks at Gavrio and the place doesn't attract you at first sight, but once you drive to the inland, you discover a fantasic island!
  
  The rented car was waiting for us at the port and if you are in low/middle season, you get really good prices. We booked ourselves into a small but comfortable hotel in Chora, which was a nice unspoilt town dotted with small houses, churches, narrow streets, museums, and a windy (really windy!) beach. The modern art museum was very interesting and has an exhibition about an American artist while we were there.
  
  The inland has small villages along the mountainside. Everywhere we went, we came across oak trees, plane trees, olive trees, cypresses, walnut and lemon trees whose tangy fragrance filled the air. We also saw several mineral water springs. It was a truly remarkable experience drinking water straight from the spring and you can be sure that the water is clean! We noticed that the water of Andros is mineral and it is bottled with the brandname Sariza.
  
  Beaches on the western side of Andros are organized with beach bars and sunbeds, such as Agios Petros and Kipri, but you can find many secluded beaches if you want quiet. Ormos Korthiou is great for windsurfing and has few rooms to rent. Most tourist place is certainly Batsi, but still it doesn't look tourist. The small port has plenty of fish taverns and it gets very romantic at night.
  
• sam57 15 Jan 2010
  Unforgettable

  I remember Andros very well from my holidays there about 5 years ago. How can I forget such a beautiful, beautiful island? How is it possible not to remember the lovely paths of Chora, the proud lighthouse in the middle of the sea. the wind that could get so strong as to make you on your knees, the sandy beach of Agios Petros, the traditional villages in the inland?
  
  I have visited three Greek islands overall (Andros, Ios and Sifnos) but Androstruly stole my heart from the first moment I stepped foot there. I want to come back sometimes to see if it will change with the passage of time. I wish it stays forever as impressive as I saw it and I wish that all people can its beauty. Andros combines good people and wild landscapes, popular coasts with isolate coves, paved vilage paths and track roads in the countryside. Choose a villa a bit away from the crowds and stay for a lot of days. At the end, you will not want to leave.
  
• joankam 08 Nov 2009
  Something artistic

  Well, not be cheeky and judge, Andros has nothing to keep you in Gavrio where your ship will reach first. Just go straight to Batsi where all summer visitors are gathered. But I did not like the beach there because the water is too shallow, suitable I guess for small children!
  
  Stenies is a fascinating all-green mountainous village with a tower to see and pose for souvenir photos. Apikia and the springs of Sariza are outside this village. Follow the path that leads to Pythara, a biotope with streams, lakes and small waterfalls, drowned to dense flora. And if this is not enough for your nature expectations, try the tramp of 7 km approximately through the Dipotamon canyon with the watermills.
  
  I think Androshas something artistic with all the art exhibitions, wood-carved signs painted in the hand outsdie the shops and with the beautiful museums. Not too far from the port of Rafina(aprox 2 hours) close to Athens but a little bit expensive though!
  
• greta1255iis 10 Aug 2009
  Far from huge crowds

  Andros is one of the best islands I have visited!! It was three years ago when I spent my first holidays on Androsand I go every summer since then. It is nice that tourism there is far from the huge crowds of Paros or Mykonos and that things are more traditional and genuine. The only annoying thing is the strong wind, it is windy almost every afternoon, so if you want to swim that time, choose carefully your beaches, because some have very big waves.
  
  For the rest, Andros has excellent nature and lovely villages to discover. Chora is wonderful and so pretty. Walks in the streets and look at the gift shops. People do not stress you to buy, they let you just to look around. If you want to shop, have cash with you because some local stores may not accept credit cards. Ask before you buy to be sure. Batsi is also very picturesque but when the ship comes it is very busy. Try all the taverns in Andros, you will never have a bad food experience, all dishes are wonderful. For cafeterias, prefer the coffee houses in Ano Plateia in Chora to get the best views. Some beach bars in Agios Petros also have great coctails. Recommended for the evening, after a tiring discovery trip in the inland.
  
• 1234ttr 15 Jul 2009
  Gorgeous landscape

  We stayed for two weeks in Andros last month. At first, we had booked one week in Andros and one in Tinos but we found such a beautiful island that we didn't want to leave. This was the perfect destination for our tastes: some parts were green and other were wild, all beaches were clean and villages were traditional. My best village was Chora and we would go there almost every evening to walk in the paved streets. The only bad thing on Andros was the strong wind that usually started in the afternoon and lasted till late at night, but once you get used to it, you don't mind. The beautiful landscape could put aside all problems.
  
  We rented a motorbike and toured all beaches. The beaches between Gavrio and Batsi are the most popular but we prefered small beaches with few people. Try Vitali beach but have a motorbike or a jeep there, the road is very bad and windy. Wake uo early every morning and go hiking. The route from Gavrio to Agios Petros and from Messaria to Menites are gorgeous. Go in the morning or in the afternoon when the sun is not too hot.
  
• anniekust 11 May 2009
  Trekking and cycling in spring

  Truth is that I didin't like beaches of Andros but enjoyed very much nature and villages. We went on the island last May, exactly a year ago and sea water was a bit cold, as you understand. But we had chosen on purpose to go in spring to do some trekking in green nature. Andros is not very green but not too barren either, like other Cycladic islands.
  
  In May, there were not many tourists and hotels had just opened. We had sent a lot of e-mails for bookings from about two months ago but we didn't get a reply till late April. At first, we were worried that we wouldn't find accommodation but then we understood that most hotels in Greece open in early May, this is when tourism season starts.
  
  We didn't joined any trekking group on Andros (I don't even know if there is one), but got a map and explored the paths ourselves. Try the route from Gavrio to Agios Petros, where you can see the ruins of an old tower and from Chora to Messaria, through some beautiful sceneries. Also rented bikes for two days and wandered around. You will be surprised to find taverns in the middle of nowhere. Food is better in these taverns than in the restaurants of Chora or Batsi because it is homemade.
  
• sand 22 Apr 2009
  Start your day with frappe

  There are no sites to see on Andros but very nice villages and beaches. Chora is the most picturesque village on Andros, although I also liked Batsi a lot. Gavrio, the third famous village, would lose a lot of its beauty due to the port, which made it a busy and unconvenient place. In general, Andros will not disappoint you, but sometimes it can get a little expensive. For example, a milk shake of 5-6 euros is overpriced! However, most cafeterias and taverns keep their rates low to attract more visitors, only a couple of cafes in Chora may be a bit expensive. Hotels are excellent on Andros, we had no problem from the services or the owners. In fact, we were very satisfied as the owner of our hotel was treating us Greek frape every morning. He said this is the best coffee to start a long, hot day. Cheers, Manolis!!
• nikosk 22 Dec 2008
  A real surprise to me

  Andros was a real surprise for me! Wonderful landscapes, excellent beaches, very friendly people and a lot of cultural life, especially in Chora with the famous museums and exhibitions. I recommend Batsi for staying, because it is closer to beaches and Chora for a visit. The facilities on the island are excellent and it is more developed than I thought.
• evibr3210 05 May 2008
  Buy amigdalota and kaltsounia

  It was my first trip to Andros last summer. Before going, you'd better read some info about the island, what to see, where to swim, about its nightlife and tradition. There are many beautiful beaches on Andros but to me the best beach was to pidima tis grias. The most organized was Xrisi Amos. I also thought Felos beach was nice but it had deep water. Batsi is certainly the most picturesque village to be. I would recommend you to take or to rent a car there, because the public transportation is not satisfying. Visit the museums, see the sailorman statue and before you leave, buy traditional sweets, like amigdalota and kaltsounia from Laskaris store in Chora. You will find them really tasteful.
  
• suzanne24 24 Mar 2008
  Good for families

  I enjoyed my holidays in Andros, I went there with my husband and our daughter, age 6, and and it's not that easy to find a nice place for families. Unfortunately we could stay only about a week, we always want more days to get some rest from the winter! The beaches were good, you can find a variety of them, organized, crowded or secluded. Some of them are rocky and deep, while some others are sandy and shallow. I liked having the ability to choose! Best one was Agios Petros, we spent many hours there and of course a lot of walks in the town of Andros. I will certainly visit it again.
• alessio_s 04 Mar 2008
  An island for swimming and relaxing

  The trip to Andros was quiet long, we had to take to ferries and a car route, as well, but it was nice.The island is good, beautiful beaches and two nice villages, Batsi and Chora. The inside is not ready for the tourism not so many attractions, not signals for most of the beaches. Only one problem: the island is not well linked to the other islands (Mykonos, Siros, etc.) and it's almost impossible doing one-day excursions.
  What i found really really wonderful was the food. The quality of the restaurants is very good and the prices are very cheap.
  Beautiful were also the beaches, like the Pidima Grias-really great- and the Golden beach. We also had some great drinks in "stamatis" and the "Steki", I would recommend them for sure!
• mail 29 Nov 2007
  Green

  This Island is so wonderfull green. And if you like long walks and beautifull beaches, thats the place to be.
• Fabrizio_Ziz 22 Nov 2007
  Perfect uncrowded beaches

  The island is beautiful and pleasantly unspoiled, given that it is just 2 hours away from Athens. It is actually one of the least exploited locations I have seen in Greece and yet one of the best places, with a whole lot of perfect uncrowded beaches, crystal clear water (Kalamitsi, Zorkos, Vitali, Peza, and many others. Difficult to find a bad one.), nice villages (Batsi) and restaurants (Very good and not expensive, as common in Greece). Quite uncommon in the Cyclades islands, it has many water springs, which make it quite green.
  You should stay in Batsi; it is a very nice village and you can go everywhere from here. I would recommend Villa Rena -we had a perfect stay there and the owners, Rena and Johnny, are very nice persons.
• kate.gowing 04 Oct 2007
  Nightlife for me is ideal

  The Island has charm that I've not experienced anywhere else, I took a friend this year that has visited over 20 other Greek Islands but she's hooked on Andros now too! There are some amazing beaches if you fancy hiring a car, the local beach has a Blue Flag now but I prefer the rocks where its quiet. Psili Amos was one of the best. Nightlife, for me, is ideal. There are a few bars dotted around, all good and about 4 clubs that you wouldn't even know were they are due to the sound proofing. The clubs and bars are not huge, but friendly and safe places to be. One of my friends owns a bar next to Paradise Villas called "HPOON" (Iroon), great for sheltering if its windy or gazing over the bay, really nice place to chill out and its open for breakfast too! Scala is a great lively bar for atmosphere, popular with the young locals.
  Best Activity : Eating! The food is just beautiful... a few great places to eat - Louis' and Stomatis to name a couple. I have to mention Koala restaurant as the owner and his family are lovely people, they do great Pizza and Baked Spaghetti. His brother has a boat and will take you to different beaches and then come back and collect you at the end of the day. The best thing about Batsi - the local people.
  If you are looking for a place to go that is not over run by tourists then this is it, there is a large Greek contigent that holiday here so everything is pretty traditional but with the added bonus of having lively bars and a few clubs tucked away if you fancied it. I would recommend hiring a car to see the beaches on the opposite site of the island to Batsi.
• mette 02 Nov 2005
  Quiet family island

  Nationality: Norvegian
  
  Age: 42
  
  
  
  The trip: Plane from Oslo to Athens. Bus to the port of Rafina and ferry to Andros. The trip was pleasant. Fortunately the port of Rafina is very close to the airport.
  
  Reasons for going to Andros: Because it is a quiet family island.
  
  Idea before arriving: That Andros Greece would be a quiet and beautiful island with dense vegatation.
  
  Expectations and opinions: It really met my expectations. It is a really beautiful island and there is much to do and see. Really impressive landscapes.
  
  Favorite thing about Andros: The hotel, the people, Andros town.
  
  Negative opinion: Everything is wonderful but Batsi should have a quiet walking street instead of cars.
  
  Recommendations: Spend time at Villa Rena and in the town.
  
  
  
  Yes, hopefully, we will go back to Andros
• micha 28 Sep 2005
  Athenian point of view

  Hello.
  
  I am Athenian and I often go to Andros during the weekends. It is the perfect place to escape for two days because it is only two hours away from the port of Rafina (Athens second port).
  
  The beaches are fine and the waters are fresh and incredibly clear.
  
  The capital is a pure marvel and its museum of art has some very good and interesting expositions in spring and summer.
  
  The island also has a few bars and plenty of very good restaurants. It is the ideal place to get away from the noisy and tiring life of Athens.
• jess 04 Sep 2005
  Easter holidays in Andros

  I went to Andros with my son during the Greek Easter and we had a very good time.
  We stayed at the camping near the port. It was very nice because we were the only ones (it was the second day of opening) and had the swimming pool for ourselves.
  We enjoyed the great beaches which were near the port and ate fresh fishes and seafood. Just perfect.
• active 27 Jul 2005
  A verdant place

  I just came back from Andros where I stayed for a week with my wife and my two daughters.
  
  We stayed in a lovely place called Villa Sofia; it is near Gavrio (port of the island), near the sea and it is the only pension which is surrounded by such vegetation. It is near a beautiful but popular beach and has a playground for children.
  Apart from our lovely studio and hostess we found that the island was very pleasant and welcoming.
  It is the only island of the Cyclades which has so many trees and greenery because it has abundant groundwater. The capital of Andros is one of the loveliest little towns I?ve ever seen. It is an hour away from the port and has been built near the sea; it is full of beautiful houses with red tiled roofs and beautiful wooden doors. The whole town is closed to any kind of motorised vehicles and has stone paved streets and alleys. It is a real pleasure for the eye.
  The art museum of the capital is well known for its good expositions and brings pieces of works of many famous Greeks and international artists.