Evia (Central)

Day 1: Athens → Chalkida & Mt Dirfys

Overnight: Chalkida

1. 09:30 · Drive Athens → Chalkida
   1h on the highway. Cross the old bridge into the city — that's the Euripus, where the current changes direction every 6 hours.
2. 11:00 · Karababa Castle
   17th-century Ottoman fortress on the mainland side. Free entry, panoramic views over the strait and the city. 30 min, gives you the geography in a glance.
3. 13:00 · Lunch — Apanemia (Chalkida seafront)
   Old-school fish taverna right on the strait. Watch the current change while you eat — it actually does, in front of you.
4. 15:30 · Drive up to Steni (Mt Dirfys)
   45-minute drive up the mountain to Steni — alpine village at 480m, plane trees, mountain springs, the temperature drop is immediate. The trailhead for Mt Dirfys (1,743m) is here.
5. 19:30 · Dinner — Liaskos Taverna (Steni)
   The classic Steni mountain taverna. Spit-roasted goat, wild greens, locally-pressed wine. They cook over wood — you smell it from outside.

Day 2: Eretria & the Petrified Forest

Overnight: Chalkida

1. 10:00 · Ancient Eretria
   20km southeast of Chalkida. Major archaeological site of one of ancient Greece's most powerful city-states. Theatre, gymnasium, House of Mosaics — and the dedicated museum is excellent.
2. 13:00 · Lunch — Cavo D'Oro (Eretria)
   Seafront lunch with view to the mainland. Octopus and fava are the moves; the wine list has Evia varieties hard to find elsewhere.
3. 15:30 · Folklore Museum of Chalkida (or Aliveri vineyards)
   If museums: the Folklore Museum (in Chalkida) is small but excellent on Evia's textile traditions. If wine: drive 25min east to Aliveri's wineries (Lykos, Avantis) for tastings — Evia is an underrated wine region.
4. 20:00 · Dinner — Stavento (Chalkida)
   Modern Greek on the strait, sit outside if the weather lets you. Fresh fish, creative mezedes, good list of Greek wines.

Day 3: Kymi & Mourteri Beach

1. 09:30 · Drive Chalkida → Kymi
   1h45 east through the centre of the island, climbing into Kymi which sits 250m up on a cliff with the open Aegean below.
2. 11:30 · Kymi Old Town & the port
   Walk the old quarter — neoclassical sea-captain houses, the Folklore Museum, the views down to Paralia Kymis (the port) where the Skyros ferry leaves from.
3. 13:30 · Lunch — To Steki tou Yianni (Kymi)
   Old kafeneion-taverna in upper Kymi. Spetzofai (sausage with peppers), revithada chickpea stew, the kind of place where the menu is what's cooked today.
4. 16:00 · Mourteri Beach
   15 minutes south of Kymi, signposted off the Lepoura road at Orio village. A 4km stretch of fine pebbles and coarse sand facing the open Aegean — long, wide, almost no shade. Wind-and-kite-surfers love it; on a calm day it's a long peaceful swim. The beach bar Bourboulithres serves cold drinks; the village taverna Kyma does fresh fish at lunch.
5. 18:30 · Drive back to Athens via Chalkida
   2h30 from Mourteri back to Athens via Lepoura and Chalkida. Cross the Euripus bridge for the last time as the sun sets behind it.