Andros has been ranked first in a list of 10 Greek destinations recommended to travelers seeking a more authentic and less conventional side of Greece, according to a feature by French travel website Liligo.fr.
The list includes destinations across both the Greek islands and mainland and is aimed at travelers looking to move beyond the country’s best-known, busiest and most heavily promoted tourist destinations.
The recognition is particularly significant for Andros because Liligo is an established digital platform in the French travel market, specializing in searching and comparing travel options. Its Magazine du Voyageur also provides travel inspiration, destination ideas, trip-planning advice and tourism news.
Why Andros stands out
The feature describes Andros as the second-largest island in the Cyclades and highlights the ways it differs from its neighboring islands.
Among the attractions highlighted are the island’s high-quality tourism services, lush landscapes, rugged valleys, historic and religious monuments, picturesque villages, more natural and less urbanized beaches, and numerous springs.
Particular attention is given to the Panachrantou Monastery, described as one of the island’s most important religious attractions and part of its broader natural and cultural landscape.
But hiking is at the heart of Liligo’s presentation of Andros.
The website highlights the island’s network of marked trails, which stretches for more than 100 kilometers, encouraging visitors to “put aside their flip-flops and sandals and put on their hiking shoes” to discover the island’s hidden treasures.
The feature therefore presents Andros as more than a conventional Cycladic destination for sun and sea. It emphasizes exploration, contact with nature and active vacations, positioning the island as a destination capable of attracting visitors throughout a longer tourism season.
Access from Athens and Mykonos
The feature also connects Andros with a broader tourism campaign by the Municipality of Andros and the Greek National Tourism Organization.
It highlights the island’s accessibility for international travelers. Visitors can fly to Athens and then travel to the port of Rafina, from where ferries reach Andros in approximately two hours.
The feature also notes that the island can be accessed from Mykonos, linking Andros with two important entry points for international visitors and making it possible to incorporate the island into a wider Cyclades itinerary.
Andros seeks more international visitors
Nikos Moustakas, the Municipality of Andros’ Deputy Mayor for Tourism, said the island’s first-place ranking among destinations outside the beaten path was significant recognition of its tourism potential.
“The recognition of Andros in first place on a list for French travelers seeking destinations in Greece off the beaten path is particularly important promotion and, at the same time, confirmation of the destination’s potential,” Moustakas said.
He highlighted the island’s combination of natural landscapes, extensive hiking trails, villages, architecture, history, culture and beaches, as well as its food, entertainment and tourism services.
“Andros has an exceptionally rich and diverse tourism character,” he said, adding that its “very good services without disproportionate cost” and authenticity create a range of experiences capable of appealing to different markets and travelers with varied interests.
