Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
KÝMI
By bus
Buses generally drop off in the upper town, except
for those connecting with Skýros ferries; there are 8 daily to
Halkídha (2hr) and 5 to Athens (4hr).
By ferry
Skyros Shipping (
T
22220 22020,
W
sne.gr) sail
every evening to Linariá on Skýros (1hr 45min), returning
from Skýros early in the morning. In July and August there are
additional daytime crossings several times a week (especially
at weekends), and a twice-weekly connection to Alónissos
(2hr 30min) and Skópelos (3hr 20min). The ticket office is on
the quayside; Athens buses connect with all the ferries.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Hotel Beis
Water front
T
22220 22604,
W
hotel-beis
.gr.
A straightforward, good-value four-storey hotel, very
handy for the ferries,
whos
e a/c rooms have balconies
overlooking the harbour.
€60
Ouzeri Skyros
Water front
T
22220 22641.
150m north
10
of the jetty, past the
Hotel Beis
, so quieter than the places
right by the harbour. A terrace over the water and blue-
and-white decor lend a classic island look. Good mezédhes.
Daily lunch & dinner.
Stení
At bustling Néa Artáki, 5km north of Halkídha, a side road leads east to
STENÍ
, a
village-cum-hill-station at the foot of Mount Dhírfys. There are marked hiking trails up
the mountain, Évvia's highest summit where traces of snow survive till early summer,
and it's a beautiful place, cool in summer and full of rushing streams. It's also pretty
much the halfway point of a wonderfully scenic
road link to Kými
, all paved except for
8km just before Metóhi; it's 51km or 95 minutes' drive (follow signposting for Metóhi
if starting from Kými).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
STENÍ
Steni
T
22280 51221.
Cosy, welcoming hotel towards the
top of the village with spectacular views from its
sumptuous common areas and simple, c
omfo
rtable if
rather small rooms with modern bathrooms.
€60
Vrahos
T
22280 51546.
Numerous tavernas specializing
in meaty fare line the road as it passes through Stení, all
popular for weekend outings.
O Vrahos,
on the village-
centre platía, is the most atmospheric, with seating under a
mulberry tree and views of the village goings-on.
Daily
lunch & dinner.
Southern Évvia
So narrow that you sometimes spot the sea on both sides, mountainous
southern Évvia
is often barren, bleak and windswept. The single road from the north is winding and
tortuous - most people who come here arrive by ferry, and though Greeks have holiday
homes in numerous coastal spots there's really just one attractive resort, at
Kárystos
.
Heading south by road you'll pass what maps mark as
Lake Dhýstos
; these days it has
been largely reclaimed as farmland, and there's barely any water. Atop conical Kastrí
hill on the east shore are sparse fifth-century BC ruins of
ancient Dystos
and a medieval
citadel. At
STÝRA
, 35km from Lépoura, three
dhrakóspita
(“dragon houses”) are
signposted and reachable by track. So named because only dragons were thought
capable of installing the enormous masonry blocks, their origins and purpose remain
obscure. The shore annexe of
NÉA
STÝRA
, 3.5km downhill, is a dull, Greek-frequented
resort, worth knowing about only for its handy ferry connection to Ayía Marína. Much
the same is true of
MARMÁRI
, 20km south, except here the link is with Rafína. Both
have plenty of food and accommodation should you be stuck waiting for a bus or ferry.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
SOUTHERN ÉVVIA
By ferry
There are at least a dozen ferries daily shuttling
between Néa Stýra and Ayía Marína (45min; information
T
22240 41533), and five to eight a day linking Marmári
and Rafína (4-6 Oct-April; 1hr; information
T
22240
32340). Tickets are sold on the quayside.
By bus
Most ferries in Marmári are met by a bus to
Kárystos (4 daily). In Néa Stýra buses (3 daily) stop on the
main street, inland from the front. Connecting buses link
Athens Mavrommatéon terminal with both Rafína (see
p.118) and Ayía Marína.
