Driving in Northern Evia

Evia

This drive exploring northern Evia takes you from the busy town and port of Chalkida, out along the coast road and up into the mountains for a glimpse of life in the rugged and beautiful north of the island.

The Rocky Coast of EviaThe Rocky Coast of Evia

Assuming that you enter Chalkida from the mainland across the bridge, keep on the main road through the town centre, turning left onto route 44 and then right onto route 77, marked for Mantoudi. Note that when you are outside the main town the road signs are mostly written only in Greek, so you need to be careful to follow directions and at the very least have a copy of the Greek alphabet with you, so that you can hopefully stop and make sense of the Greek placenames. 

If asking directions, stress is all-important in the pronunciation of Greek. The stressed syllable is usually the penultimate one, and if you get the stress wrong the listener may not understand, even though you think your pronunciation is reasonably close.

North from Chalkida

The road north out of Chalkida takes you through some salt marshes and along the coast with lovely views across to the mainland. After about 12km (7.5 miles) look for the right fork on a local road marked for Psakhna, which you reach after 2km (1.2 miles). Psakhna is an attractive market town, worth a brief stop as the main church has some 13th century frescoes. 

Into the Mountains

Continue on from Psakhna by following the signs for Prokopi, which takes you back to route 77 with Prokopi being 30km (18.6 miles) further on. The road to it is a marvellous drive through olive groves and later up into pine forests as the scenery becomes more mountainous. There are now even more spectacular views back to the mainland, as well as vistas over Evia itself, showing how green it is especially in the spring and early summer. For a time the road runs alongside a river, through the narrow and wooded ravine in the Kleisoura Valley, before reaching Prokopi.

Our Pick of the Guides to Greece

Rough-Guide-Greece-2022.png

Prokopi

Prokopi is an essential stop, a village which built up after the arrival of Greeks forced out of Turkey during the population exchanges in 1923. Its church of Agios Ioannis o Rosos (St John the Russian) contains the bones of that saint, brought from Turkey. Prokopi is also the home of the Candili Centre, a base for arts and crafts holidays, retreats and seminars, based in the estate of Edward Noel, a British relative of Lord Byron. It is worth visiting just to see the house and grounds, even if you have no time to stay and join one of their holidays.

Mandouli

From Prokopi continue on route 77 following the signs for Limni and Mandoudi, which you reach after 8km (5 miles). Mandoudi is a beautiful village of whitewashed houses, about 1km (0.6 miles) off to the right of the main road. Don’t hesitate to take the slight detour to stop off here for a while and relax in its pretty main square.

Limni

Go back to route 77 and turn right, continuing on, following the signs for Strofylia and Limni. The road takes you through more agricultural land, past rows of vines, bent under the weight of the grapes in the autumn. In Strofylia the road forks and you follow the left fork, which passes through a few more hill villages until you drop down suddenly towards the pretty little coastal village of Limni where a good seafood lunch or supper awaits.

If you're driving back to Chalkida from Limni, it should take you about 90 minutes without stops.

Chalkida on EviaChalkida

Other Evia pages

  • Evia or Euboea is the second largest Greek island and popular with Greek holidaymakers but off-the-beaten-track for overseas visitors.

    Evia (or Evvia or Euboea)

    Evia or Euboea is the second largest Greek island and popular with Greek holidaymakers but off-the-beaten-track for overseas visitors.

  • There are lots of pretty towns and villages to explore on Evia, and these are some of the places worth seeking out, including Karystos, Kymi, Steni and Prokopi.

    Exploring Evia

    There are lots of pretty towns and villages to explore on Evia, and these are some of the places worth seeking out, including Karystos, Kymi, Steni and Prokopi.

  • Ancient Eretria is the most important historical site on Evia, a city that at one time fought with Chalkida for dominance of the island.

    Eretria

    Ancient Eretria is the most important historical site on Evia, a city that at one time fought with Chalkida for dominance of the island.

  • The capital of Evia is Chalkida, or Chalkis, the industrial port which you drive into if crossing from the Greek the mainland over the Evripos Channel.

    Chalkida on Evia

    The capital of Evia is Chalkida, or Chalkis, the industrial port which you drive into if crossing from the Greek the mainland over the Evripos Channel.

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Latest Posts

RSS

  1. Kerameikos Ancient Site in Athens Getting New Visitor Facilities

    Visitors to the Kerameikos archaeological site in central Athens will soon have new access through an entrance-exit point being developed on Agion Asomaton Street, directly across from Dipylou Street.

    Read More

  2. Central Greece Motorway E65 Adding More Kilometers

    A new section of the E65 motorway, often referred to as the “backbone road” of Central Greece, was opened to traffic in the second week of July, with 136 kilometers now operational. This road provides…

    Read More

  3. AirDNA: Greece’s 3 Cities with Affordable Airbnb Rates

    Iceland, Monaco, the UK, Greece, and Spain are Europe’s most expensive countries for short-term rentals, according to analytics experts AirDNA.

    Read More

  4. Seaplane Test Flights Connect Skopelos, Alonissos, Skyros

    Greek seaplane company Hellenic Seaplanes on Friday laid the groundwork for some of the Greek islands that will welcome seaplanes and carried out its first flights between three islands of the Sporade…

    Read More

  5. Travel + Leisure: Four Greek Hotels Among Best in the World and Europe

    The World’s Best Awards by Travel + Leisure recently ranked four Greek hotels among the best in the world and Europe, honoring them for their luxurious atmosphere and top-notch hospitality.

    Read More

  6. Santorini Cannot Support Even One More Hotel or Airbnb Bed

    Santorini is now coping with the repercussions of overtourism generated by cruise ships and day-trippers from Crete and other adjacent islands.

    Read More

  7. 9 Tasty Stops in the Cyclades for Authentic Flavors

    Restaurants, tavernas, and grocery stores that highlight the local flavors of the Cyclades.

    Read More

  8. Where to Eat on Symi

    taverna-o-meraklis-symi-2.webp
    Greece Travel Secrets picks where to eat on Symi, down by the harbour or in the upper town, and whether you like fish, meat, vegetarian, traditional or modern.

    Read More

  9. Restaurants with Acropolis Views

    gb-roof-garden-restaurant-dusk.webp
    Greece Travel Secrets chooses its top ten Athens restaurants with Acropolis views, perfect for dining by day or by night, including places with Michelin stars.

    Read More

  10. The Ilisian: Reimagining an Icon of Modern Athens

    The former Hilton Athens is being transformed into a multi-faceted destination that aspires to forge exciting new connections between the Greek capital and the rest of the world.

    Read More