My husband
and I love to soak in mineral spring pools and tubs. We have sought them
out from Calistoga, California to the Dead Sea in Israel. But this was
the first time we were able to stand in the sea, feel the hot thermal water
under our feet, and experience it pouring over our shoulders – all at
the same time.
We can't claim
to have "discovered" the thermal springs in the spa town of Edipsos on
the northwest coast of the Greek island of Evia, since the hot curative
waters were mentioned in Aristotle's writing!
Roman and
Byzantine emperors also bathed in the waters and one wrote that the town
of Edipsos was a "cosmopolitan center for therapeutic baths, entertainment
and enjoyment." Archeological finds are scattered throughout the town.
In more modern
times, the town was frequented by celebrities including the glamorous Greta
Garbo, the movie star Omar Sharif, the opera diva Maria Callas and Winston
Churchill. The place flourished after World War I, when frequenting spas
became popular in Europe and some of the beautiful hotels and villas in
Edipsos date back to that period.
What we
did discover is that while there are travelers in Edipsos from all over
the world, mostly from Europe, the town is essentially off the beaten
tourist path. And that in itself is a reason to go there! Most of the visitors
are Greek. They come to this popular seaside town in droves for the thermal
springs and relaxation, and of course to eat, drink ouzo and dance to live
music in the numerous tavernas along the waterfront.
We went to
Edipsos towards the end of the season in September. Only two and a half
hours away from Athens, it is a perfect add-on to a visit to that exciting,
bustling city.
None of our
friends had ever been to the spa town, and all we knew about the place
was thanks to the Internet. There are numerous accommodation possibilities,
ranging from luxury to budge hotels and from pensions to apartments and
simple rooms to let. The unknown element was a bit of a gamble, but the
warm and informative correspondence we had before take-off with Yannis
Kapolos, the owner of the family-run Capri Hotel, reassured us.
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
25th Martiou
45
Edipsos 34300
Evia Greece
Copyright:
Yannis Kapolos