Overview
The island of Eubea (Evia) is the second-largest in Greece, after Crete. It is located in the Aegean Sea, separated from the mainland by the Gulf of Euboea.
Your cycling on Euboea Island starts at the seaside town of Eretria, known for its ancient theatre and the Temple of Apollo Daphnephoros. Cycle along quaint backroads, picturesque fishing villages, past rolling vineyards, major archaeological sites and finish at the lively town of Karystos, where plenty of solitary beaches await you for a refreshing swim.
- Temple of Apollo Daphnephoros
- Euripus Strait
- Archaeological Museum of Eretria
- The Two Towers of Mytika
- Amphiareion of Oropos
- Chalkida
- Karystos
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Eretria
Welcome to Eretria. If you arrive early, you can pick up your bike and take a short ride along the coast.
- Accommodation: Hotel Avantis (Eretria) or similar
Day 2: Loop Ride from Eretria | 18-36.5km
Today you can choose between two options:
- Take the ferry across the Gulf of Evia to Oropos (30 min; ferry fare: 2€) and cycle inland. A short, steep ascent leads to the Ancient Amphiareion, dedicated to the god and hero Amphiaraos, king of Argos along with Adrastus and Iphis. Reach the coast zigzagging downhill among the vineyards. Extend the ride by cycling up to Kalamos and Agioi Apostoloi and return to Oropos along the coast. Take the ferry back to Oropos.
- Cycling for the day: 2-4h, 18-36.5km ↑175/350m ↓175/350m
- Alternatively, you can cycle uphill from Eretria to the village of Gymno past olive groves and open farmland, with views to the sea. Visit the ancient site and the Acropolis of Eretria.
- Cycling for the day: 2.5h, 25km ↑170m ↓170m
- Accommodation: Hotel Avantis (Eretria) or similar
Day 3: Oropos to Fylla | 58km
Take the morning ferry from Eretria to Oropos. Cycle along the South Euboean Gulf coast. Seaside fishing villages alternate with the rural countryside. Closer to Chalkida, you will come upon the impressive industrial mining buildings that once flourished in this area, but have plummeted due to the economic crisis. Via the old Evripou Bridge, visit Chalkida, the capital of Evia. Shortly after, you will reach the village of Fylla and your lovely accommodation.
- Cycling for the day: 5h, 58km ↑270m ↓240m
- Accommodation: Mad Cat Farm (Fylla) or similar
Day 4: Loop Ride from Fylla | 38km
A long gradual ascent along the wide River Lilas takes you up to the inland village of Pissonas, where you can enjoy some tremendous views. Cycle to the village of Pournos, then head south to Theologos. A 6 km descent on a good dirt track leads you to the cosy little village of Kamari. The Castle of Fylla, landmark of this region, comes into view. Soon you reach the Mad Cat Farm, where you can reward yourself with a plunge into its lovely pond.
- Cycling for the day: 4h, 38km ↑400m ↓400m
- Accommodation: Mad Cat Farm (Fylla) or similar
Day 5: Giannitsi to Karystos | 26km
After breakfast, a short transfer takes you to Giannitsi. Cycle to the village of Chania along Megalo Remma, meaning Big Stream in Greek. The area is very remote and peaceful, with one delightful exception – the famous tavern in Pothi, where you can stop for refreshments. From Chania, ascend to Paradeisi, and enjoy the most famous local dish – grilled lamb. Leaving Paradeisi, descend toward Karystos, the last 4 km you will cycle on a wide, relatively busy road. Your overnight stay is near one of the Karystos’ beaches, where you can enjoy a dip in the clean, warm Aegean waters.
- Cycling for the day: 3h, 26km ↑255m ↓540m
- Accommodation: Hotel Anastasia (Karystos) or similar
Day 6: Loop Ride from Karystos | 22-25km
On the last day of this trip, you can choose between two options.
- Cycle eastward, then ascend to the village of Metochi and further inland before zigzagging downhill to the coast. There is an optional loop to the beach of Bouros where sunbeds, umbrellas and a lovely bar awaits you. The tarmac road ends at a massive hotel, abandoned in the nineties.
- Cycling for the day: 3h, 25km ↑400m ↓400m
- The second option is more challenging. Discover the charming villages around Karystos – Kalivia, Mekounida and Myli. Have a snack at the local tavern before peddling downhill back to Karystos.
- Cycling for the day: 2.5h, 22km ↑440m ↓440m
- Accommodation: Hotel Anastasia (Karystos) or similar
Day 7: Departure
After breakfast, leave your bike at the hotel and take a taxi to the port of Marmari, where you get the ferry to Rafina.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in nice 4-star hotels in Eretria and Karystos, and a characterful guesthouse in Fylla, in double or twin private en-suite rooms. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Avantis (Eretria) – Situated by the sea and only 700 m from the centre of Eretria, Avantis Suites Hotel offers rooms with South Evoikos Gulf views.
- Mad Cat Farm (Fylla) – Lambros and Alice Anne run this bed and breakfast with a natural swimming pool located 5 km from the seaside village of Lefkandi.
- Hotel Anastasia (Karystos) – Centrally situated in Karystos, Evia, Anastasia is a 3-minute walk from the Western Beach. It offers a pool and an Aegean sea-view restaurant that serves breakfast with homemade bread and organic products. If your arrival is before 29th April or after the 7th of October, we will book you in Aegea Hotel instead, located in Pigadakia area of Karystos.
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a property of equal standard. We will provide full accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Accommodation is on a bed & breakfast basis. Picnic lunches are optional at an extra charge and can be ordered locally, or products for picnics can be purchased in the villages where you’ll be staying. On some days, you have the option of having your lunch in the local taverns along the way. You can have dinner at your hotel or nearby restaurants.
Difficulty and terrain
You follow mostly country roads, with the occasional short section on well-maintained dirt tracks. Busy roads are avoided, though you will have to do some short sections with traffic. Every day you have a chance to swim, either in the hotel swimming pool or in the sea (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This trip is available from April until October. From June to mid-September the weather is hot and sunny, sometimes with periods of intense heat especially from mid-July to mid-August, though there is always a sea breeze. The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Athens (ATH).
By train or bus
- By train: Take the train from the airport to Piraeus (hourly departure; travel time: 38 min) to Ag. Anargyroi, following by another train to Chalkida (departs every 2 hours; duration of the journey: 1 h 15 min). Take the bus from Chalkida station to Eretria (approx. 40 min). For more information and timetables, visit Greek Railways and KTEL Evias or use the Omio planner above.
- By bus: Take the airport express bus X93 to Liossion for an approx. 1-hour journey. From Liossion take the KTEL Chalkida bus to Eretria. Travel time: 1.5 h. For detailed information, visit OASA and KTEL Evias or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 6 overnights with breakfast as detailed in the itinerary
- Transfer from Fylla to Giannitsa
- Luggage transfer when changing hotels (one piece of luggage per person, max 20 kg)
- Bicycle collection from the final location if renting bikes from us
- Detailed digital holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you prior to departure and no printed documents are mailed or provided on-site.
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- Single room supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Bike & e-bike rentals
- Extra nights are available upon request
- Private transfers from/to the airport
Gallery
