A Cycladic island away from the crowds.
Andros is the northernmost of the Cyclades, two hours by ferry from Athens, and yet one of the least touristy. Inhabited since antiquity, the island prospered through its shipowners in the 19th century: the great families of the Greek merchant navy come from here, and their neoclassical mansions still line the Chora, the capital, built on a spit of land between two beaches. Unlike its arid neighbours, Andros is green, crossed by springs and hiking trails linking the villages.
That's what makes it wonderful: transparent sea, beaches where you're almost alone, white villages that don't pose for photos, and simple, very good food: grilled fish, island cheeses, fourtalia (the local omelette). You live outdoors, get around by scooter, take a boat to a cove. A trip that recharges you, with nothing spectacular to do, and that's exactly the point.
