From Chóra to Driopída

 

Evaluation: This is a rather monotonous hike, mostly on a gravel road; therefore, we give this hike the evaluation *. It can be a useful walk if you want to visit both Chóra and Driopída on the same day, without  going back by bus via Mérichas.

Estimated time: A fairly short hike, which you can complete in two hours, some breaks included.

Route description: In order to reach Chóra it is best to take the bus in Mérichas – this bus leaves from the port. When you leave at about 9 or 10 o’clock in the morning you have plenty of time to complete this hike.

After the bus has dropped you off in Chóra you can first take a short stroll through town. To make this hike you can follow the description in the very decent travel guide from the series Guides Visa, Aux Iles Grecques. This is the route to take: starting from the bus square you take the one way street in the forbidden direction – after 10 m you will reach a red and white chapel and after 50 m a little square with a church on the right hand side; next to the church you will see a big red bell. You walk around this church on the right hand side and then you follow an alley on the left. At the end of this alley you go left, then right and you walk under a kind of doorway. You take the street on the right and you descend the stairs painted with flowers. At the end of these stairs you take a left (you can continue your visit of this town some other time).

So, you go left until you reach the edge of the village. At the house with number 130 the street bears to the right and it turns into an old paved road: you go down for about 40 m, and then another 50 m on a concrete part, in the direction of a little church, going south.

At this church (for the hike to the Profítis Ilías we will take a left here) you will see an old donkey trail between walls going right: at first this is a dusty path with rocks which goes down in a small valley, later on the path becomes rocky and it goes up a hill – all the time though, it lies between walls.

After 10 minutes you go straight at a crossing, a little further you pass a road on the left and after that, at a second crossing, you do take a left: the road is broader now (sometimes there is a little concrete) and it goes down rather steeply into a valley. You pass two churches (the second one is open and next to it you see a nice cypress) and then you zigzag back upwards.

Next is a fairly stiff climb and when you have almost reached the top, the town of Chóra will appear from behind a hill on the right hand side. Behind you, you will see the Profítis Ilías. At the summit (about 35 minutes after you have left Chóra) there is a possibility to take a rest in a little church.

After that, the path goes back down abruptly. In the green valley you will find a water pit near a bridge; even in Summer time there is plenty of water in this pit and you can freshen up with a little can.

Taking wide bends the trail now zigzags back up the hill in the direction of the ruins of two windmills. When you have covered about one third of this long climb you can take a right to the picturesque chapel of Agios Taxiárchis – however, the chapel is difficult to reach and closed.

Further upwards we get to a broader road; this road goes to Agios Stéfanos on the left and on the left had side you can also distinguish the sea – bringing with it a refreshing breeze.

We continue straight and up, next to the two windmills we see Driopída – we have left Chóra about 1,5 hours ago. The broad road goes down now; in descending we keep to the right and in this way we reach the lower parts of Driopída. Down in the valley we can go up to get to the other part of this village, called Galatas. In Galatas we find the big church of Agios Mínas and the folk museum nearby.