In just two hours from Athens, you can take the ferry to Andros and admire the beautiful and wild, northernmost island of the Greek Cyclades Archipelago!
Andros Island in Greece, is worldwide known for its abundant waters and its many sandy beaches, with a coastline of about 176 kilometres total length. Weeping willows, chestnut, walnut and Olive trees, pines and fruit trees luxuriate because of the famous Sariza spring, which provides natural spring water to the whole country.
The island is about 40 km long and 17 km wide at approximately 36 miles from the port of Rafina.
The gem of the island is its capital , Chora, home to many greek captains and ship owners. It stands out for its narrow alleys, the cosmopolitan aura and its houses built with a combination of medieval and neoclassical style.
The island could be also considered as a cultural tourism destination, thanks to its museums like the Museum of Modern Art, the maritime museum and the Kaireios library with archives dated back to the 16th century.
The island of Andros is also known as Micra Anglia, meaning Little England in greek, ever since the great Greek shipping dynasties, that had a strong naval and merchant shipping force, opened offices in London in the late 19th to the early 20th century.
The famous poet Andreas Empirikos once said : “ Andros is the queen of the Aegean, the most beautiful of all in the world”.
Thanks to its proximity to Athens, Andros is ideal for short escapes. The island is easily approachable with conventional and high speed ferries so book your ferry tickets in advance and enjoy your holidays in Andros!
Ferry connections to Andros
Ferry Athens to Andros
If you want to visit a greek island close to the capital of Greece, Athens, Andros is certainly the best option for you. For locals it’s a really popular weekend break destination. Like many other islands, Andros doesn’t have an airport. So, getting to Andros by ferry is the best option.
Rafina to Andros
If you want to travel to Andros please keep in mind that the ferries depart mainly from the port of Rafina and there is no route from the port of Piraeus.
Rafina’s port is located close to the Athens International Airport “ Eleftherios Venizelos” that will get you to Rafina’s port in about 30 minutes.
The Rafina to Andros ferry connection offers routes throughout the year. During winter there are 1-2 daily routes and during summer there are usually more than 4-5 daily routes.
The duration of the trip is relatively short, ranging from 1-2 hours, depending on the type of vessel (high speed ferry or conventional).
Most of the ferry companies going from Rafina to Andros offer garages for passengers who want to travel with a vehicle.
Lavrio to Andros
There is also the option to travel from the southeast coast of Athens, port of Lavrio to Andros. The routes are less frequent, usually once a week, served only by conventional ferries and it takes around 7 hours to arrive in Andros.
Andros ferry port
The port of Andros is called Gavrio, located about 31 kilometres from Chora, the capital of the island, on the northeast coast and very close to the cosmopolitan village Batsi. It is also the first town that you meet as soon as you arrive on the island.
Before it started developing its tourist facilities, Gavrio was just a fishing village. Today, however, visitors will be able to find in Gavrio many restaurants, taverns, cafeterias, rooms for rent, car hiring offices and many shops.
Gavrio is a starting point for excursions to the north of the island where visitors can find many golden beaches and picturesque villages. Starting from Gavrio you can also visit the amazing old tower of Agios Petros, the monastery of Zoodochos Pigi and some villages as Amolochos, Fellos, Varidi, Kalivari and Vitali.
Port of Andros Public Transportation
Exit the port of Andros and use the public transportation to get around. Taxis and buses are available if you want to get around or explore the island, at any time of the day to any part of the island or any area of tourist interest, at a low cost.
Bus
There is a public bus transfer service with daily routes to and from Gavrio called KTEL Andros.
It runs from the ferry port of Gavrio to the biggest villages of the island like Ormos, Chora and Batsi. During high season there are additional routes to smaller villages as well.
For more information please visit Andros Buses or call +30 228220 22316.
Taxi
If you need a taxi there is a taxi stand outside the port gates.
In order to schedule a taxi transportation please visit Andros Taxis.
You can also call the following taxi phone numbers:
- Batsi: +.30 22820 41081
- Chora: +30 22820 22171
- Korthi: +30 22820 62171
- Gavrio: +30 22820 71561
Sights and Attractions of Andros
Andros has many sights and attractions but it is also a great place for hiking. There are some hiking trailers in the center of the island that lead to waterfalls, chapels, monasteries and mountainous villages. It is worth visiting the springs in Menites. Another popular activity in Andros is windsurfing at Ormos beach. A walk through the island allows you to visit its main sights:
- Following the road to Chora, the first village that you encounter is Pitrofos village with a rich vegetation and mountain springs that provide water in the area. Before you enter the village you will see the church of Taxiarchis that was built in the 12th century and take some time to visit the olive museum, a restored olive mill, located in the village.
- You will certainly enjoy a walk around Chora, with its traditional architecture and breathtaking views of the sea. The capital of Andros has several museums (Archaeological, Modern Art, Nautical, Folklore) and institutions (Kydonieos, Kairios Library). Do not miss a visit to the Museum of Modern Art built by Vasilis and Eliza Goulandri Foundation. It includes works of famous Greek and foreign artists and organizes different art exhibitions every summer.
- Don’t miss the Kato (Mesa) Castle on your way to Korthi. It was built in the beginning of the 13th century by the Franks and is connected to the land by a single arched stone bridge built in the 13th century.
- As the ship enters the port of Gavrio you will see the Tourlitis Lighthouse, built at the port’s entrance. It’s the only lighthouse worldwide that was built on a rock in the sea. It was built in 1887, destroyed during World War II and rebuilt in 1994.
- Next to Gavrio, towards Batsi, is located the interesting Tower of Agios Petros that was built in the 4th century b.c and is worth a closer look and in Batsi we suggest you visit the Monastery of the Holy Zoodochou Pigis.
- The arched stone bridge which can be located close to Nimporio.
- Kaireios Library found in a mansion built in 1919. The library includes Theofilos Kairis’ (1784-1853) collection, a theologian, philosopher and fighter of the 1821 War of Independence.
- The Public Theater where theatrical plays are organized and movies are projected.
- Rivas square and Afanos Naftis statue created by Michalis Tompros.
Hotels in Andros
The island of Andros is of a unique natural beauty and differs from the islands of the Cyclades and the Aegean Pelagos. Either you choose Andros for your summer holidays or just for a weekend getaway there are more than 120 accommodation options, such as hotels, rooms to let, studios, villas, apartments or even camping. Batsi and Agios Petros are nice places to look for accommodation. In general the most convenient places to stay are found on the western side of the island.
Find some of the best rated hotels & accommodations below:
- Aegea Blue
- Kymothoi Rooms & pool bar
- Amorani Studios
- Ktima Lemonies
Beaches in Andros
Andros is the second largest island in the Cyclades with 176 km of coastline with many beaches of any style, organized or not, popular or deserted. In Andros there are more than 30 beaches with crystal clear and blue waters. The organized beaches have canteens, beach bars, sunbeds and umbrellas or even water sports and diving schools. Constrastingly, the secluded options are for the visitors that prefer a quiet, romantic time by the sea.
The most popular are:
On the western side of Andros:
- Agios Petros Beach
- Golden Sand Beach
- Kypri Beach
- Apothikes Beach
- Batsi
On the eastern side of Andros:
- Ormos Beach (popular for water sports)
- Tis Grias to Pidima
- Paraporti Beach
- Achla
Day Trips from Andros
The Greek island of Andros is just a couple of hours away from Athens by ferry. Whether you want to visit Andros for a short break or use the island as a starting point for day trips, note that Andros has good ferry connections with nearby islands. You can book a day trip from Andros to Tinos, Mykonos, Syros or Kea. There are daily routes, the prices are affordable, so organize one and enjoy the Greek island hopping experience.
