Cycladic Islands: Andros & Tinos - Greece

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1 S-CAPE TRAVEL - INFO@S-CAPETRAVEL.EU - TELEPHONE style : level : duration : comfort : period: code: WALKING Selfguided 8 days Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct GRSW031 Cycladic Islands: Andros & Tinos - Greece 8 days, price from 520 great network of historical cobbled paths Andros town with its mansions Characteristic dovecotes on Tinos Idyllic beaches & rural innerland Two islands with different character in 1 holiday The Cycladic Islands is probably the most well-known group of islands in Greece. In this trip you discover the unknown islands of Andros & Tinos. On Andros there still exists an impressive network of hiking paths, beautifully stone-paved in many cases. There are great sandy beaches and fertile green valleys. Arriving on Tinos you see the impressive high fortress of Exoburgo and many dovecotes scattered all around the island. Additionally to this trip you may book a stay in Athens or book our Naxos-Santorini trip and travel by boat from Tinos to Naxos. Andros is only 2 hours by ferry from the port of Rafina that is close to Athens airport. The island is not touristic and there are well maintained walking trails, some still being used by donkeys. The island belongs, together with Naxos, to the most fertile islands of the Cyclades. During the walks you will come through fertile valleys and along lush gardens. Andros town, Chora, is a beautiful town with characteristic mansions and lively town squares. Tinos is known as the Lourdes of Greece and on the 15th of August one will find thousands of pelgrims in Tinos Chora who go to the holy Panagia of Tinos. You will stay in the small village of Falatados in the center of the island from where you make impressive walks in the innerland and remote bays. On the last day you stay overnight in Tinos town. The old port with its fish taverns invites you for a last dinner on the seaside. Route

2 Day 1 Arrival in Athens. Travel to Andros. 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 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. Day 2 Walk from Apoikia to Chora (4,9 or 8,7 km) 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 or 4 hours, 4,9 or 8,7 km, 90 or 410m ascent, 340 or 380m descent Day 3 Circular walk from Chora (17,5 km) 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, 600m ascent, 600m descent Day 4 From Chora to Ormos Korthiou (14 km) Via the sandy beach of Paraporti you enter the impressive Dipotama-gorge. Ascends alternate with descends and you come to the village of Sineti from where you continue via an intact kalderimi to the ruines of the fortress Paleokastro, strategically built high up the hill. From this viewpoint you enjoy breathtaking views over the southern part of the island, the sea and Ormos Korthiou, the final destination of todays walk. Via the village Kochilos you descend to Ormos Korthiou where you may have time for a refreshing swim in the sea before heading back to Andros Chora per taxi. Challenge: 6 hours, 14 km, 530m ascent, 530m descent Day 5 From Andros to Tinos (4,5 or 12,5 km) 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 or 5 hours, 4,5 or 12,5 km, 200 or 440m ascent, 200 or 440m descent Day 6 Circular walk from Falatados (16 km) Todays walk is a great walk leading you all around the remarkable Exobourgo mountain and along the finest villages of Tinos. On the top of this mountain you find the Venetian Fortress Exobourgo. You walk through valleys and terraced fields, through villages with narrow alleys and along numerous churches and a monastery. In the wide valley between Loutra and Kambos are the finest dovecotes that are so characteristic for Tinos Island. Challenge: 7 hours, 16 km, 220m ascent, 220m descent

3 Day 7 Walk from Falatados to Tinos Chora (8 km) This last walk on Tinos offers great views on Tinos town and the south coast. You walk through agricultural fields towards the Exobourgo and then 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, 100m ascent, 470m descent Day 8 Departure For today there are two options that you need to indicate at the time of booking. 1. You travel back to Athens via the port of Piraeus and will need to book additional night(s) in Athens. 2. You travel onwards to Naxos and continue with the arrangement Naxos-Santorini. (Hotel in Athens NOT INCLUDED) Accommodation 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 (Andros Chora) 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. Pension Levkes (Falatados) Your first accommodation on Tinos is in Falatados in pension Levkes. It is built in typical Cycladic Style and the rooms are located in separate buildings. There is a big terrace, adjacent to the restaurant. The owners speak only Greek. This is an authentic experience in Greece! Vincenzo Rooms (Tinos Chora) 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. Practical info

4 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. 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. In case of flight arrival after 14:30 hrs. an additional night in Rafina must be booked prior the arrangement. 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 stopover. 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 Included 7 nights accommodation on B&B basis, 4 in Chora, Andros, 2 in Falatados, Tinos and 1 in Chora, Tinos Transfer Airport-Rafina, transfer bus station Andros-hotel round trip, Tinos port-falatados and Falatados-Tinos Chora Ferry ticket Rafina-Andros, Andros-Tinos and Tinos-Piraeus OR Tinos-Naxos Book Hiking on Andros 24-hour telephone assistance, just a phone call away Detailed road book and maps in English Not included Flights, public transportation and other ferry tickets Airport departure transfer Travel insurance Admissions and entrance fees of any kind Tips and gratuities Personal expenses such as meals, drinks, phone calls, extra transfers etc. Any items that have not been specifically mentioned in the program Optional services (to be booked in advance) Airport departure transfers Additional night/s at any of the accommodations along the way

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