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7

Evangelistria — The Xylokeratidi loop

A coastal loop north of Katapola leading to a rare Byzantine chapel, with sweeping views over the bay.

Distance
3.7 km
Elevation gain
120 m
Duration
1:15
Difficulty
moderate
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Description

A circular route forming a loop north of Xylokeratidi. It starts west of the village, on a narrow lane above the beach of Tris Ierarches, then turns north past the small peninsula of Agios Panteleimon and through Nera, a hamlet named after a spring.

From there, a wide, partly paved path skirts the hill of Vigla, an early Cycladic site, and crosses the edge of the Peristeria plateau with sweeping bay views. Descending, you pass the church of Evangelistria, an early Byzantine monument with three successive layers of wall paintings — the first showing rare aniconic decoration from the iconoclastic period. The village’s spring religious festival takes place here every 25 March.

Points of interest

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