A major British outlet has urged their reader to "forget Santorini" and instead go to the hidden Mediterranean getaway of Andros.
According to the Daily Telegraph, “In this age of social media, a destination can go from under-the-radar gem to over-touristed hotspot in a trice, particularly when that destination is a Mediterranean island. It’s hard to believe that just over a decade ago, Santorini was still little known, before direct flights and influencers made it one of the most photographed, crowded places in Europe."
Andros is included among the 10 "secret" Mediterranean destinations proposed by the British newspaper emphasising that "The Greek shipowners who built their mansions on Andros in the early 20th century blessed this Cyclades gem with an affluence that enabled it, for a long time, to cock a snook to outsiders."
"It still feels like early days for tourism. Unlike Santorini and Mykonos, the headline acts of the Cyclades whose direct flights bring ever-growing crowds to their ever-glitzier hotels, Andros’s charms are quieter and slower, and remain largely the preserve of shipping magnates and the cognoscenti of Athens, two hours away by boat.
"No wonder they want to keep it on the down-low. Unique to this archipelago, Andros has a lush mountainous interior where rivers spring from the ground bringing verdant life – lush forests, orchards, citrus groves – as they cascade through the hillsides into pools deep enough to swim in.
"The Andros Route trail runs through it, 60 miles; you can walk the island top to toe in 10 days. Otherwise, hire a 4x4 to explore; the roads peter out into rough tracks before they reach the beaches, which are stunning: isolated, uncultivated, sunlounger-free shores of fine, pale sand (another rarity in the Cyclades) and the most unbelievably blue sea.
"Its main town of Chora is unexpectedly grand with its neoclassical city hall and houses with doric-columned porticos, and its various cultural spaces include a progressive Museum of Contemporary Art and an open-air amphitheatre that hosts arts performances in August."
The Guardian broadcasts on the same wavelength. The readers of the international media chose Andros as one of the special places in Greece that offer experiences off the beaten track. The walk in the picturesque Chora, the exploration in the organised walking network of the island, the untouched beaches, the arts, the museums and the beautiful shops give the destination a special "colour".
"In collaboration with the professionals and local agencies we offer the unpretentious and authentic, creating indelible memories for travelers. In this context, we implement targeted actions by promoting experiences at a distance of two hours from Athens and we try to constantly upgrade our tourist image through projects. The following months are expected to be significantly strengthened with tourist flow," said the Mayor of Andros, Dimitris Lotsaris.
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