Evaluation: This hike will probably be the first hike you make on the island of Tziá. This is a very nice hike, indeed, which continuously runs along marvellous trails; you get to visit the famous Lion, you pass one of the nicest wells and you then descend on really exceptional paths to the beautiful bay of Otziás with a very pleasant beach. The hike is also very well signposted, by means of wooden signs and red-white trail markers [1]. The way back proceeds along the same route, which gives you the chance to discover the trails and the landscape from a different perspective. This hike deserves the maximum evaluation of ****.
[Update by Raymond on October the 10^th, 2015 and on April the 26^th, 2018.]
[The translation of this walk was made with the help of Google translate - so, please, do not mind the mistakes...]

Estimated time: For the way out, 5,7 km long, you should count on an actual walking time (AWT) of 1h50; at the beginning of the way back, on the beach of Otziás, the hiking sign says that it will cost you 1h40 to return to Ioulída - and it did take us exactly this amount of time, always in AWT. The actual walking time thus amounts to a total of 3h30. For the total walking time (TWT) you should count on twice as much, especially if you stay for a rather long time on the beach - and yes, we walked from 11am to 6pm, so about 7 hours of total walking time.

Route description: (0h00) For all hikes departing from Chóra you leave from the upper parking lot (with bus stop). You walk on the left of the small shop of Kianos, through the picturesque arched passage (the stóa). In this way you arrive at a tiny square, the Piátsa, with the outdoor terrace of the café/estiatório I Piátsa.

The Piátsa.

The small street on the left leads to the Kástro (hiking sign [2]), but you take a right (hiking sign for the hikes [1], [3], [4], [10] and [1]), through a modern vault, to the centre. After some 20 metres you keep to the right: in front of you, you can see the church with the red dome of the Agios Dimítrios. You pass the nice bar + outdoor terrace En Levkoó and via the Odós A. Lazarídi it takes you a few hundred metres to get to the central square, the "platía", with the "dimarchío" or town hall.
You continue while veering to the left in between two tavernas and almost immediately, at the small shop Baxes, you keep to the right; you then go up the staircase street (a small hidden sign points to the "archaíos léoon", the "old lion"). After some 2 minutes you get to the junction of the important hikes [3] (on the right, to Karthéa) and our hike [1] (hiking sign).

The hiking sign for walks [1] and [3].

(0h06) The hiking sign points straight ahead  and in this way it takes you 1-2 minutes to reach the large church of Agios Spiridónas, with next to it the beautiful terrace of the restaurant To Stéki.
Past the church you keep following the nice and broad main street, which goes up slightly. You leave the houses behind you and you arrive at a marvellously paved trail. On the opposite side of the valley you can already distinguish the continuation of the trail, with underneath the trail the location of the Lion.

View on the site of the lion of Kéa.

(0h12) Your path curves to the left [1] and passes underneath the cemetery with picturesque cypress trees; you thus get a nice view on the village of Chóra behind you. You pass a nice well with the date 1928 and you get a nice view on the Lion as well. Further on, the trail curves again to the left, near a well and underneath the small chapel of Agios Elefthérios – a great spot to admire the panoramic view of Chóra. The pavement comes to an end and two minutes later you arrive at the small metal gate on the left that gives entrance to the Lion of Kéa.

The lion of Kéa.

This magnificent statue, dating from the years 600 BC, is a statue from the archaic era: the slight smile of the animal reminds us of the smile of the koúros-statues, so typical for the archaic era (7th – 6th centuries BC). The lion is probably connected to the legend of the lion that chased the nymphs. According to the myth, the bloom of the island, which was then rich in water (hence the ancient name "Hydroussa", from the ancient Greek "hudoor" = water) and which was the residence of the water nymphs or Naïades, was brutally disturbed by the arrival of a lion. The lion chased away the water nymphs, who fled to the nearby Euboea, which was followed by a long period of drought. This drought came to an end, only because Aristaeus, son of the god Apollo, and known as the inventor of the apiculture, brought into existence the summer wind or meltémi, and this as a result of his sacrifices to the god Zeus. Maybe, the smile we saw on the face of the lion, was rather a grin…? 

The "grin" of the Lion.

(0h20) After this mythological intermezzo you return to the main trail, which you continue to the left ([1] and also [10]); sometimes it is rocky and sometimes it consists of gravel.

The broad path between the Lion and the source of Venjamin.

You have a nice view on the left and behind you and after some 7 minutes you arrive at a large spot near a marvellous plane tree and the beautiful well of Venjamin (Benjamin) (hiking sign Otziás 1h20).

The 15 drinking-troughs and the  rings in the opposite wall tell you that earlier on, this was a spot often used as watering place and halting place for animals.
The inscription above the well goes as follows: “Well of the Archimandritos (= a clergyman) Vénjamin, the Chartofylax (= archivist). He let it build at his expense for the use of the passers-by.”
Above, you see the date 1863.

The source of Venjamin.

Taking notes next to the source of Venjamin...

(0h27) Straight ahead, your gravel path continues horizontally and some 2 minutes later you arrive at a junction with a sign post: going down on the left is your trail [1], which continues to Otziás, the trail on the right leads to Spathí [10] – see the walk Ioulída – Lion – Agios Dimítrios – Spathí.

(0h29) You thus take a left: the monopáti is now nicely paved and it descends into the valley under the form of a beautiful staircase. After 10 very nice minutes you describe some nice turns.

The splendid monopáti to Otziás.

(0h38) After a beautiful descent you reach a stretch that is flatter; you pass under some beautiful trees and you cross a dry river bed [1] - sometimes, there are many little grasshoppers at this spot. These grasshoppers are really special because of their double wings when they fly. Also the oak trees are striking - they are very typical for the inland of Kea. The narrow path now goes up, along beautiful almond orchards and oak trees. You pass a recent well (1960) [1] and shortly thereafter you reach a broad gravel road.

(0h48) Pay attention: you follow this road only 1 minute to the left (wooden hiking sign and [1] on a pole), but soon the path continues to the right (sign and [1]): it is pleasant to walk on the path that gently goes downward, midst a lot of flowering broom (May 26, 2006) or the graceful cyclamen (September 23, 2009).

Some nice details along the path to Otziás.

After 7-8 minutes you arrive at a very shady, cool spot under Mediterranean maples; you then descend on a steeper, rocky or paved path into the bed of a river. You follow the river bed to the left, during a few minutes, until the path leaves the valley to the right [1].

(1h04) You descend again, you cross a side valley and continue without problems. The path continues flatly, above the valley, and then passes a striking rock.

The path passes between strange rock formations.

(1h08) You continue to descend and get some nice views of the entire valley – all the way to the sea. After 2 minutes you arrive between walls and you see how the path continues nicely on the right-hand slope of the valley.

The path now continues on the right slope of a deep valley.

Further on, you get to a wonderful, almost flat stretch, with obvious curbs on the left-hand side; you go higher and higher above the valley that gets wider. After 13 easy minutes you arrive at a ridge with some houses and then you reach 2 roads.

Panoramic view on the bay of Otziás.

You take a left, obviously (sign and [1]), but almost immediately your path continues diagonally to the right (white arrow, red dot and [1]). At this point you can enjoy a magnificent view of Otziás, your final destination.

(1h24) The descent that follows is quite easy. After 7-8 minutes, while arriving at the first houses, the path gets sloppy because of the rubbish that proves that "civilization" is nearby. After a total of 12 minutes you arrive at a gravel road, which you follow straight ahead. A little further you keep to the left on a concrete road and after a short time you reach the main asphalt road – you take a right here [1].

(1h38) Pay attention now: already after 30 meters, there is a path that goes down to the left, next to three little white poles (hiking sign and 3 X [1]). At first the stony and sometimes worn away path descends quickly, but later on it continues as a wide, grassy path between walls, straight to the sea.
For the final stretch, you walk further in the rocky or gravel-like bed, you cross the asphalt road and you reach the beach. (1h50)

The sandy beach is nice and wide, with umbrellas, sheds and benches. It is better to continue another 100 meters to the right, where the beach is better, because of the shade of tamarisks. To the right, beyond the asphalt road, there is also the nice tavern Otziás with a beautiful outdoor terrace. Further on, there is also the tavern Anna.

The beach of Otziás.

(1h50) In order to start your way back you walk along the beach, and 50 meters before the end of it, you go left into the sandy river bed (sign Ioulída 1h40). You cross a little road and you continue straight across ([1] on a wall). After a little over three minutes you leave this bed diagonally to the right, in order to follow a little road between walls, at the right-hand side of a gate [1]. This is a beautiful, grassy little road, which goes up to the asphalt road.

(2h01) You take a right, but in the curve, some 20 meters further, and next to a tiny blue chapel, you go up to the left on a little concrete road [1]. After another 20 meters you find the path between walls on the right-hand side [1], and a little bit further you continue of course to the left of the wall and the gate [1].
After 4 minutes you pass the last houses and then you climb gradually on a path between beautiful walls.
After 8 nice minutes, you arrive for a few moments on a gravel road [1], where you take a left, but very soon you keep right on a concrete slope; almost immediately you take the nice path off the right [1].

(2h14) You now enter the beautiful valley on a marvelous path that you see continuing far away in front of you – it is flat or rises slightly – sometimes, it is narrow because of the vegetation, but later on, it becomes very nice, with splendid border stones.

During your way back, above the beautiful valley - and the splendid path.

After 13 minutes, you reach the upper part of the valley, but the climb gets even steeper on a path paved with large stones. You pass under a large rock and you continue to climb on nice steps. After 16 beautiful minutes you arrive in the rocky bed of a river and you cross this bed.

(2h30) The path goes straight ahead, but soon you arrive in the bed of a side valley; after a little over one minute, you leave it to the right, but you return to it. Later on, you keep to the left [1] and leave the bed, again to the right [1]. You get now to a beautiful staircase and a nice climb.

A nice staircase, and ... an obstacle...

After some minutes, the climb becomes less steep and you arrive at a dirt road (2 wooden hiking signs). To the right, you already see the mills above Ioulída.

(2h44) You go left (sign and [1]) and after 40-50 meters you take a right (sign and [1]). First, you follow a stony path that descends slowly, and after 3 minutes you cross a small river and you curve to the right [1]. You go up slowly now, on a beautiful path, at first next to some nice oak trees, further on next to almond trees.

(2h53) After another 6 minutes you come to a beautiful, fairly recently paved staircase; you follow this bright white staircase for over 11 minutes!

A marvellous staircase!

(3h04) You then arrive at the junction with the path that comes from Spathí, where you go straight [1] and after a little over one minute you reach the Venjamin source. Here the trail becomes wide and it continues horizontally (sign “Lion of Kéa”): it bends to the left and you get a nice view of Ioulída.

Just past the source of Venjamin - Ioulída appears in front of you.

Your path now runs next to the site of the Lion and then it bends to the right – in this way you walk around the entire valley. The path stays obvious, also in Ioulída: you always go straight and in this way you arrive at your point of departure without any problem. (3h30)

Gpx-files:


https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/kea-ioulida-lion-dosonari-diaseli-otzias-25334569

https://www.routeyou.com/en/route/view/5368974/hiking-route/kea-ioulida-lion-dosonari-diaseli-otzias

To get the printer friendly version
with only the text
in one column,
click here.