Discover Cyclades
Discover Cyclades
Plan your trip to Andros, Greece: waterfalls and 100km of hiking trails, the Goulandris art museum, the Dipotamata gorge, beaches & how to get there.
Lush valleys, ancient footpaths, and hidden waterfalls on the greenest Cycladic island
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Andros is the northernmost and second-largest Cyclades island, known for its green valleys, waterfalls, and a contemporary art museum that could hold its own in any European capital. It's just 2 hours by ferry from Rafina port near Athens and far quieter than the southern islands.
Andros doesn't look like the rest of the Cyclades. Where other islands are arid and wind-scraped, Andros is green. Natural springs feed waterfalls, carve through forested ravines, and sustain terraced orchards of citrus and walnut trees. It's the northernmost and second-largest Cycladic island, and almost certainly the most surprising.
The neoclassical capital, Andros Town (Chora), juts out on a narrow peninsula between two beaches. Elegant mansions and marble-paved streets reflect centuries of seafaring wealth: shipping dynasties like the Embiricos, Goulandris, and Chandris families built their homes here. The Goulandris Museum of Contemporary Art, founded by Basil and Elise Goulandris in 1979, rivals galleries in Athens. The Maritime Museum next door tells the island's other story.
Then there's the interior. Over 300 kilometres of ancient stone paths, collectively called the Andros Route, connect mountain villages, Byzantine monasteries, Venetian towers, and hidden waterfalls. This is the premier hiking destination in the Cyclades. The walk between beaches is often better than the beaches themselves.
Andros is not like the other islands. Here the mountains drink from the sky, and the paths remember every footstep.
Batsi for beaches; Chora for museums. Andros hotels.
Handpicked hotels with exceptional reviews and local character.
Detailed breakdowns of every neighborhood and village.
Expert Recommendation
For the first-time visitor, staying in the main Chora provides the best balance of accessibility and atmosphere.
Ionians colonised Andros around 1000 BC, and it grew wealthy through trade and its position between Euboea and the open Aegean. The ancient capital, Paleopolis, is now partially submerged. Andros sent ships to the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC, though controversially on the Persian side.
The Venetians built the bridge-connected Kastro at the tip of Chora's peninsula and fortified tower-houses (pyrgoi) throughout the island. Under Ottoman rule, Andros kept certain privileges thanks to its silk production. Many of the stone paths hikers use today were laid during this period to connect remote villages.
From the 18th century onward, Andros became a powerhouse of Greek shipping. The Embiricos, Goulandris, and Chandris families built grand neoclassical mansions in Chora and funded cultural institutions that still operate today. Andros has produced more Greek shipowners per capita than any other island.
Basil and Elise Goulandris established the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chora in 1979, and it has since hosted works by Picasso, Matisse, Balthus, and leading Greek artists. Combined with recent investment in the Andros Route hiking trail network, the island has become the most culturally layered destination in the Cyclades.
Explore the heart of Andros
Andros Town doesn't look like any other Cycladic capital. It's built on a narrow peninsula jutting into the sea, flanked by Paraporti and Nimporio beaches. Neoclassical mansions with wrought-iron balconies line marble-paved streets. At the tip, the ruined Venetian kastro, connected to the mainland by an arched stone bridge, is the island's most photographed sight.
Batsi sits in a horseshoe bay on the west coast. Fishing boats bob in the harbour, bougainvillea climbs the houses, and a sandy beach curves along the water. It has the island's best concentration of restaurants, bars, and shops, which makes it the obvious base if you want some evening life.
Korthi (Ormos Korthiou) sits in a fertile valley in the southeast, quieter and more traditional than the west coast. A small harbour, a pebble beach, and a handful of kafeneia set the pace. It's also the starting point for some of Andros's best hikes, including the trail to the Tis Grias to Pidima sea stack.
Gavrio is where the ferries from Rafina dock, in a wide sheltered bay on the northwest coast. Most people pass through, but it has a sandy beach, waterfront cafés, and easy access to the west coast beaches. The Tower of Agios Petros, one of the best-preserved Hellenistic round towers in Greece, stands a short drive inland.
Above Chora, Stenies is a village of grand stone mansions built by wealthy sea captains in the 18th and 19th centuries. Natural springs feed the gardens and plane trees, and the quiet here is different from elsewhere on the island: it's the quiet of old money. The trail from Stenies down to Gialia beach is one of the best short walks on Andros.
Boutique villas, cave hotels, and sea-view suites — all in one place.
The best shores of Andros
Regularly voted the best beach in the Cyclades. A remote crescent of white sand accessible only by hiking trail or boat, at the mouth of a gorge
Named "Old Lady's Leap" after a local legend, this pebbly beach is dominated by a striking 20-meter sea stack rising from the turquoise water
A beautiful sandy beach right below Chora, sheltered by the peninsula, the easiest swim from the capital
A wide sandy beach curving around Batsi's bay, with sun loungers, tavernas, and calm water. The island's most organised beach
A long sandy beach north of Gavrio with gentle waves and very few visitors. One of the quietest good beaches in the Cyclades
A stunning beach at the end of a river valley on the northeast coast, surrounded by lush vegetation and accessible via hiking trail
Explore every beach and hidden village at your own pace.
Farm-to-table cooking shaped by the island's springs, fertile valleys, and centuries of trade
The signature omelette of Andros, made with local pork sausage (louza), potatoes, and fresh herbs. Hearty and unlike anything you'll get on other islands.
Air-dried pork loin cured with pepper and spices, similar to lomo. A prized local charcuterie served as meze with bread and cheese.
Delicate almond cookies made with ground almonds, rosewater, and powdered sugar. They're a traditional sweet offered to guests.
Small cheese pies filled with fresh local cheese and mint, either baked or fried. Good with a glass of local wine.
Andros is one of the few Cycladic islands with freshwater streams, and locally farmed trout appears on menus here. You won't find that on Mykonos.
Green walnuts preserved in syrup, a traditional hospitality offering made from the island's abundant walnut trees.
From sunrise to sunset in Andros
Set out early for the legendary hike from Vourkoti through the gorge to Achla beach. The trail descends through lush vegetation, past an old watermill, to one of the most pristine beaches in Greece. Pack lunch and water · there are no facilities.
4-5 hours (round trip)Visit the village of Menites, where natural springs gush from lion-head fountains year-round. Then continue to Pythara Falls nearby: a cascade in a green ravine that feels nothing like the Cyclades.
2 hoursExplore the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chora, which has hosted exhibitions of Picasso, Kandinsky, Balthus, and leading Greek artists. The building itself, a converted mansion, and the sculpture garden overlooking the sea are worth the visit alone.
2 hoursTackle the most celebrated section of the Andros Route trail network. This cross-island hike follows ancient stone paths through mountain villages, past Venetian pigeon towers, Byzantine churches, and terraced fields, with spectacular views throughout.
5-6 hoursVisit one of the finest Hellenistic round towers in Greece, standing 20 meters tall near Gavrio. Built in the 4th century BC, the tower offers insight into ancient defensive architecture and panoramic coastal views from the top.
1.5 hoursHike down to the legendary beach with its dramatic sea stack and explore the underwater landscape. The rocky seabed around the stack is rich with marine life, and the clear water offers excellent visibility.
3 hoursStop at a mountain village taverna for a long lunch of fourtalia, local cheeses, fresh salads, and house wine. Several agritourism operations offer farm-to-table meals prepared with their own produce.
2 hoursStroll through the captains' village of Stenies, admiring the grand stone mansions with their distinctive neoclassical touches. The walk continues downhill through terraced gardens to the beautiful Gialia beach.
1.5 hoursExplore the Maritime Museum of Andros to understand the island's deep connection to Greek shipping, then walk the marble streets of Chora to the Venetian Kastro at the tip of the peninsula.
2 hoursThe ruined Venetian kastro, connected to Chora by a stone bridge, faces due west. Grab a drink from a nearby café and watch the light drop over the Aegean. It's one of those spots that doesn't need embellishing.
1.5 hoursSailing trips, sunset cruises, diving, cooking classes and more.
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Ferry routes and travel connections
Ferry tickets
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Ferries, hotels, car rental and neighbourhood guides — everything you need after reading this Andros guide.
Andros connects to 3 nearby islands by ferry. These are the live island-hopping routes from Andros, with direct connections drawn from our full Cyclades ferry catalogue.
Beach clubs, Little Venice, and the sacred island of Delos.
The sacred island of Panagia Evangelistria with marble dovecotes and artisan villages.
Curated tours and activities
Expert-led hike on the island's best trails with stories of local history, botany, and geology. Includes mountain village lunch.
Visit the island's most beautiful waterfalls and natural springs, including Pythara Falls and the Menites lion fountains.
Sail from Batsi to the remote Achla beach, with swimming stops along the uninhabited northeast coast.
Insider tips for your Andros trip
Hand-picked Cyclades photography — refreshed weekly from Pexels.
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The greenest island in the Cyclades, where ancient hiking trails lead to waterfalls, empty beaches, and a culture shaped by art and the sea. Two hours from Athens.