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On this image from Google Maps, I have circled the location of Stenies (upper right) and Menites (bottom left) to show the proximity of the two villages to Andros Town (center right)
After a short drive over the mountain behind Andros Town, we were treated to this view of Gialia bay. You can’t see them from this spot, but there’s two beaches along the coast, as well as a seaview restaurant.
The right-hand side of Gialia beach is called Piso Gialia
View of the left side of the beach and the coast along Gialia bay
Valley view from the mountaintop highway leading to Stenies
Red-roofed houses hug the hillsides at Stenies
Full trees and lush vegetation surround a large yellow house on the hill
A stone-paved footpath leads between tall walls that enclose some of the homes and private estates on the mountainside
Many of the hills are lush with flowering plants, thick bushes and trees
Visitors will encounter lots of steps while walking through Stenies — be sure to wear sturdy shoes!
An elegant entrance gate at a house in Stenies
You can expect to do a lot of uphill climbing if you want to see all the different levels of “streets” in Stenies
A white monument built into a stone wall at a streetcorner in Stenies
Red roofs and a blue-domed church rise above bushy trees on the hillside
We practically had the village all to ourselves — we saw fewer a dozen tourists and locals during the several hours we walked around
We did see a few cats, as well as a couple of friendly dogs. The cats all kept their distance or fled if we approached.
Potted plants on the front veranda of a house in Stenies
Stenies is a popular enclave for the affluent, some of whom own palatial private estates, like the one that stretches across almost the entire lower part of this photo. There’s a chapel and swimming pool at the far left of the property, and a tennis court below the tall stone walls in the middle section.
An enormous villa under construction on one of the hills
The sheer size of this residence was breathtaking
It’s possible that this might be a multi-unit residential or holiday home complex, but it’s still big — and definitely not budget accommodations!
Some of the walking routes in Stenies follow dirt trails, like this one, that meander along the countryside
The ruins of the Bistis-Mouvelas Tower House dominate a hillside
Visitors can walk right up to the tower house
Roof sections and parts of the tower’s stone walls have collapsed
Looking up the front of the tower house
Despite the tower’s crumbling condition, visitors can get up close to take a peek — the building isn’t cordoned off, so I was able to walk up the front steps to take a look through the open doorway
Part of the tower interior, which has been ravaged by years of exposure to the elements from the open roof and walls
Houses on a hillside high above Gialia Bay
More hillside houses at Stenies
A multi-unit complex of holiday homes under construction
A courtyard near the post office in Stenies
A stone house with dovecoats and traditional Cycladic design elements
A tall bell and clocktower at a church in Stenies
The two things I most remember about Menites village are the lush vegetation and the sound of flowing water. These fountains were located on the roadside near Drosia restaurant.
One of the lion-faced water fountains at Menites
There are fountains, streams and water channels all around Menites. You can see many of the watercourses, while you can only hear others that are hidden by the thick vegetation.
Part of the patio at Drosia restaurant
There is a rich and lush canopy of trees above Drosia restaurant and much of the surrounding area in Menites
Although we reached Menites by car, it’s possible to hike there from Chora on one of the island’s walking paths
A view of Andros Town from the highway that leads to Stenies
This short videoclip shows the Bistis Tower and views from its front steps
I shot this video of Andros Town from a lookout point along the mountain highway that leads from Chora to Stenies
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