Ms Hine says...
The holiday was relaxed and organised. Great routes and amazing guide, Thanks. Loved it!
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The delightful island of Evia is a real hidden treasure, close to Athens yet a world away with old stone paths connecting quaint villages tucked away in the mountains. This walkers’ paradise offers unique history and an authentic atmosphere as you walk past Roman quarries, aqueducts, and Byzantine churches. In the summer there are plenty of opportunities for swimming at a deserted beach or a tucked-away cove, and traditional tavernas and waterfront ouzo-meze shops make eating and drinking here a wonderful experience.
From Athens airport, we transfer by road to Rafina (approximately 35 min), and then take the ferry to Mamari on Evia Island (about 1hr). It is then a short drive to our hotel at Karystos.
Our first day takes us through Karystos town up to the villages of Gourna that are scattered high above the bay of Karystos and below the peaks of Mount Ohi. Walking through the verdant countryside along stone-worn paths next to springs and streams, we reach the Roman aqueduct of 160 BC. We continue to Castello Rosso, one of the grandest Forts of the 4th crusade, where we can enjoy our lunch with beautiful views of the Mediterranean. Using mountain goat-trails and country lanes we walk down to the fertile valley of Mili, full of citrus, olive and cypress trees, before reaching the coast.
Walk: Distance 10 km Ascent 400 m Descent 400 m Max Altitude 450 m Time: 6 hours
We drive along the south-eastern tip of the island, over the mountains towards the Cape of Cavo Doro, heading to the beautiful ravine of Platanistos and the first of 20 ancient villages of Albanian descent. Over the arches of stone bridges, we follow the river towards Potami hamlet on the coast, a Hellinistic anchorage since Homeric times. En route we view the site of Hellinikon with the remains of the foundations of Poseidon's temple, dating back to the 8th century B.C. Walking amongst large plane trees we reach the sea and one of the nicest, yet still relatively unknown, beaches in the Aegean. During the warmer months of the year, we have the opportunity to swim and relax on the beach. We return to Karystos by taxi/coach.
Walk: Distance 10 km Ascent 200 m Descent 400 m Max Altitude 500 m Time: 5 hours
We start with an early morning drive along the panoramic mountain road to the North, known as the 'Eagle Route', which takes us above the evergreen valley of Styra. We then climb Mt Kliosi's dramatic summit where the remains of the ancient Acropolis defy time and elements on a 'Wuthering Heights' plateau. The Eerie ancient Gate, the cave of St Nicolas and the ruins of Castro Armeno, often in the mist, make this a visit to remember. The gentle walk down takes us past wild strawberry bushes and the remains of the Roman marble quarries to the quaint villages of Styra Valley, which overlook Marathon, just across the water on the Continent. In the afternoon we take the bus back to Karystos.
Walk: Distance 10 km Ascent 350 m Descent 550 m Max Altitude 800 m Time: 5 hours
This morning we drive to the village of Lycorema. We enjoy a coastal walk around the bay and visit the fishing hamlet of Marmari. The afternoon is free to relax on the beach or wander around Karystos, an authentic Greek island town.
Walk: Distance 5 km Ascent 100 m Descent 200 m Max Altitude 300 m Time: 2.5 hours
From the springs of St Theodore in Argastaras mountain village we climb up on Mount Ohi following multi-trails and marble-worn paths to the heart of the Roman Quarries where the famous green and white marble known as Cipollino - small onion in latin due to its stripes and rings - was shaped into monumental monolithic columns around Biblical times. 10 perfectly completed marble pillars are still here, abandoned during Rome's decline. The thousand years old path takes us to the villages of upper and lower Aetos with superb views of the Aegan Sea all along the way. We reach the coast, dotted with beautiful small sandy coves on the way back to town.
Walk: Distance 10 km Ascent 300 m Descent 600 m Max Altitude 650 m Time: 5.5 hours
Today we walk on one of the oldest paths on the island, an ancient corridor within the gorge to the remote and wild beach on the east coast. We travel by taxi/coast to the isolated village of Agios Dimitrios on Mount Ohi, which is the starting point of the famous gorge walks on the island. The ancient path in the beginning, runs next to the river and gradually rises high above it with outstanding views of the limestone cliffs and the ever blue Aegean sea. The dramatic canyon is a natural habitat for unique flora and fauna with thyme, oregano and sage, peonies and orchids, eagles and falcons amongst plane and chestnut trees.
Walk: Distance 10 km Ascent 200 m Descent 400 m Max Altitude 500 m Time: 5 hours
After breakfast, we can visit a local beekeeper to learn about and taste the famous Greek Island honey and its products. Around lunchtime, we check out of our rooms and transfer back to Athens Airport where our adventure ends.
This single-centre holiday is based at the following hotel. If you'd like to extend your stay here, or upgrade your room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or email usa@exodustravels.com
Our aim is to provide holidays that are unbeatable for choice and flexibility. We've listed our most popular travel options below, however you aren't limited to these - we can tailor-make virtually any holiday to suit.
To find out more about the travel options available call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or email usa@exodustravels.com
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
The holiday was relaxed and organised. Great routes and amazing guide, Thanks. Loved it!
Excellent hiking, very good company, relaxed ambience, excellent informative, helpful, friendly guide, outstandingly efficient. The island of Evia is a wonderful place to holiday in - interesting, varied hikes, clear seas for swimming, healthy food.
The holiday was exactly as I had hoped. Lovely walks, all of which were beautifully scenic, with a fantastic guide (Cecile) who was approachable, knowledgeable and supportive throughout. The balance of walking to free time was perfect to give a restful holiday. The day in Athens was a little rushed; sufficient to get a brief snapshot of the city, but with hindsight I would have added a day or two to the end of my trip to spend more time there. Evia certainly feels unspoilt; Karystos has a relaxed feel to it, but had enough restaurants and bars (none of which were 'tacky') to provide variety for the week. The food (particularly lunch) was plentiful, one certainly did not go hungry. Hotel Galaxy was perfectly located on the seafront, and we were lucky enough to all have rooms with balconies overlooking the lovely view - ideal for sundowners before going downstairs to join the group for dinner. The staff were all very welcoming and accommodating. The rooms are pretty minimalist, but clean with a decent sized fridge and lots of storage space. If pushed for a negative, I would say the bathrooms could be updated, but I am told the set up was not unusual for Greece. Morgan at Headwater was great to deal with, extremely pleasant and every time I spoke with her I looked forward to the trip more. I will certainly be using Headwater again in the future.
beautiful walks, great food, lovely coffee and good company
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
This 7 night guided walking holiday includes:
All breakfasts, 4 picnic lunches, and 5 dinners
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout
London flights (if booking incl. flights)
How to book:
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or click on the 'check availability' links below to complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or click on the 'Check availability' links below to complete our holiday enquiry form.
Departure date | Tour only | Prices | |
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11th Sep 2022 | US$1999 | Tour only: US$1999 | Check availability |
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25th Sep 2022 | US$1999 | Tour only: US$1999 | Check availability |
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9th Oct 2022 | US$1999 | Tour only: US$1999 | Check availability |
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6th Nov 2022 | US$1949 | Tour only: US$1949 | Check availability |
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27th Nov 2022 | US$1949 | Tour only: US$1949 | Check availability |
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19th Dec 2022 | US$1949 | Tour only: US$1949 | Check availability |
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26th Dec 2022 | US$1949 | Tour only: US$1949 | Check availability |
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5th Feb 2023 | US$1999 | Tour only: US$1999 | Check availability |
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5th Mar 2023 | US$1999 | Tour only: US$1999 | Check availability |
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19th Mar 2023 | US$1999 | Tour only: US$1999 | Check availability |
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2nd Apr 2023 | US$2079 | Tour only: US$2079 | Check availability |
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16th Apr 2023 | US$2079 | Tour only: US$2079 | Check availability |
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7th May 2023 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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21st May 2023 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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11th Jun 2023 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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10th Sep 2023 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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24th Sep 2023 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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8th Oct 2023 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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22nd Oct 2023 | US$2179 | Tour only: US$2179 | Check availability |
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5th Nov 2023 | US$2079 | Tour only: US$2079 | Check availability |
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26th Nov 2023 | US$2079 | Tour only: US$2079 | Check availability |
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17th Dec 2023 | US$2079 | Tour only: US$2079 | Check availability |
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The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.
This holiday is operated by our sister company, Exodus
7 nights 2-star seaside hotel with en suite rooms
4 full days and 2 half day centre-based walking; including sightseeing in Athens
Between 4 and 6 hours walking per day
Altitude maximum 1000m, average 500m