Activities and experiences in the Karystos area at a glance
Thanks to the combination of mountain and sea, Karystos has become today an important tourist center with quality infrastructure and lively traffic throughout the year. Harmony, peace, relaxation and various activities in a unique nature constantly reward the visitor and encourage him to visit the area again and again. Karystos and its wider area offer the visitor unique and unforgettable experiences regarding gastronomy, swimming, horse riding, walks, hiking, cycling, diving, water sports, sea excursions, visiting archaeological sites, visiting green picturesque villages and areas of particular natural beauty.
Experiences – activities – sights in the Karystos area in more detail
Gastronomy
The visitor to Karystos can taste the traditional recipes for the preparation of fresh mizithra, feta, anthotyros, spicy touloumisio cheese, and kefalotyri. He can also taste the delicious meats from animals that graze freely on the mountain slopes of Mount Ochi, such as lambs, goats, vetouli, goat, ewe. Honey from thyme, kissouri and koumaro, of excellent quality and nutritional value. Karystos has a long tradition in viticulture. It produces quality wines from the Savvatian grape. Karystos is covered in olive trees. Olive mills with a tradition of years produce tons of pure quality olive oil. A speciality of the region is the kurkoubines, small pieces of dough that are hand-rolled and boiled in goat’s butter or oil. Another unforgettable experience is the traditional herb pie made from handmade dough with aromatic herbs and fresh cheese.
Before dawn, the fishermen go out to sea and upon their return to the port early in the morning, the market is filled with fresh fish such as mullets, snappers, swordfish, bream, perch, bream, melanouria, murmuras, groupers, bream, octopus, etc. This fresh seafood is promoted in taverns, meze restaurants and ouzo bars so that the visitor can taste it cooked according to traditional recipes accompanied by Karystino wine, ouzo or tsipouro. A traditional dessert of the region is loukoumades. A ball of flour baked in olive oil and drizzled with pure honey.
Swimming – water sports
Every day a different beach. An endless coastline, rich in sandy beaches, some extensive and others narrower, some popular and organized and others hidden for hermits, some easily accessible and others that require effort to approach, but reward you with their beauty. Dozens of sandy beaches in the bay of Karystos and on the Aegean side with crystal clear waters compose a unique mosaic of leisure experiences for those who want to spend their days by the sea. The most famous beaches in the bay of Karystos are: Gallida, Psili Ammos, Livadaki, Katsouli, Mnimata, Agia Paraskevi, Marmara, Kavos and Agalma. Beaches in the area of Kavo Doro are: Kastri, Livadi, Potami, Archamboli and the beach of the village of Amygdalia. Beaches on the Aegean side are: Kallianos beach, Agios Dimitrios, Giannitsi and Varellaioi.
Megali Ammos beach is a strip of white sand that enters the sea and changes morphology every year depending on the weather. This beach is internationally known to those who love wind surfing or kite surfing.
Sea excursions – diving
From the port of Karystos, sea excursions are carried out to beaches of astonishing beauty that cannot be reached by road except by sea.
In calm and safe waters, with very good visibility, visitors to the area can try the sport of diving. The morphology of the seabed is impressive: ravines, cliffs, shipwrecks, mid-ocean ridges, offer dozens of unique underwater routes for diving enthusiasts.
Stroll – walk
Life on the Karystos waterfront never stops. Strolling along the harbor and the Karystos breakwater as the sun sets and back again with the picturesque ouzeri and taverns on one side and the fishing boats and caiques on the other is a unique experience.
Cycling
Cycling by the sea along the Paximada and Bouros areas is also another unforgettable experience.
Horseback Riding
For horse riding enthusiasts, the equestrian club offers therapeutic sessions as well as tours of the area.
Bourtzi Fortress
Visit the Bourtzi Fortress, located in the port of Karystos, a Venetian building from the 13th century AD. In the summer, various cultural activities, art exhibitions and music concerts take place.
Archaeological Museum
Visit the Archaeological Museum of Karystos, which houses sculptures from the classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods, finds from the dragon houses of Mount Ochi and Styra, as well as clay figurines, inscriptions and vases.
Mausoleum of Karystos
Visit the Mausoleum of Karystos, in the city center, dating back to the 2nd century BC, which is the tomb of a Roman official.
Cave of Agia Triada
The Cave of Agia Triada is located at the foot of the Ochi Mountains, near the village of Kalyvia Karystos. It is the largest cave in southern Evia with an explored length of approximately 2,400 m. It was created along the bed of an underground river that develops at the point of contact between masses of marble and slate. In its passage, the water has created narrow ravines, spacious chambers, waterfalls and lakes inside the cave. The river flows out next to the homonymous church, approximately 20 m. lower than the entrance to the cave, which is narrow, protected by the natural formation of the ground and vegetation.
Water sources and trails of Lala village
Visit the cool, peaceful and lush landscape of the water sources of Lala village. Also visit and walk the picturesque trails of Lala village.
Byzantine – Venetian castle
Visit the Byzantine and then Venetian Red Castle (Castello Rosso), at the foot of Mount Ochi (4 km from Karystos), which dates back to 1030 AD. It overlooks the bay of Karystos from above. The view from there is unique. Inside the castle there is also the church of Prophet Elias. Next to it, at the bottom right of the castle, there are remains of a Roman aqueduct.
Roman Columns
Hiking from the village of Myli to the Roman Columns (Remains of a Roman quarry, giant marble monoliths 12 meters long).
Chestnut Forest
East of the peak of Ochi at an altitude of approximately 1,000m. lies an ancient chestnut forest. A natural museum with each tree a living sculpture. Its unique aesthetic value classifies it among the landscapes of particular natural beauty.
Dragon House of Mount Ochi
Hiking from the chestnut forest to the Dragon House of Mount Ochi. It is hidden at an altitude of 1398m. The “Dragon House” of Ochi is one of the twenty-three “Dragon Houses” of southern Evia. It is a megalithic monument. Next to this megalithic monument is the stone temple of Prophet Elias, which is celebrated every year on July 20.
Dimosari Gorge
Hiking – descent into the Dimosari Gorge. On the north side of Mount Ochi is the Dimosari Gorge, one of the most beautiful hiking trails in Greece. The path to the gorge starts from the Petrokanalo location and moves northwards in a path towards the sea. After 10 km it ends at the beach of the settlement of Kallianos.
Agios Dimitrios Gorge
Hiking – descent into the Agios Dimitrios Gorge, a lush green area that ends at the uniquely beautiful beach of Agios Dimitrios overlooking the Aegean Sea.
Archamboli Gorge
Hiking – descent into the Archamboli Gorge. Between the villages of the area of Kavo Doro, Komito and Kapsouri is the Archamboli Gorge, a lush green area that ends at the homonymous beach of Archamboli.
Archamboli
Visit to the ‘Ancient City’, Archamboli. Between the villages of the area of Kavo Doro, Evangelismos and Thymi is the Archamboli Gorge, which creates an impressively wild landscape. This gorge ends at the beach of Archamboli with its wild natural beauty. For archaeologists, it was probably a mine of antiquity. There are visible remains of the ancient city. Traces of the first habitation from 700 BC. Next to the remains of the ancient city, there is the temple of Agios Georgios.
Kavo Doro Area
Kafireas or Kavo Doro as many know it, is the area that spreads imposingly at the southeastern tip of Evia. It is dotted with mountains with a unique relief and has high tourist interest due to the ancient paths, the villages with ancestral houses, and the few remaining residents, which are built in traditional styles, the scattered huts with flocks of lambs and goats grazing freely in the pastures, the churches that overlook the Aegean Sea, the untouched ravines, and the famous gorge of Archamboli that ends at the homonymous beach.
In the village of Platanistos, which is the first of the villages in the area, a real fairyland spreads out. Running water and everything green all around. At the entrance of the village a path leads to the stone bridge and the stone school with the teacher’s house, Remnants of another glorious era gone by. At the exit of the village a waterfall pours its waters from a height of twenty-five meters into the stream that ends at Potami beach.
At the end, the chapel of Agios Gregorios overlooks the sea and Arapis, the rocky islet with the guardian angel of sailors, the lighthouse of the cape, is constantly battered by the waves.
Picturesque villages
Visit the picturesque and verdant villages of Myli, Ano Aetos, Paradisi and Agios Dimitrios with their many running waters, shady – cool plane trees and picturesque taverns.
Montofoli Estate
High above Karystos, the Montofoli Estate, a declared archaeological site, spread over an area of 40 acres, is open to the public and ready to host any visitor who wishes to be transported to another era. Wine varieties are cultivated there, from which an exquisite award-winning dessert sweet wine is produced for demanding palates.
Petalioi Islands
The Petalioi Islands are a paradise, also known as the Greek Maldives, with rocky shores, white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, and lush vegetation. They are a cluster of ten islands. Seven are uninhabited and three are privately owned. The cluster of islands is only accessible by boat or organized sea excursion. An ideal place for those who go diving and snorkeling.