Evaluation: In the middle of the long walk [3] from Ioulída via the Profítis Ilías and Elliniká to Karthéa there is a stretch where you have to follow the asphalt road over a rather long distance  - it is therefore tempting to split this walk. The second part, presented here, leads from near the junction to Agios Simeoón until Karthéa - a very beautiful and obvious stretch along a marvelous path. The site of the temples of Karthéa is very nice and the beach next to it is really pleasant. This hike deserves the maximum evaluation of ****.
For the first half of walk [3], see the walk Ioulída - Episkopí - Profítis Ilías and back. 
[Update by Raymond on October the 9^th, 2015 and on April the 24^th, 2018.]
[The translation of this walk was made with the help of Google translate - so, please, do not mind the mistakes...]

Estimated time: This short walk (3,29 km for the way out)  takes a little over 2 hours in actual walking time (AWT): indeed, the descent takes about one hour and the way back will cost you a little more. The total time, however, easily amounts to twice as much, especially if you pay an extensive visit to the excavations (as we did) and if you stay for a rather long time on the beach of Póles - we walked from 11am to 4.30pm, this means a total walking time (TWT) of 5h30.

Route description:  [For the ride back and forth to the crossroads at Agios Simeoón you should rent a car - a taxi ride would certainly cost more. Please note that there is only one car rental company (O Leoón) in the port of Korissia and that in midsummer it is better to book a car or motorcycle in advance ...
In Ioulída you have to follow the asphalt road to Ellinika; 900 meters past this hamlet, you take a left at the junction (signpost Agios Simeoón), but 1.8 km further you should NOT take the gravel road to Agios Simeoón on the left, but you keep following the asphalt road right up. This road becomes narrower and after another 7 minutes it ends in a gravel road between walls. Here, you can leave the car, preferably 30 meters before the end of the asphalt, next to the few houses on the left.]

(0h00) You thus continue on foot on the rather difficult gravel road; after 5 minutes and 100 meters past a chapel [3], this road narrows into a stony path between nice walls [3]. The sign says that it is still 55 minutes to Karthéa.

The beginning of your path to Karthéa.

(0h11) After 6-7 minutes, you keep to the right (red dot); on the left, there is another broad path. Over there you can also see a picturesque little chapel with behind it a well and a little further a beautiful alóni (threshing floor). So you walk straight ahead, now on a gradually descending path, between the deep and beautiful valley on the right and a nice wall on the left.
In a nice curve to the left you notice how the path with its marvelous curbstones keeps running far ahead of you, with the sea and the bay of Póles far in front of you.

The easy and marvellous path to Karthéa.

(0h23) The path narrows and after a steep stretch, on a narrower and rockier monopáti, you descend more gradually on a beautiful gravel path - you already have a nice view of the bay and the temple. You pass next to a beautiful tree and then the path becomes wider again. After another 8 minutes, you get a magnificent view of the double bay, with the small island in front of it, and also of the temple site and the islands of Kýthnos and Sérifos.

Panoramic view on the little bays of Póles, underneath Karthéa.

The old pavement...

(0h36) After another 6 minutes you begin to descend steeply, with a nice view of the retaining wall of the temple.

View on the temple of Athena and the retaining wall.

At the end the path describes a few steep turns and then you end up in the valley.

(0h42) You continue walking midst the greenery to the middle of the valley and then you bend to the left twice. You now continue in the bed of the river (in Spring and Summer between oleanders). In this way you arrive at the first beach.

(0h47) On the right of the beach, there is a path between walls that leads to the first temple - note the ancient retaining wall. After 2 minutes it goes up on the right, through a little metal gate, to the platform of the first temple, dedicated to Apollo. You walk through the scarce remains of what was once a temple of 31 to 16 meters, that was built in 530 BC. The ground-plan has been beautifully restored and a sign gives some explanations. A cavity in the rocks contained a statue of Apollo, found in 1811.

Remains of the temple of Apollo.

You can continue to the temple of Athena.

At the end of the terrace a path continues to the upper temple of Athena, via steps underneath the wonderful retaining wall.

On the second plateau you first discover the remains of the Propylaea (a kind of gatehouse from the 5th century BC) and other Doric buildings. A little bit further to the right are the remains of the temple of Athena, a Doric temple from the Late Archaic Period (500 BC). The temple measured 12 to 23.2 meters, with 6 columns on the short and 11 on the long side. The foundations are still visible, as well as the "cella" or inner room of the temple. The basis of the old pillars on the long left side is fairly well preserved, some columns are (partly) restored. You also see the remains of the sewerage and also 1 original Doric capital (on the left under a shed).
This isolated temple stands on a truly beautiful, lonely place: to the east you have a nice view of the path you followed, to the south you can enjoy the view of the beach of Póles. 

The remains of the temple of Athena in Karthéa.

From the Propylaea (near the sign with explanations) you descend to the right along the old road to the second beach. You pass the map of the old Karthéa where more information is given: the city continued to exist from the 8th century BC to the 7th century AD and at the height of its glory the city had 1500 inhabitants. The first excavations began in 1811, led by the Dane P. Brönsted.
In October 2015, excavations were going on, especially near the old theatre.

The ancient theatre.

(0h58) At the beautiful beach there are 2 little houses for the archaeologists and you also notice the chapel of the Panagía toon Póloon (date 1887). You can picnic in the shade at a stone table with benches. Far away, to the south east, lies the island of Kýthnos.

[In the middle of the beach, there are hiking signs “"Stavroudáki 55' / Chavouná 50' / Káto Meriá 2h10".]

Views on the second beach of Póles.

(0h58) From the left side of the beach (facing the sea) you take the paved path up again, but now you keep to the right, in order to pass underneath  the temple site until you arrive at the first beach. In the middle of that beach there is a walking sign “Agios Simeoón 1h15 / Ioulída 4h10” with  [3], and over here you follow the bed of the valley to the left, between the bushes and the oleanders (20th of September 2009).
Pay attention though: after 3 minutes, you should veer to the right and in this way you continue in the direction of the slope of the hill and the ruin of a little white stable (blue dots). 

(1h08) Shortly thereafter, the actual ancient path begins [3], at first it meanders steeply for about 2 minutes, then you gradually rise on a fairly broad monopáti. The rocky path gets steeper and the view behind you of the temple site is really beautiful now. After a steep climb of 3 minutes you curve to the right and you see the continuation of the path ahead of you.

(1h17) The sea disappears behind you, but only for a short time; the climb becomes less steep and the path veers to the left again. Further on, the path has preserved its old, large flat stones and nice curb stones and the climb is really beautiful for a lot of minutes.

(1h24) After a climb of 15 minutes, you can take some rest on the rocks along the path, then you climb further and the temples disappear. After another 8 minutes, you pass the solitary tree [3].The path rises higher and higher, with the deep valley on your left-hand side. You get to another marvelous stretch, at first with very nice curbstones on the left and later on with the beautiful wall on the right [3].

A very nice stretch, with splendid curbstones and nice retaining walls...

(1h42) A little bit further, you take a long curve to the left. Further on, you also turn to the right, away from the deep valley and so you almost inadvertently arrive at the bifurcation, with on the right another wide path.

(1h53) Of course, you go straight ahead, between walls. After 7 minutes you reach the gravel road, which you follow straight up until you get to the asphalt and reach your car. (2h06)

Gpx-files:


https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/kea-agios-simeoon-karthea-25309475

https://www.routeyou.com/en/route/view/5364903/hiking-route/kea-agios-simeoon-karthea

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