Chóra - Apíkia - Evrousés - Strapouriés - Mesathoúri - Ypsiloú - Chóra
Evaluation:
This walk is a combination of hike [2] until Apikia, walk [10] until
Mesathoúri and hike [1] that goes back to Chóra. You combine in this way
three splendid stretches, which makes that this hike deserves the
maximum of ****.
[6th of May 2016 and update by Raymond on June the 24th and 25th 2021.]
[The translation of this walk was made with some
help of Google translate - so, please, do not mind the mistakes...]
Estimated time:
The walk up to the Sariza source in Apíkia takes a little over one hour
(AWT), it then takes 45 minutes on path [10] until Evrousés and a little
less than 40 minutes until Strapouriés and finally 1h10 back to Chóra,
following for the most part walk [1]. The actual walking time (AWT) thus
amounts to a total of 3h40, for a total distance of 11,21 km - which means that this hike will take a
fairly long day, if one takes into account the breaks - we walked from
10am to 5.30pm, a total time (TWT) of 7h30.
Route description: (0h00) For all hikes leaving from Chóra you have to depart from the main street near the large church of the Panagía tis Kímisis, which is visible from all over town (for more details you might have a look at the description of the short hike in Chóra itself). For the hikes in the direction of Apíkia and Vourkotí you have to follow the main street inland for a short while (to the right when facing the church). You then have to take the first street off the right, the Odós Stamátis Empiríkou. Via a staircase of about 50 steps you thus descend until you get to a promenade with a couple of restaurants; you are now close to the mouth of a small river, where the Nimborió-quarter begins. You cross the bridge – on the parking lot on the right side, there is an information board of Andros Routes – and you follow the asphalt road for 1 more minute, between the palm trees.
(0h08)
After
1 minute you take a left
and you walk on
the wide white
stairs (walking
sign to Apíkia 3,2 km
/ Bistis tower 5 km / Katakaléï 4,9 km / Vourkotí
7,1 km +
[2]).
Then
you continue straight ahead on
the
concrete
ramp and follow
the street
[2], until you arrive
at a
cross street, where you go to the right [2]. Almost immediately
a beautiful staircase
begins along a wall
[2].
Later on, the really beautiful trail is sometimes 3-4 metres large and it
climbs gradually above Chóra and the sea, for about 9
minutes.You
then get to a concrete road and you follow it, while describing a curve
to the left [2], but after about one minute this road becomes again a
very nice trail.
(0h24)
Another 4 minutes
later you get to an asphalt road off the right, but you follow the
ancient staircase going up on the left [2].
You continue on a
large staircase, overgrown with flowers.
Some 4 minutes later
this staircase crosses an asphalt road - on the left you can see a
commemoration plate from 1907 for the "great patriot" Alkibiádis
Empiríkos, “because he created a road from
the
town to there”.
(0h28)
You
already have a great panoramic view on Chóra, but you have to continue
climbing up on the staircase [2]; after 7 minutes you pass an (open)
chapel with a terrace and stone benches. After another 50 steps, you cross the asphalt road and
you continue, via a newly constructed staircase (hiking sign Apíkia 1,7
km / Vourkotí 5,6 km + [2]). You
continue going up, towards the hill crest. Over here you can really
admire the walls, built in a typical Andriotic way: these walls
are made out of regular stones alternated with large, flat
schist-plates; this method of construction was probably used to save
building materials and time, but it also resulted in a very aesthetic
unity. Have also a look at the construction of the trail itself – with
the foundation stones piled up vertically!
(0h36)
After another 8-9 minutes, the stone pavement of the trail has
basically disappeared – it is quite likely that the stones have been
used to build the walls in the neighbourhood. You cross another broad
asphalt road, leading to Agia Marína, and you go straight ahead (hiking
sign and [2]). You are now on the crest of the hill and in front of you
you discover the beautiful, green valley of Apíkia (with the remarkable
Sáriza-hotel); all the way high up the mountain slope you can
distinguish the village of Katakaléï, on the right there is the village
of Steniés and on the far right the bay of Giália.
(0h46) Since the gravel
road you crossed a couple of minutes ago, your trail thus has become a
gravel road as well, which you follow for about 6 minutes – for some
moments, you see above you and to the left the big monastery of Agia
Marina; near the driveway to a house (gate), you keep to the left. Three
minutes later, the trail continues
down to the right [2]. Some 3-4 minutes later this beautiful trail
splits up and you go down on the right (sign).
For a short
while you now walk above the road, which you then cross (hiking signs).
You continue
going down on the opposite side [2] and after 2 minutes you thus get to
a really beautiful spot. Midst large trees you see an arched bridge over
a deep river with streaming water. There is a memorial plaque with the
date of construction, 1780.
(1h03)
You then
proceed on a paved staircase and a concrete ramp, you cross the asphalt
road (sign) and you continue on the other side on a concrete staircase
[2].
A little further down the trail splits up – straight ahead (on the right
of the blue iron gate) hike [8] continues to Steniés and the beach of
Giália (hiking
sign + [8]).
For now you take a left (the continuation of hike [2] + [8]) and via a
concrete staircase of 184 steps you arrive at the asphalt road, high up in the village.
[Here, you could
continue to the left to the waterfalls of Pithára (hiking sign
+ [2a]) - see the walk Chóra - Apíkia - Pithára and back.]
You go right for a
short while (hiking sign + [2], with the big hotel Pigí Sáriza in front
of you, and on the left-hand side of the hotel you go up the shining
white staircase (hiking sign Vourkotí 3,9 km + [2]) until you see the
famous Sáriza-well on the left in front of you. One still can read the
date 1787.
The
water of this well is famous and it is bottled in a small factory a
little further down in the village. (1h04)
[Opposite the closed hotel, there is since August 2013 the café-restaurant "Tou Parianoú", with nice music and a very good espresso...]
(1h10)
You continue to follow walk [2]: you still climb, but after
62 steps (with to the right the school and 50 meters further the
church), you do NOT proceed towards the church, but you keep to the left
on a narrow staircase [2] and you continue to climb the concrete stairs
while keeping to the left [2] - there are still 150 steps [2].
(1h14) You get to a bend of
the asphalt road, you go right for a while and you see in front of you
path [2] which goes right to Vourkotí (hiking sign - see the walk Chóra
– Apikia – Vourkotí and back), while the continuation of your hike goes
to the LEFT, on a small road - starting from here, it will be walk [10]
(large sign Evrousés 1,7 km / Strapouriés 3,1 km / Mesathoúri 4,7 km).
This
road comes to a dead end after 2 minutes, but there is a concrete path
that goes straight between houses [10]; this trail soon becomes a long
concrete staircase with an irrigation gutter next to it, where water
flows abundantly.
(1h21) After another 5
minutes – pay attention – you have to climb to the right and left [10]
You still go up a little, then you go down again while keeping to the
left [10] and you come next to a
gutter and a gate (which you close, as you are asked!) [10]. The trail
becomes nice and flat, you pass a cistern with water flowing, then you
go up again in order to cross the tub-shaped valley that lies in front
of you, and you go up to the right.
(1h28) Later, you cross to
the right a rocky riverbed and you continue to the
left [10] through a gate. The trail is a little overgrown now, but the
stretch that follows is beautiful - you are still going through a rocky
bed and you go up on a few sets of rocky steps - notice the many water
pipes in this area with abundant water, and also the beautiful view
behind you, up to Steniés and Giália.
(1h35)
You reach an open slope with a beautiful view of the valley - on the
other side, you already see the chapel of Taxiárchis. When you reach a
small gate, you go up to the right [10] and you finally reach the top -
for the time being...
You descend on a nice trail, between a wall and some rocks, you still
pass through a rocky bed [10] and you go up fast for quite some time.
(1h42) You finally get all
the way to the top and you begin a long and fast descent on a rocky
forest trail. After a steep end, there is a flatter stretch [10] - down
and on your left you see the small chapel of Agios Ioánnis. You descend
to the right, then you veer slowly to the left and the descent becomes
faster, between walls.
(1h50) While descending, you
arrive at the side-path to Agios Ioánnis Theólogos (hiking sign
Strapouriés 1,5 km / Mesathoúri 3 km) - the church is closed.
(1h53) You still descend very
quickly for 3 minutes and you reach the fast flowing river – this is
Evrousés. Here, you can of course take some rest or take a picnic.
For
the continuation of the walk, you can step over the
water, a little to the left, you again go up [10] and you get to the
side-path [10a] (hiking sign Ano Evrousés 1 km). You continue on the
main trail that climbs to the left [10] (sign Strapouriés 1,4 km /
Mesathoúri 2,9 km). You climb quickly on a path that is most of the time
rocky, sometimes stony - it continues between beautiful walls,
especially towards the end. Soon, you see the chapel high in front of
you and you have a very nice view of Apikia; after a climb of 9
minutes, you arrive at the top next to the chapel of the Archangel Gabriël or Taxiárchis - it is open and you enjoy a beautiful view of the
valley that winds up to Apikia.
(2h02) You continue on a nice
trail that climbs slowly between walls - after a little less than 5
minutes, you reach the crest of the hill, where you keep to the right to
the asphalt road.
(2h07) You cross the road and you continue on the right side of the cistern between walls [10]. There is some concrete for a while, then you continue to the right on a stony path between walls [10]. The whole valley already extends in front of you, with Chóra to the left! After 3 minutes, there is a bifurcation where you take a left [10] following the left wall, and you still veer left to arrive again between walls, always with beautiful views of Chóra. You still veer left and after a few minutes you reach another beautiful spot, with lots of water, which flows next to the remains of a water mill - there is a nice bench.
(2h14)
Pay attention: for the continuation of the descent, you should stay to
the right of the water [10] - a beautiful descent right next to the
water. You veer to the right [10] with the irrigation gutter, but a
little further, you go left [10] on a concrete path and later on, you step over
the gutter. After a few steps, you are going down to the right [10], then left again, and
you still go down on concrete steps [10].
(2h19) You arrive at a
cross-trail where you go right [10], then you descend while keeping to
the left [10] on many steps. You enjoy a beautiful view over the whole
valley!
Pay attention: after a little less than 4 minutes, you have to climb
three concrete steps to the right [10] and then, the descent continues,
next to a pond with two benches. You descend to the left [10] and you keep to the far
left [10] on a paved path that runs along an irrigation gutter. Further,
you keep to the right [10] on a dark staircase that descends and ultimately gets to a
cross-path under a huge tree and next to a source with a washing-place.
(2h27) You take a right on a
paved path [10] and you go down on a concrete staircase between the houses of Strapouriés until
you get to the asphalt road (hiking sign to Evrousés 2 km / Apíkia 3,4
km).
You go right (sign walk 9 190 m / Mesathoúri 1,3 km) and after 2
minutes and just beyond the sports field, you see on the right the
beginning of hike [9], at the foot of a huge rock (hiking sign Ano
Pitrofós 4,1 km + [9]).
(2h31) Just before this rock
and to the left of the road, hike [10] continues (sign Mesathoúri1,1
km). After the concrete path, you follow a paved stepped street which
continues to the right [10]. Next to a house, another staircase descends
to the right [10]: this staircase, which is paved or concrete remains to
the right of the houses and later becomes a nice staircase that descends
between the terraces with olive trees.
(2h36) Pay attention: when
you arrive again near some houses, you should take a LEFT before the
first house (you do NOT continue going down) [10]; you veer right and
down and you continue to go down near a chapel, to the right of that
chapel and a house [10]. Below, you get to a small concrete road, which
you follow to the left [10]. You walk along the walls of a huge domain
and a row of cypresses: you pass a first staircase, but at the end of
the wall, you follow a shady path to the right [10], yet next to a
beautiful row of cypresses. Further, you continue straight [10] and you
still arrive between houses, where the lane turns left - with a
beautiful view of Chóra.
(2h43) You go left on a side
street ([10] on a staircase); soon after, the paved street veers right
[10] and again you get to a small concrete road, where you turn left
again [10] - you enjoy a splendid view of Chóra! After 10 meters, you
take the concrete staircase leading down to the right [10] and after
about 15 steps, you still go RIGHT [10]: you descend, you veer left, but
after a few minutes, you keep to the right between the houses of
Mesathoúri [10], always following a paved stairs leading down. Soon
after, there is a bifurcation in Y, where you go left [10]; later, you
veer right on a concrete path [10], you swing between the houses and, finally, you go down until you
get to the route of the hike [1] - just before the small square of Theodóra Keráni. You continue straight (signs Chóra 3,2 km + [1]), you
pass a strange building with a source and you get to the white main
church of the Panagía of Messathoúri.
(2h52)
Near the tower of the church, you keep to the right [1], and a little
later you get to a concrete road that you follow to the left ([1] on a
pole). You follow
this road for a few moments, but after 2 minutes, you continue to the
RIGHT on a staircase (sign Chóra 55 minutes and [1]) - and right now,
you arrive next to the first source of Ypsiloú (date 1763).
At
the next crossroads, you turn RIGHT onto a narrow concrete path [1], but
soon you follow a nice paved staircase. Close to the house with the high
white chimney, you keep to the LEFT [1]. You pass above the church with
the blue dome of Ypsiloú, and further, still near a white house, you
take another left [1].
(3h01) You thus arrive at a
T-junction in front of a neoclassical house: you go left again ([1] on
the steps). You climb and, while keeping a little to the right, you get
to the second source, dating from 1842. A little later, next to the
white house, you keep of course to the right [1]. You finally begin the
long descent in a very green environment. You pass a small bridge from
1929, where you continue straight and descend beside gutters and a
splendid garden.
You veer left [1] and follow a beautiful stretch next to a nice row of
cypresses.
(3h09)At the end of it, you
descend while keeping to the right [1], and so you reach the last source
of Ypsiloú, dating from 1818. You veer to the right on a beautiful
little bridge - the inscription mentions the date 1891 and the name of
G.K. Empiríkos.
You get to the road again, where you continue on
the opposite side ([1]
on a pole). You
continue straight and shortly after, you veer left on the concrete path
along a gutter and again next to a nice row of cypresses [1].
(3h12)
Pay attention: a few minutes later, next to 2 houses, you descend the
stairs to the right ([1] and blue mark). A little later, you descend of
course to the right on concrete steps [1], and you continue to descend
while meandering, sometimes between high walls – here the path is a
little bit neglected and subsided. After 4-5 minutes, you go down to the
right on a larger cross-path ([1] and blue mark).
(3h23) About 4 minutes later,
you arrive at the side of a chapel with a ruin, and you descend to the
left ([1] and blue mark). You veer to the left, but after 2-3 minutes
and past a little old bridge,
you veer to the right again. You now follow an forest trail, later on a
paved path that finally leads straight to Chóra.
(3h30)
You cross a small concrete road [1] and - while enjoying magnificent
views of Chóra, bathed in the evening sun - you finally arrive, after a
splendid stretch of 6 minutes, in the valley and on the road [1] that
leads straight into the river bed with the wooden bridge.
[You can possibly turn left to continue in and next to the bed towards
the bridge and the beach of Nimborió. (following path [1a])
(3h40) If you want to follow
the walk [1] until the end, you continue on the opposite side on the
steep concrete little road [1], next to the big hiking sign. You cross
the asphalt road after 2 minutes and continue straight ahead on the
stairs [1]. Above, you take the concrete street to the left [1], until
the end, where you climb the stairs to the right in order to reach the
beginning of the pedestrian street. You go left and you need now another
2 minutes to get near the church, your starting point.
(3h48)