Route D
One week starting and ending in Lavrion.
- Lavrion
- Kea
- Hydra
- Spetses
- Poros
- Methana
- Lavrion
Suggested islands
Kea
Κέα or Tzia - Τζια, the most westerly of the larger Cyclades, lies some 12 nm south-east of Cape Sounion. The island’s agriculture and the traditional harvesting of acorns for use in tanning have declined as a result of emigration. There is a certain amount of tourist traffic from the Greek mainland.
On the south side of Nikolaos Bay – which was a pirate stronghold in the 13th c. – is the little port of Korissia (also known as Livadi), built on the side of ancient Koressia. There are remains of the ancient town walls and a Sanctuary of Apollo. The Kouros (statue of a youth) of Kea (530 BCE) which was found here is now in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
North of Korissia, at the seaside resort of Vourkari, stands the little Church of St Irini, amid the remains of a strongly fortified ancient city (3rd millenium BCE – 3rd c. AD), including the oldest temple found in Greece. (15th c. BCE).
The famous lion – carved from the native rock in the 6th c. BCE – can be seen just north-east of Kea town. And another highlight is the beautiful anchorage of Poleis.
Andros and Tinos
Άνδρος, the most northerly and, after Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades, is a kind of south-easterly continuation of Evvia, from which it is separated by a busy and sometimes stormy channel only 8 nm wide.
In the island’s four ranges of hills, the largest of which is Mount Petalon (997 m), are marble quarries which were already being worked in antiquity. Thanks to its unusual abundance of water Andros – most Cycladic islands are rather barren – has a flourishing agriculture.
Τήνος with its highest peak Mount Tsiknias (713 m), at the east end of the island. The inhabitants live by farming on terraced fields. Characteristic features of the landscape are the Venetian-style tower-like dovecots, of which there are some 1300. There are also numerous windmills.