The delightful island of Evia is a real hidden treasure, close to Athens yet world’s 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.
Temporary changes due to COVID-security measures.
Last updated: 23rd Septemeber 2020
At Headwater we acknowledge our responsibility to have the most up to date information on anything that will affect our customers on holiday, and to communicate this to our customers as effectively as possible.
Our general global COVID security measures are described in our Travel Safety Charter, and changes will be made to these measures as required by the global pandemic situation.
However, we also expect there to be requirements, measures and sometimes itinerary changes that apply to certain trips only, and may well be temporary measures. We have highlighted all known changes in the section below.
Entry requirements.
For all trips, having the correct documentation and visa, if required, remains the customer’s responsibility based on their own nationality. We therefore encourage all travellers to check entry requirements using the travel advice of their home nation for the relevant destination. For UK passport holders that is https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
In order to meet the new immigration requirements for Greece you should note the following:24 hours before entering Greece, you will have to fill in a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) where you will be required to share your contact details with immigration officials. Download the PLF here: https://travel.gov.gr/#/Greek authorities will be random testing international arrivals, so you must be prepared for the possibility of being required to take a COVID test. Upon being tested, travellers move to their first hotel in Athens arranged by Headwater (name to be confirmed), where you will be required to practise social distancing until receiving the test result which will be available within 24 hours from testing. In the event of a positive result, you will be contacted and placed on 14-day quarantine, with expenses covered by the Greek state.COVID restrictions
National regulations or guidelines in Greece require visitors to:Wear facemasks on public transport (including flights and ferries), at airports, in taxis, private and public transport, in all medical facilities and lifts.{BULLET}Wear masks in all public indoor spaces{BULLET}Wear mask in all enclosed spaces and in outdoor gatherings where normal social distancing cannot be observed (recommended but not mandatory)Maintain social distancing where possible, at a standard distance of 1.5 meters.Visitors should note that certain restrictions are in place for restaurants, shops and museums.Specific local restrictions are in place in the region of Attica which includes Athens. These include:Mandatory use of face masks in all indoor public spaces;{BULLET}Mandatory use of face masks in crowded outdoor areas where minimum social distancing (of 1.5 metres) cannot be maintained, such as in public squares, at bus stops etc;{BULLET}Strong recommendation for the use of face masks by everyone in all outdoor spaces; {BULLET}A ban on gatherings of more than 9 people, either indoors or outdoors;{BULLET}Prohibition of operation of all food/catering sector-related shops, services and facilities from midnight - 7am the next day;{BULLET}A limit of 4 people per table in any restaurantYour leader will reconfirm the latest local government advice and requirements on arrival.
Itinerary changes
Following the possible random testing on arrival at Athens airport and consequent compulsory social distancing (for up to 24 hours) in place for those tested, we have decided to rearrange the order of the activities and inclusions of the itinerary for the whole group as follows:
DAY 1 Fly to Athens; transfer to start hotel in Athens; overnight in Athens.
DAY 2 Take walking tour of Athens including an optional visit to the Acropolis; late afternoon or evening transfer to Rafina and ferry to Evia.*Those tested on arrival will be subject to possible isolation at the start hotel until the test results are delivered. At that point, if the test is negative, they will be able to join the group for an afternoon visit of Athens and onwards ferry to Evia. (B)
DAY 3 Walk through the ravine from Platanistos to the beach at Potami Bay. (B,L, D)
DAY 4 Ascend Mount Kliosi and the Acropolis of Styra. (B,L,D)
DAY 5 Walk through rolling hills and the Gourna villages, passing Roman Columns and visiting the Castello Rosso (B,L,D)
DAY 6 Morning walk in the Bay of Marmari; afternoon free to relax on the beach or wander around Karystos. (B,D)
DAY 7 Gorge walk from Mt Ohi down to the rugged East Aegean coast. (B,L,D)
DAY 8 Morning ferry to Athens; fly to London (B)
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. Accommodation: Hotel Galaxy or similarStandard Hotel
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 9 km Ascent 100 m Descent 400 m Max Altitude 400 m Time: 4.5 hours
Accommodation: Hotel Galaxy or similar
Standard Hotel
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 300 m Descent 400 m Max Altitude 700 m Time: 5 hours
Accommodation: Hotel Galaxy or similar
Standard Hotel
Our third day takes us up to the villages of Gourna that are scattered high above the bay of Karystos and below the peaks of Mount Ohi. Walking through verdant countryside along stone-worn paths next to springs and streams, we reach the monolithic marble columns in the Imperial Roman Quarries, perfectly completed and abandoned during Rome’s decline. We continue to Castello Rosso, one of the grandest Forts of the 4th crusade, from where we can enjoy beautiful views of the Mediterranean. Using mountain goat-trails and country lanes we walk down to the fertile plain of Aetos, full of citrus, olive and cypress trees, before reaching the coast.
Walk: Distance 11 km Ascent 450 m Descent 450 m Max Altitude 500 m Time: 6 hours
Accommodation: Hotel Galaxy or similar
Standard Hotel
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 0 m Descent 150 m Max Altitude 150 m Time: 3 hours
Accommodation: Hotel Galaxy or similar
Standard Hotel
This morning we take the ferry to Athens to discover the historic centre of this breath-taking city, the cradle of Western civilisation and the birthplace of democracy. We wander around the beautiful Plaka, the impressive Houses of Parliament, Zappion National Gardens and St Paul’s Boulevard, before heading up to the Acropolis Hill. We end the tour outside the Acropolis giving those who wish to explore the Acropolis, one of the ancient wonders of our world, the option to do so. In the evening, we transfer back to Evia.
Walk: Distance 4 km Ascent 0 m Descent 0 m Time: 3 hours
Accommodation: Hotel Galaxy or similar
Standard Hotel
Today we have a picturesque walk through the gorges to the rugged East Aegean coast. We travel by taxi/coach to Boublia on Mt Ohi, which is the starting point of one of the famous gorge walks to the east coast of Evia. The gorge is a unique habitat for flora and fauna with peonies and orchids, eagles and falcons amongst plane and chestnut trees. The ancient stone path leads us close to the dramatically exposed Aegean coast.
Walk: Distance 10 km Ascent 0 m Descent 900 m Max Altitude 1000 m Time: 5 hours
Accommodation: Hotel Galaxy or similar
Standard Hotel
After breakfast we transfer back to Athens where our adventure ends. Those on the group flights will be transferred to the airport for the flight to London.
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 01606 720199, use our live webchat (we're open until 5pm today) or email sales@headwater.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 01606 720199, use our live webchat (we're open until 5pm today) or email sales@headwater.com
Here at Headwater we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can continue to develop, and where necessary improve, our services and ensure our holidays continue to be the best they can be. As this is a relatively new holiday, we don't yet have any customer reviews available from our customers, but here are the comments that have been received from previous Exodus travellers.
Adventurous walking & scrambling along the dramatic coastline & remote villages of Island of Evia. Tasting delicious cousin of their culture.
If you like sparkling turquoise sea pretty much outside the hotel then this holiday is for you ! I found the walking quite tough as I wasn’t quite fit enough and as other reviewers state it’s more moderate than leisurely especially in June! However, I enjoyed the three walks I did enormously and it was amazing to get up (and down) to the Roman columns the view from which is so memorable and now my screen saver. Solid support and encouragement up and down from Cecile and lovely group members. Plenty to see and do if you want to dip in and out of the walking you can, ie to dip in and out of the sea on comfy sun loungers with inexpensive waiter service from the taverna whilst helping the Greek economy (what’s not to like). One day I went on an astounding snorkelling trip to the renowned Petali Islands : 7 hours for €35 including CAKE !!!
A lovely week walking, plus swim in the sea at the end of each day. The town is nice and laid back.
If you want a really relaxing entirely relaxing atmosphere with few tourists, then Evia is the place to go. The itinerary was varied and exactly as described. The family at the Galaxy hotel couldn't do enough for us. Their breakfasts are fantastic and grandad's home-made goat cheese legendary! It was a pleasure to stay there.
Varied but generally not too challenging walking in an area with a fascinating history and archaeological interest. Also an opportunity to visit Athens.
A relatively restful week of walking, eating, drinking and learning a lot from a knowledgeable leader (Thanos) in a wonderful location. No walk is too long or taxing, but just enough to engage, but with plenty of rests for snacks and interesting history lectures! This trip is leisurely because there is no rush and plenty of free time. Also, no early starts!
The tour guide, Thanos, was superb. The food was great. Treks were beautiful. However, the quality of the hotel was OK.
This was my first holiday on my own, couldn’t have asked for a better one. Exodus sorted everything and were very helpful and lovely. The hotel was lovely, right next to the beach. The staff were great and couldn’t do enough for us. Met some great people, walking is just enough to get your heart pumping with some fantastic views along the way. Going in November was great weather not too hot, perfect for walking. Even though we walked everyday I must have eaten my body weight. Our guide had pumpkin pie and doughnuts for our brunch stops. Food was delicious and lots of it.... we’ll definitely recommend this holiday and I will be booking with Exodus again........ just need to loose some weight first!!! lol....
good walks with patient guide and pleasant social evenings with fellow walkers
Varied walks, which tended towards the moderate rather than leisurely. Everyone at the hotel was friendly and helpful.
A great first trip, Cecile the group leader was excellent. Competent, calm, interested. A different type of walking each day. From hot up & down treks to ancient roman quarries to beautiful ridge walks with quiet, unspoilt gorge walks in between. Not sure I would describe it as 'leisurely' - think moderate is more accurate.
Two days walking mountains. Two days walking gorges. One coastal walk. One day in Athens.
A really good short walking holiday with rewarding hikes, beautiful scenery and lots and lots of good food. Greek hospitality has to be experienced to be believed.
I really enjoyed the week on Evia in October, made all the more special by excellent leadership from Cecile Deltreil. The walking is good, scenically varied and very rural (we only saw one other walker the whole week!). Paths were sometimes good, sometimes non-existent on hilltops and sometimes through scratchy scrub - take your long trousers or gaiters. The trip is rated leisurely-moderate and whilst I felt the 4 day walks were 'moderate' in difficulty, partly because of the rough paths, the whole trip is fairly leisurely because you are based in one hotel and have some relaxation time at the end of each day (gin and tonics on the beach!). The Galaxy hotel in Karystos was fine with friendly family staff, good breakfast, but awful showers.
Very pleasant trip, walking was fine albeit rather more leisurely than I anticipated, food was excellent and the tour leader exceptional.
A great trip to an unknown part of Greece. Most of the walking is easy so the grading is about right, but be aware that some of the paths are through very prickly vegetation so have an alternative to shorts. All but the last night is based in the Hotel Galaxy in Karystos, which is run be a very nice local family and has a wonderful location on the waterfront on short distance from numerous bars and restaurants.
Another excellent holiday with Exodus. Enjoyable walks, just the right length for me, pleasant company, lovely range of vegetarian food available in the restaurants. Hotel in a convenient position on the water front, sea views beautiful. Relaxed, substantial breakfast with local produce. Karystos felt safe to walk around at night. Brochure description accurate. Good value.
We had a wonderful week. Our group was delightful, the hotel had a lovely local charm and the town of Karystos has a lovely friendly atmosphere. The walks were quite exhausting because of the heat, but as a result there's a huge feeling of satisfaction at the end of each day.
Just an hour away from the port of Rafina is the unspoilt island of Evia. A really lovely destination for walkers and Greek island hoppers alike.
This was my first holiday with Exodus and I was very impressed by the standard of the holiday. Karystos is a very pleasant resort, with some good restaurants, but is not over-commercialised. The hotel is good, though hot water did go missing for a short time! I had a room with balcony facing the sea front. There were tea/coffee-making facilities in the room and after a hard day's walking it was nice to sit on the balcony with a cup of coffee and watch the world go by. The walks were good with many fine views of both mountains and sea. The six members of the group got on well and we had enjoyable evenings sat outside restaurants drinking cheap local wine and chatting. I would certainly travel with Exodus again.
Great, relaxed trip with cultural, bird and flower interest. Food, people, setting all good.
This was my 1st trip with Exodus. I was very impressed with the various landscapes I encountered on the day hikes throughout the week.
Lovely scenery to be seen. It is a very peaceful location. The hotel is in the perfect location for both the beach and restaurants.
Well looked after and group was a good one. Eating in different tavernas was fun.
A week full of amazing moments, either walking in beautiful mountains, seeing sites that were inspirational, eating delicious local food, chatting with interesting people and looked after by a natural guide.
The trip started with sunshine, and a first walk, then the weather turned to rain and snow, covering the beautiful mountains. Excellent guide, re-planning routes, taxis, lunch menus and venues to enable us to continue walking. Food and service was amazing and plentiful. Scenery lovely. Company excellent. BA troublesome but guide and Exodus made the troubles dissipate.
Evia in the autumn was lovely- nice walking temperatures for beautiful sceneries! Our guide knew ( nearly) everyone on the island and spoilt us with local food, great walks and lovely stories about the areas. Very relaxing and a great way to prepare for a wet winter in Belfast. The win of the Northern Ireland football team against Greece was a great final! Brigitte
Easy walking on hills and mountain gorges. The weather was nearly perfect, warm spring sunshine. Food was wonderful. The perfect antidote to a wet miserable British winter.
Exodus has once again provided a truly memorable walking holiday. Evia is beautiful and unspoiled and the holiday was everything we expected.
An excellent trip.Lovely weather.Really nice family run hotel,right on the sea front.
Ceciile was an excellent guide and the walks were varied and beautiful. Very good hotel and tasty meals.
A way to experience authentic Greek cuisine, take part in guided walks in areas you couldn't find on your own and learn something you probably didn't know about the inhabitants and history of this island.
Our guide Thanos is incredibly well informed with lots of interesting information on the area and is long history.It was well organised and the food was amazing each evening in different tavernas.The walks were at times challenging up and down and along goat tracks and a walking pole was a great help!
A lovely week on an unspoilt Greek island with delicious food and good walks.
A holiday that ticked all the boxes for me. Some wonderful scenery which came alive through the enthusiasm of our guide.
One of the best group walking holidays I have been on, and excellent value for money.
What a great way to get away from the Christmas craziness, remain occupied, and learn a lot about the history of Evia and Greek culture. Evia is gorgeous and our hikes were the perfect amount of challenge. Thanos knows so much history and is happy to share it. My advice would be to just go with the flow, trust that he knows what he is doing and not press too hard for information about what's next. It is nice that we frequented independent businesses and had nice breaks between the hikes and dinner.
I have never been on an organised group holiday trip before, but have travelled independently regularly, so it was with some trepidation that I joined the trip to Evia. I need not have worried- the company was fantastic and having a knowledgable guide brought the walking experience alive in a way that I would never have acheived travelling by myself.
A great holiday, with a very pleasant group, a brilliant leader, good walking in attractive scenery, and based at a simple friendly family hotel.
I didn't know quite what to expect never having been on an organised trip before and being a bit of a loner. However the holiday was amazing. Not only was the walking good, although I might have liked something a bit more strenuous, but the accommodation was just right with lovely views from our balcony room and our guide was wonderful, providing history and stories to enlarge our visual experiences. All in all it was a most satisfactory holiday which I am still thinking about long after my return. Thank you Exodus,
Excellent Leader, Group and Holiday! The dining out at different restaurants each evening was really enjoyable.
I would happily do this holiday again! I loved the greekness of Karyistos. It's a working town not a tourist one. The hotel sits on the harbour front where you can see the fishing boats preparing to go out to sea in the morning. And in the evening you can eat wonderful fresh fish and drink cool greek wine in one of the lovely tavernas either on the harbour front itself or, our favourite, in the 'little alley' near the town square. Each of the walks was unique, surprising and inspiring.
An excellent trip with a very knowledgable and attentive guide, who tailored the walking to suit all the abilities.
Evia is an amazing island, very green and lush and the walking was varied. I was pleased by the amount of history and local knowledge imparted by the guides. The butterflies, flowers, tortoises and slow worms interested me a lot. The hotel provided a very comfortable base with the sea, tavernas and sea front giving evening entertainment. This is a great mix of moderately challenging walking with great food, wonderful history and interesting nature. I would heartily reccommend this holliday
A very enjoyable trip with varied walks and an enthusiastic entertaining leader. The hotel staff were helpful, the breakfasts were superb and it was lovely to have a sea view. Karystos is very unspoilt and by the end of the week we felt we knew half the town! Overall a very relaxing holiday.
A wonderful holiday in an unspoilt part of Greece. The walks were as described in the brochure of varying lengths between 8 and 15 miles. The Galaxy hotel was simple but welcoming and had everything that I needed. It was lovely to have a fridge and tea and coffee making facilities. My room and the rooms of the others in the party faced the sea which meant I could sit on the balcony and watch the fishing boats.
This was a really lovely break away. The walking (B grade week) was not particularly challenging, nor were the days long, but the scenery, food and company were excellent!
Aa unexpectedly warm,relaxing, informative, friendly, November walking break
An excellent trip. The location of the hotel is superb and the leader informative and extremely helpful. The surrounding countryside is very pleasant and the walking pretty easy. Eating out at different tavernas each evening (cost included) was a great way to chat to people and sample many different dishes.
Fabulous laidback trip, great scenery and coastline, varied walking with plenty of swimming opportunities - and fantastic food!!
well up to Exodus' usual high standards. Lovely island, warm welcome. good walking with plenty of interest. exexcellent robust rustic food with plenty of choice
A very enjoyable week with a small group of very agreeable people. When we experienced the coldest ever recorded October day at the beginning of the week and I collapsed exhausted on my bed in the evening after battling up the hill to Castello Rosso against galeforce winds I wondered if I had made the right decision but things could only get better - and they did.
The holiday is based in a simple but nice hotel, overlooking the harbour, a lovely spot. eating out each night at different tavernas was a great variety. And the leader, Thanos, was well versed in the local history.
We really enjoyed this trip to an unspoilt region of Greece where there were very few foreign tourists. We had good company, good food and Mythos beer.
Tiring but most enjoyable.
explore an untouristed greek island, sampling great food, countryside and views. relaxed hotel is a friendly base for the week.
Comfortable hotel, wonderful food, lots of history and culture, varied walking - some stunning views and beautiful coastline.
A really great way to spend Christmas. Good walking, great people, really excellent week.
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 01606 720199 (we're open until 5pm today) or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
Complete our holiday enquiry form - we'll get in touch when it's most convenient for you
Speak to our sales team on 01606 720199 - we're open until 5pm today
Use our live chat to ask us a question
| Departure date | Tour only | Including flights |
Prices |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11th Oct 2020 ° Guaranteed departure |
£1049 | £1249 | Tour only: £1049 Including flights: £1249 |
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| 25th Oct 2020 ° Guaranteed departure |
£999 | £1199 | Tour only: £999 Including flights: £1199 |
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| 1st Nov 2020 ° Guaranteed departure |
£1099 | £1349 | Tour only: £1099 Including flights: £1349 |
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| 22nd Nov 2020 | £999 | £1199 | Tour only: £999 Including flights: £1199 |
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| 20th Dec 2020 | £999 | £1399 | Tour only: £999 Including flights: £1399 |
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| 21st Mar 2021 | £1049 | £1299 | Tour only: £1049 Including flights: £1299 |
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| 4th Apr 2021 ° Guaranteed departure |
£1049 | £1449 | Tour only: £1049 Including flights: £1449 |
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| 18th Apr 2021 | £1049 | £1349 | Tour only: £1049 Including flights: £1349 |
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| 9th May 2021 | £1099 | £1399 | Tour only: £1099 Including flights: £1399 |
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| 23rd May 2021 | £1099 | £1449 | Tour only: £1099 Including flights: £1449 |
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| 13th Jun 2021 ° Guaranteed departure |
£1099 | £1399 | Tour only: £1099 Including flights: £1399 |
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| 12th Sep 2021 | £1099 | £1449 | Tour only: £1099 Including flights: £1449 |
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| 10th Oct 2021 | £1099 | £1349 | Tour only: £1099 Including flights: £1349 |
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| 24th Oct 2021 | £1099 | £1349 | Tour only: £1099 Including flights: £1349 |
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| 7th Nov 2021 | £1049 | £1299 | Tour only: £1049 Including flights: £1299 |
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| 28th Nov 2021 | £1049 | £1299 | Tour only: £1049 Including flights: £1299 |
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| 19th Dec 2021 | £1049 | £1449 | Tour only: £1049 Including flights: £1449 |
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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
Due to the tailor-made nature of our holidays, we need a little more information in order for us to check availability for Mountains and Villages of Evia. Simply complete the form below (fields marked * are mandatory) and a member of our sales team will contact you (when it's most convenient for you) to provide availability information, travel options and an accurate price. Of course there's no obligation, but if you do wish to proceed with a booking they will be on-hand to assist you throughout the process.
Alternatively, you can call our sales team on 01606 720199 to discuss your requirements in more detail (we're open until 5pm today) or contact us via live chat for help and advice.
