Ándros

Area of island: 374 sq. km/144 sq. mi

Altitude: 3,261ft/994m

Population: 10,500

The wooded island of Ándros, the most northerly and, after Náxos, the largest of the Cyclades, is separated from Euboea - its southeasterly continuation - by the Pórthmos Kafiréfs (Italian Canale d'Oro), a busy but stormy strait 12km/7.5mi wide. To the southeast it is separated from the neighboring island of Tínos by a channel 1,200m/1,300yd wide. In the island's four ranges of hills, the highest of which, Mt Pétalon, reaches 3,261ft/994m, are marble quarries which were already being worked in ancient times. Thanks to its abundance of water Ándros has a flourishing agriculture. Several important Greek shipowners have homes on the island. In antiquity Ándros was dedicated to Dionysos, and its celebrations of his cult were widely famed. Originally colonized by Ionians, the island soon came under the control of Eretria. In the seventh century B.C. Ándros itself sent settlers to Chalcidice in Thrace. After the battle of Salamis, Themistokles made war on Ándros, which had supported the Persians, but it did not become a dependency of Athens until some time later. In 338 B.C. it fell into the hands of Macedon and after the defeat of Macedon passed into Roman control. From A.D. 1207 Ándros was ruled by Venetian dynasts, and the island has many watch-towers dating from the period of Venetian rule. In the early 15th century, many Albanians settled in the north of the islands, and their descendants preserved their own language until the 20th century. Ándros was occupied by the Turks in 1566, and remained under Turkish rule until its incorporation in the new kingdom of Greece in the 19th century.

Daily boat connection with Rafína (Attica).

There are good swimming beaches at Nimborio, Paraporti, Korthi bay near Batsi, Gavrion and Vitali.