If you were unable to leave the city during the Easter break, or, generally, like to get away as often as possible, the upcoming May Day long weekend (Monday, May 2 will be a public holiday), offers another opportunity for a long-weekend getaway, by vehicle, to make the most of the beauty of Greek spring.
If you don’t have a vehicle, or cannot rely on the one you have, Avis offers a range of car-rental solutions for your long-weekend escape. We present a number of proposals for excursions to destinations that are not too far a drive away from Athens and can be organised on the spot. A comfortable and reliable Avis car will offer peace of mind for plenty of low-cost mileage, ensuring you take in as much as possible from your choice of destination, which could combine sea and mountain scenery. Avis offers a wide range of fuel-efficient cars, as well as deals and options satisfying all customer needs. And, of course, if there is a change of plan, and you do not need the Avis car for whatever reason, you may cancel your car rental agreement, free of charge, up to two days prior to its starting date and receive a full refund.
Karystos
Evia’s southernmost town, Karystos offers a pleasant island ambience all year round. There are two ways to reach this town, featuring a picturesque harbour. By car, the destination is roughly a two-hour drive from Athens, rather tiring yet interesting. It may also be reached by ferry boat from Rafina to Marmari, or Agia Marina to Nea Styra, followed by a drive to Karystos. Bourtzi castle will impress upon arrival. Standing at the edge of the port since 1350 AD, its size and well-preserved crenellations are superb. Also impressive is the neoclassical building housing the Town Hall.
Karystos is a terrific place to visit for quality fish meals. Fishing is a main activity here. You can swim at beaches close to Karystos, such as Gallida. However, given the fact that you will have wheels, we recommend roughly 50-minute drive to Potami beach at Cavo D’Oro, a promontory on Evia’s southeastern tip, if the winds are not gusty. Besides seaside beauty, the wider Karystos area also features imposing Mt. Ochi, whose peak offers a sensational view of the Aegean Sea. A mysterious Dragon House is located in the area. It dates back thousands of years. Little else is known about it or any of the other dragon houses on Evia.
Methana
Methana, two hours from Athens, is a peninsula that geographically belongs to the Peloponnese, but, in administrative terms, is part of the wider Athens region. The drive to Methana has plenty of bends in the road but the view and dense vegetation along the way are scenic and ideal for cruising. The Castle of Favieros, a fort built in 1826 by French philhellene general Charles Nicolas Fabvier, who assembled newly independent Greece’s first tactical unit, is the first landmark to be seen in the Methana area.
Next up is Loutropoli, offering thermal baths and elegant neoclassical buildings. To the east, Agiooi Anargyroi, a small peninsula, has ancient-wall ruins as well as a big beach covered with sand and fine pebbles. Its waters are marvellous. Limnionas, the area’s best-known beach, is endowed with pine trees reaching all the way to its fine sand and turquoise waters. The peninsula may serve as a base for excursions to Epidavros, roughly a one-hour drive away by car, or further south towards Ermioni and Porto Heli.
Argalasti
The village Argalasti is in the south of the Pelion area, one of the country’s leading destinations for all seasons. The month of May could well be the best month to visit this region given spring’s delights and the warming temperatures. Numerous good-quality accommodation options are available in the region. We recommend Argalasti as a base for exploration of the wider area. This central village features impressive architecture and is also strategically positioned for excursions to regional wineries, open to the public, as well as beaches with crystal-clear waters.
Potistika, the best-known of these beaches, is located 11 km from Argalasti. It is a winding road to this beach but your Avis car rental will assure a smooth drive to this popular beach. The route is filled with dense vegetation, including many fruit-bearing trees, on both sides of the road. The independence and flexibility offered by your Avis car will no doubt tempt you to explore the region. Whatever you decide, definitely include Argalasti in your itinerary. The village features an impressive church, Agioi Apostoli, numerous well-kept traditional stone houses and a charming main square. The shade offered by the square’s centuries-old plane trees makes it an ideal spot to settle for relaxation.
Kyllini
Kyllini was once best known as the port offering boat service to the Ionian island Zakynthos. However, in more recent years, this seaside village has become a destination, itself, along with the wider Ilia region, in west Peloponnese. The region, featuring enormous exotic-looking beaches with golden sand, is ideal for excursions combining sites of archaeological interest as well as nature. Make the most of your Avis car rental and take a drive to ancient Olympia’s archaeological site. An excursion to the Neda waterfalls, Andritsaina, as well as the Temple of Apollo Epikourios is interesting and scenic.
The Kyllini thermal baths, 10 km from the port, are another regional feature. As for the many number of beach offered, we’ll indicatively name just a couple, Glyfa and Vartholomios, both covered with thick sand and offering clean shallow waters, ideal for children. Many services are offered at both beaches.
