A Weekend on Kea: The Perfect Island Getaway

The ferry trip from the port of Lavrio to the island takes just one hour. Kea, an island of two,500 inhabitants, is a perfect vacation spot for brief getaways. Other than quaint villages and exquisite seashores, the island has quite a few sights and alternatives for outside actions. The ferry docks in Korissia, and the island’s essential city is in Ioulida, which is additional inland. Though these two cities supply probably the most choices when it comes to lodging and meals, the settlements of Vourkari and Otzia to the north and Poisses, Kato Meria and Koundouros to the south are additionally widespread.

The Lion of Kea is without doubt one of the most spectacular sights. This archaic lion sculpture from the 6-Seventh century BC was carved from a stable piece of rock simply outdoors Ioulida. Aghios Nikolaos’ lighthouse in Korissia can be of curiosity, and it’s accessible by way of a brief, simple path. The lighthouse was constructed by the French Lighthouse Firm in 1831 and it was the primary lighthouse to be lit within the Cyclades. The lighthouse supplies a panoramic view of Korissia’s bay. The 45-meter chimney of the enamel and metallurgy plant that operated on the island from 1927 to 1957 could also be seen within the distance. Though the plant has been designated as a historic web site, it has but to be transformed right into a museum; the equipment strewn throughout the courtyard was collected by way of personal initiatives.

This time of 12 months, simply earlier than the excessive temperatures of summer season, is good for exploring the island’s quite a few mountaineering trails. The twelve routes span 36 kilometers and have been designated as “Routes of Cultural Curiosity” as a result of they incorporate historic and cultural parts of the island. Lots of the trails are paved with cobblestone and their historical past dates again many a long time, as they was once the one approach for the island’s inhabitants to journey between the villages. The “Aristaios” route, which as soon as related historical Ioulida to the traditional metropolis of Karthaia, runs by way of the island’s hinterland and is 12 kilometers lengthy. The 4.5-kilometer “Drys” route begins at the Byzantine monastery of Episkopi and travels previous a spring and an oak forest earlier than arriving on the lovely sandy seashore of Sykamia on the island’s northeast. The “Ydroussa” route, which passes by way of ravines and shady hillsides, ends at the attractive seashore of Spathi.

Kea is thought for its thriving scuba diving tourism. In 1975, Jacques Cousteau found the “HMHS Brittanic,” the sister ship of the Titanic, which sank in November 1916 whereas transporting injured British and Commonwealth troopers in open waters off the island’s harbor. In 1868, the steamship “Patris” sank off the coast of Koundouros whereas transporting passengers from Piraeus to Syros. Since 1916, the French ocean liner “Burdigala” has been on the backside of the ocean off the island’s west facet. The island has quite a few licensed scuba diving faculties that set up dives for knowledgeable divers at shipwrecks.

The place to eat

“Oikos Kea” (Korissia, Tel.: (+30) 22880.225.07) is an all-day restaurant that serves espresso, brunch, scrumptious pizza, pastries, and choose meat and seafood dishes.

“Karthaia” (Kato Meria, Tel.: (+30) 22880.242.80) is a standard Greek taverna that serves selfmade appetizers similar to fried tomato balls and fried cheese pies, Greek conventional dishes similar to veal stew and rooster in a wine sauce, and grilled dishes.

Within the slender streets of Kea, “Steki” (Ioulida, Tel.: (+30) 22880.220.88) serves a small menu of scrumptious dishes similar to stuffed eggplants baked within the oven, selfmade stuffed vine leaves, native sausages, and sujuks.

For individuals who want Greek conventional dishes made with native components, “Perasma sto Gyristi” is a should (Kastanies, on the street in the direction of Ioulida in Kato Meria, Tel.: (+30) 22880.240.14).

This text was beforehand revealed in Greek at kathimerini.gr.