THE NOSTOS PROJECT
7 Days Around Evia
A Longitudinal Passage Through Water, Forest, Stone and Myth
Evia is not a flashy island, but it is one that stays with you.
It sits so close to the mainland that it almost seems connected, and yet the moment you cross the bridge, you realise how separate it truly is. That narrow strip of water creates a subtle tension. The island appears to lean toward the continent, but never quite reaches it.
Travelling north to south on Evia is not about circling beaches. It is about following the island’s long ridge. The land stretches narrow and extended, and as you move along it, you begin to notice how everything responds to that length. Villages cling to slopes. Forests gather along the backbone. The sea disappears and returns depending on the bend of the road.
You are tracing a spine.
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Day 1 — The Reversing Strait
At Chalkida, the strait unsettles you immediately.
The water flows in one direction then another as if the river is considering its own decision as to which way to go, This flow creates an endless source of fascination for observers throughout the ages Such as Aristotle, who is said to have studied the changing direction of the river from this very spot and noted how the river creates a wonderful lesson: movement does not always mean going in the same direction.
Euripus Strait overview:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euripus_Strait
Eretria lies beyond the water. Small and simple, the theatre has no roof; it is open to the sky. The stones do not intimidate. They remember this city many times burnt down, rebuilt, and still standing. The emotion is one of strength, rather than something impressive.
Eretria archaeological site:
https://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh355.jsp?obj_id=5988
Eretria Archaeological Museum:
https://archaeologicalmuseums.gr/en/museum/5df34af3deca5e2d79e8c174
To the south, at Amarynthos, located south of the eastern shore adjacent to the Eubean Peninsula, was an ancient sanctuary dedicated to Artemis. Unlike later sculptural representations of her, characterised by purity and perfection, she was instead viewed in her older aspect as a wilderness and transitory goddess; thus, avant-garde ritual took place in walking from the city to the sanctuary. Rather than adoring in spectacles, her devotees expressed their sense of devotion by walking a distance from the city to the sanctuary; thus, religion was also performed over an expanse of land itself.
Sanctuary of Artemis Amarysia, Amarynthos:
https://www.esag.swiss/amarynthos/sanctuary-of-artemis/
As the road climbs toward Mount Dirfys, olive groves thin and pine takes over. The air cools. Moisture lingers longer than expected in this part of Greece.
Day 2 — Dirfys: The Mountain That Holds Water
Base yourself in Steni and remain for two nights.
Mount Dirfys stands out not only for its height but for its climate.
Its slopes retain moisture longer than the mainland hills opposite. Ravines hold shadow. Springs continue to flow even when the lower land has dried.
Dirfys hiking routes:
https://www.alltrails.com/greece/central-greece/dirfis
You don't have to climb to the top of a mountain in order to enjoy walking in this area. You can enjoy the forest's quiet for a few hours. The sounds become muted and slow down your pace.
As I walk down to the eastern coastline, the terrain changes dramatically. Where the ridge meets the Aegean Sea, there is no transition between land and sea like there is at beaches such as Chiliadou.
Chiliadou Beach overview:
https://theblogofdimi.com/chiliadou-beach-evia/
Day 3 — Limni and the Memory of Place
Swimming here feels earned.
Limni, which is located further north along its quiet harbour, is a place where daily life has no consideration for visitors; tying up of boats happens loosely and natural colour wash occurs, and there is no effort to show the local daily rhythm.
To experience Drymonas Waterfalls, it is a short drive from Limni.
Drymonas Waterfalls trail:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/greece/central-greece--4/drymonas-drymonas-waterfalls
Thick moss lines the stones as the temperature drops cooler in the air; the island feels for a time as if it has moved onto a more northern latitude.
Kymi, located at the high point above the eastern sea, will be reached around late afternoon. The horizon is unbroken and flat.
Day 4 — The Open Aegean
There is no protection along the eastern coastlines.
When the wind blows, it travels great distances to get to the shore, creating the waves with force instead of just pretty patterns.
Agia Anna Beach:
https://bepartofnorthevia.gr/en/agia-anna/
Kalamos Beach:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g7739647-d7119305-Reviews-Kalamos_Beach-Agii_Apostoloi_Euboea_Region_Central_Greece.html
When you walk along the beach at this location, it becomes evident that the ocean cannot be tamed. The Ancient Greeks believed that open water was the domain of the sea god, Poseidon, and their respect for him was always a requirement.
Day 5 — Thermal Depth and Volcanic Break
Return inland as night falls.
The soil is getting darker the further north we go, and we have visibility to much more of what lies beneath the earth's surface.
The thermal waters at Loutra Aidipsou also emanate from below the earth's surface; these mineral springs have provided a source for hundreds of years, dating back to P.O. (post-Olympia).
Edipsos overview:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edipsos
The coastal volcanic islands of Lichadonisia interrupt the ridge that forms a natural boundary around this area, thus providing a less connected series of formations.
Lichadonisia information and boat access:
https://lichadonisia.com/schedules/?lang=en
The irregular shape of these islands suggests they were broken rather than formed continuously over time; therefore, one can no longer assume that the earth maintains a stable state or can be characterised by geological and/or dynamic forces acting upon it.
Swimming between the dark rocks offers the opportunity to visually experience bare geological formations located on the island.
Day 6 — Lefkandi and Continuity
In the southern parts, agricultural villages surrounded by chestnut trees provide a calmer landscape.
Investigation at Lefkandi has changed the conventional view of what happened during the Greek Dark Age in terms of the development of the Greek people. Rather than being a time of collapse, there is a clear indication of continuity and change through time.
Lefkandi overview:
https://www.thoughtco.com/lefkandi-greece-village-cemeteries-171525
Evia does not lend itself to clean historical demarcations.
You will arrive at Karystos along the base of Mount Ochi by evening, through a very angular and wind-etched landscape .
Day 7 — Mount Ochi and the Dragon Houses
You will arrive at the Dragon Houses at the summit of Mount Ochi by climbing to the top.
Drakospita overview:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1146717-d4040590-Reviews-Drakospita-Karystos_Euboea_Region_Central_Greece.html
Trail reference:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/greece/evia/mount-ohi-s-refuge-and-profitis-ilias-summit
The megaliths - beings of great size - have been assembled without the use of any mortar whatsoever. Their immense weight holds them together due to gravity; thus, they are interconnected as a single entity by virtue of their size and weight. Exactly where these rocks originated is also a matter yet to be determined - they did not simply appear out of nowhere. There is also little evidence to disprove the mythology surrounding these structures.
Castello Rosso is another castle in proximity to the one built after the completion of megalithic construction on its neighbouring ridge a century later.
If you walk the distance of this ridge, you’ll notice that the elements of water, rock, and story have all remained inseparable here in northern Italy. They have existed as layers of the same ridge line; together throughout time, they have all risen and settled as one.
Castello Rosso information:
https://karystion.gr/en/travel-experiences/worth-visiting/the-castle
Finish the journey with a swim at Bouros Beach.
Bouros Beach information:
https://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=5249&lng=2
Persistence in Evia's Idea
On this journey, you experience:
Water is moving in the opposite direction.
Mountains holding on to their wetness.
Walking defines where you can go and where you cannot.
Thermal springs from below.
Volcanic fractures within the ridge line.
Archaeology suggests a collapse of time.
Megalithic structures that make you question what happened.
Evia is not functional.
Evia is persistent.
As you journey the ridge from one end to the other, you will notice that water, stone, and story are all part of the same ridge but have never separated. They have always been present as layers of the same ridge and have always been moving up and down through the years.