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Our one-week visit was filled with pleasant surprises. The first was finding out how easy it was to reach Edipsos. We are a retired couple, and not the most adventurous when it comes to driving in unfamiliar countries. We landed at Athens airport, went into the city and boarded an Edipsos express bus at the downtown Liosion Street bus terminal. Thanks to Yannis, we had directions and the bus time-table ahead of time – also available on the Internet. If we had known before-hand how excellent the road to Arkitsa Port is we might have considered renting a car. As it was, the 150 km bus ride was comfortable and, to our amazement, it drove right onto on the ferry-boat. We were able to enjoy the 40-minute ride on deck, without our luggage. We then re-boarded the bus upon arrival for the very short ride to the center of town. The Capri Hotel was everything we could have hoped for as was the tranquil view of sea and mountains we had on our balcony. Yannis' father opened the hotel in 1980, and he spent many summers there as a child. Yannis took over the hotel when his father died suddenly in 1997. "My mother is still my most useful 'employee,' always ready to help the guests and provide them with information about anything and everything related to Edipsos," he says. Both Yannis and his wife Francesca speak perfect English. Yannis is an electrical engineer when not busy at the Capri. He loves to build websites and to follow the latest technological innovations. Not surprisingly, it was his comprehensive website that initially attracted us to his hotel. We chose the hotel because it has its own hydro-treatment center on the ground-floor, and is among the few hotels in the town that have permission to pump the thermal water directly into their own spas. We wanted to order a thermal bath as soon as we arrived, but first, we were told, we had to register with the Greek National Tourism Health Center. A short walk from the hotel, we found the modern center, equipped with 84 individual hydro-massage baths, indoor and outdoor pools of both the mineral and sea water, a physiotherapy center and a gymnasium. I even participated in an aqua aerobics class there. Everyone is required to "check in" with the government health center before being allowed to take a thermal bath in any hotel in the town. We had a conversation with a doctor who checked our blood pressure, and discussed any ailments we might have and asked what medication we take. Based on this, the doctor gave us a "pass" indicating the maximum permissible temperature of the water and number of baths per day we were allowed to take. Once we gave this pass to the specially-trained matron at the Capri's health spa, we were able to order our hydro-massage baths. Each of the thirteen bath rooms is private and clean and the strength of the water jets beat any Jacuzzi I have ever had! The water is recommended for muscular pains, arthritis, rheumatism and a long list of other ailments. But I think it also provides the ultimate relaxation experience! We took our baths every morning before
breakfast, in order to have the full day available afterwards for going
to the beach, taking excursions and of course our afternoon naps!! Breakfast
was very special, and included a bowl of the richest creamiest yogurt I
have ever tasted, accompanied by delicious honey.
The beach, within walking distance of our hotel, offered even more relaxation. The modest entrance fee includes beach chairs, and there is a little eatery on a balcony above the sea. But the real pleasure comes from entering the crystal-clear water in this cove in the Aegean Sea. While the sea-water is standard temperature, our feet were toasty-warm from the underground thermal springs. Pipes positioned on the rocks above the cove channel boiling hot thermal waterfalls into the sea. For those who can bear the temperature, letting the thermal water pour down your neck and back while you are standing in the sea is unbelievably soothing. We loved walking down from our hotel to the waterfront, looking into the small stores filled with hand-embroidered tablecloths, jewelry, useful items and souvenirs. We tried a different restaurant each night. Many had live Greek music and Greek dancing. It's wonderful to see people of all ages, men and women singly and in pairs, jump up and do their own inspired dance. The waterfront is lined with hotels, eateries – including self-service where you can see what you are ordering – cafes, bars and night-spots. One "must do" is to try the Greek loucoumades with your afternoon coffee. These are honey filled puff pastries that simply melt in your mouth! Just about everybody in the town strolls up and down the tree-lined promenade in the evening, and people-watching is a great sport. A local bus service and plenty of taxis are available for those who have become too laid back to walk. Edipsos offers water sports, scuba diving, boat rides, cinemas and entertainment, much of which stops at the end of the summer. The more adventurous can hike along beautiful mountain trails, cycle, go horse-back riding, fishing and swim in crowded or isolated beaches. While we were at the Capri, a hiking group from Switzerland was using the hotel as its base, setting out early each day. While we visited during the low season, we still found plenty to do at our rather slower pace, and I especially liked the organized bus tours of the surrounding area. We almost had a language problem trying to book a tour at a travel agency located around the corner from our hotel, until my husband – who was born in Germany – discovered that the owner of the tour company had lived in Germany for 20 years. Of course, before this "discovery," everyone in and just outside the office offered help in English – including the travel agent's son whom we later found out had a hotel of his own in another part of Edipsos, and who led our first tour. He also invited us to be his guests at a typical "Greek night" party held at his hotel. We took a half day bus trip up into the mountains, visited Polieofos, a small rustic village and the nearby monastery of St. George with its Byzantine flavor. There was a wedding going on in the church when our bus pulled up, and the wedding party insisted on offering us sweets along with the guests. On the way back to our spa town, the bus stopped at a traditional Greek fishing village called Ilia, located at the foot of Mt. Telethrio, where we had supper and enjoyed live music and dancing. A couple of days later, I joined an all-day tour of the surrounding area (my husband opted for the beach!). We rode through pine forests, olive groves and apple orchards to the nearby seaside resort of Agios Nikolaos and the villages of Agios and Varvara. We also visited Limni, a picturesque village on the sea, famed for its white-washed houses. The guide on this day spoke only Greek. When I looked confused, a woman sitting behind me offered to translate for me. It turned out that her late husband had been a government official stationed in Washington many years before, and she was so delighted at the chance to practice the language that she insisted on sitting only with me at our stop for lunch, so that we could continue talking in English! There are many other excursions available from Edipsos by car, bus and boat. We didn't have time to do them, but plan to on our next visit. They include a visit to Agiocambos, just a few miles away, with its clean sandy beaches and ferry boats to northern and central Greece. Yaltra is also on my "next-time list", a village built in the foothills of the Xerosouvala Mountain, as are day cruises to the North Sporades islands of Skiathos and Skopelos. You can tell by now that the warmth and friendliness of the people we met, the town's hot thermal springs and the beautiful surroundings beckon us to visit Edipsos again. Photos: Copyright: Yannis Kapolos How To Get To Edipsos From Athens The fast and easy way is to drive on the national Athens-Lamia road up to Arkitsa port (150 km) and take the ferry boat (7 nautical minutes – 40 miles) right to the spa town. A more scenic route, although a longer drive, is via the mainland to Evia via a bridge at Halkida, the capital of the island. This is about a one-hour (88 km) drive from the airport to Halkida and then approximately two more hours drive through the island to Edipsos. Alternatively you can use the public buses (K.T.E.L.) with several daily departures from the Liosion street station in the centre of Athens. (Two hours by non-stop bus with a rest station in the middle; then 40 minutes by ferry.) Capri Hotel
Telephone: +30 2260 22496 - 30 2260 23296 Website: www.capri-sa.gr The following is the first article that Dulcy wrote for the magazine:
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