Imagine waking up to the sun gently kissing the sea, a sweet summer breeze making your hair sway, and friends to share a smile with. Some would call this paradise.

Participants were in awe of the natural beauty Andros had to offer. As the small country roads took us to the beautiful beach the locals called “Tis Grias to Pidima”, it further sunk it. Beautiful greens and blues comprised the sea, the cleanest they had ever seen. Diana Kawka was immensely impressed.

“On our decent down from the mountains of Andros we saw the small, historical town of Korthios, located within a cove carved out by years of erosion and weathering. As soon as we stepped off the bus, we were hit by a gust of fresh sea air, tasting the salt and smelling the natural musk of the city. The town was made up of the iconic blue and white houses seen on the many postcards and Instagrams, vibrant flowers of sundry colors growing along walls and hanging down from terraces. It was a twenty-minute walk to Tis Grias to Pidima. As we rounded the final hill and made our way down the steps we saw a beautiful beach meeting the turquoise blue water with a massive rock column rising out of the water. The beach was surrounded by tall cliffs and was practically empty, with a few locals enjoying the crisp water. I’ve never experienced a beach quite like Tis Grias to Pdiima and don’t think I ever will again, but is, definitely, a place I hope to visit again.”

Alexandra Sakelos was a bit nostalgic. “Going on the cliffs reminded me of the story of how my pappou learnt to swim; his brother pushed him off! So, I was afraid that would happen to me. Luckily, it didn’t, and I thoroughly enjoyed the beach.”

After spending time at the beach and having a hearty lunch, it was time to visit Kentro Perivallontikis Enimerosis (Center for Environmental Education). The participants learned of the initiatives the center has undertaken, to train students from Andros, and not only, in the value of preserving the beautiful Greek landscape.

The day was not over though. A visit to Panachrantou monastery followed, where the hypnotic mysticism left the participants in awe. A monastery on the side of the mountain, it brought out the best in everyone. Diana was touched by the visit. “It was beautiful and very spiritual. I felt closer to the church I grew up with and my mother who is a very devout Orthodox. When the priest described the miracle of the monastery, there was not a dry eye to be seen. It reminded me a lot of this story of my pappou who served during WW2 and was chased into a church. Eventually, it was set on fire, and as the flames were approaching them, they stopped at the icon of Virgin Mary.”

As the day came to a close, the participants enjoyed a souvlaki in Batsi, right on the seafront.

Blog editor and photographer: James (Dimitris) Voutsas

Tis Grias to Pidima! A natural wonder.

The participants learning what the KPE’s initiatives are.

A liturgy in a small mountain monastery.