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| Map of Andros |
Andros, the
second largest island and the Northernmost of the Cyclades with 380km2
extension and 9.221 population, is also one of the most verdant, its fertile,
well-watered valleys and hillsides sprouting scores of holiday villas. Still
home to a very hospitable people, an attractive capital, numerous good beaches,
plus some idiosyncratic reminders of the Venetian period - such as Peristerones(dovecate
towers) and the Frakhtes (dry-stone walls) - Andros
has a special charm. Driving is also a joy, with precipitous coastal roads
offering panoramic views over the Aegean.
Hora, the capital of Andros,
is the most attractive town on the island. Paved in marble and schist from the
still-active local quarries, the buildings near the bus station are grand 19th
century edifices, and the squares with their ornate wall fountains and gateways
are equally elegant. The old port, Plakoura,
on the West side of the headland, has a yacht supply station and a former ferry
landing from where occasional boats run tothe isolated but superbly idyllic Akhla beach in summer. More locally,
there are beaches on both sides of the town headland, Nimborio to the North and the less developed Paraporti to the Southeast, though both are exposed to the winds in
summer, that's why Gavrio, on the
other side of the island, became the main port.
Gavrio is a
pleasant small town set in an oval bay, but it has more taverns and bars than
good hotels, which generally tend to be out of town. There is an adjacent town
beach, but there are more attractive alternatives 5km Northwest of the port:
beautiful Fellos and Kourtali.
