Karystos

Karystos was laid out on a grid in the 1830s by a Bavarian engineer for the new Greek state, which gives it broad straight streets running down to a wide bay, unusual in a Greek provincial town. On the shore stands the Bourtzi, a squat thirteenth-century Venetian tower built of ancient marble blocks, and above the town the castle of Castello Rosso occupies a ridge with the mountain behind. The marble here is famous: cipollino, green-veined and prized by Rome, was quarried on the slopes of Ochi, and unfinished columns still lie in the ancient quarries where they cracked and were abandoned, some over ten metres long. The bay catches strong northerly winds, which makes it a windsurfing centre, and the mountain above holds the dragon houses and the Dimosari gorge.

History

Karystos apparently stayed inhabited through the early Middle Ages, and as part of the theme of Hellas it was the seat of a bishop under Athens at least from the reign of Leo VI the Wise, 886-912; it appears among the towns in the chrysobull of Alexios III Angelos of 1198. Probably under Latin rule, with the building of the castle of Castel Rosso some 4 km from the modern town and the rise of piracy, the town moved inland from the coast around the castle, remaining a bishop's seat (Wikipedia, Karystos).

What's there

• The Bourtzi - a Venetian tower of reused ancient marble on the shore.
• The cipollino quarries - abandoned Roman columns lying on the mountainside.
• Castello Rosso - the ruined castle on the ridge above the town.
• The bay - a long windy beach used by windsurfers.

When to go

Late spring and early autumn for walking on Ochi and swimming; summer brings wind that is welcome in the heat but tiring on the beach. Ferries from Rafina are the quickest approach from Athens.

Things to know

The town is pleasant but plain, with little of architectural note beyond the grid and the tower. The quarries require a rough drive and a walk. Wind is a constant, and some days it is genuinely strong.

Nearby

The Dragon Houses and Dimosari gorge lie above the town; Marmari and the ferry to Rafina are west.

Key facts