An evening in Edipsos, the spa town of northern Evia

Careful, don’t slip,” telephone the dockworkers to passengers boarding the ferry that links Arkitsa with the larboard of Edipsos. The vessel fills with vehicles, the wide doors close, and the 40-minute crossing to the celebrated spa town of bluish Evia begins. “Come on, travel on, let’s take a photo!” Just earlier the vessel docks, families stitchery connected deck, posing against a backdrop of greenish mountains, the hotels of Edipsos and a oversea shimmering successful the precocious day light.

Many of the passengers person been present before. I talk with a household standing adjacent to me, for whom Edipsos has go portion of a long-standing tradition, and to a German mates successful their sixties who archetypal came present a decennary agone and, feeling nostalgic this year, booked a studio months successful beforehand for a instrumentality this summer.

Before mounting ft successful Edipsos, I was under the sway of ageist clichés. In my mind, this was a destination exclusively for the elderly. And now, a speedy glimpse from a αυτοκίνητο window confirms that they bash marque up the bulk the radical we are passing, but stereotypes beryllium to beryllium disproved.

A stroll on the promenade earlier oregon aft an day swim. [Perikles Merakos]

Capital of Thermal Tourism

Strictly speaking, Edipsos is simply a colony that doesn’t really touch the sea; it lies 4 kilometers inland from its coastal annex, Loutra Edipsou, a colony that galore long-time vacationers still notation to simply arsenic “Loutra.” They caput down to the formation wearing their sunhats and carrying formation bags, making their way toward the enactment successful beforehand of the Thermae Sylla Hotel, instantly recognizable by a turret that lends the town the aura of a bygone era.

The edifice takes its sanction from the Roman wide Sulla who, according to Plutarch’s Parallel Lives, sought alleviation for his ailments successful the region’s blistery springs. For centuries, the ruins of the Roman baths were a section landmark. In the mid-19th century, residents from neighboring villages (Edipsos, Yialtra and Lichada) would acceptable up makeshift lodgings astatine the bluish borderline of the baths, beneath the level trees whose branches shaded the thermal springs.

At the small stone pools, where seawater mingles with thermal springs, bathers start gathering from 9 successful the morning. [Perikles Merakos]

The spot connected which the edifice stands was primitively granted to the Tombazi family, heroes of the 1821 Greek War of Independence, successful designation of their work to the nation. A descendant, Errikos Tombazis, founded the edifice successful 1897, making it the region’s archetypal luxury constitution boasting its ain thermal springs. By the aboriginal 20th century, thermalism had go 1 of the archetypal forms of tourism successful the modern Greek state.

“Among the hotel’s keepsakes, we discovered letters from Austrian visitors inquiring astir country rates with earthy airy oregon with candlelight, arsenic energy had yet to scope Edipsos,” says the hotel’s director, Yiannis Koutropoulos.

With energy came tourism development. Along the seaside promenade roseate the interwar hotels Avra, Istiaia and Aigli. At the tallness of the resort’s popularity, 1 could stand astatine the Thermae Sylla and take successful the Kastalia Hotel, which served arsenic a hydrotherapy halfway for war veterans, the Ai Pigai with its monolithic marquee, the Heraklion with its distinctive burgundy façade, and the Stadion with its white exterior. Of these, lone the Avra, the Istiaia and the Thermae Sylla stay successful cognition today.

Sunset astatine the erstwhile Kyma Pavilion. [Perikles Merakos]

From the Interwar Years to the Cosmonauts

During the interwar period, Edipsos became the astir important halfway of thermal tourism successful Greece, attracting figures of note. At the Thermae Sylla, rooms erstwhile occupied by Eleftherios Venizelos, Maria Callas, Greta Garbo, and Winston Churchill look mostly the aforesaid present arsenic they did then. Throughout the building, the precocious ceilings are adorned with plaster decorations that evoke an epoch when such craftsmanship was a given. There’s a palpable consciousness of past successful these spaces – not arsenic if they were depository pieces, but arsenic a surviving continuum.

From my window, I tin spot the outdoor pool, where aged bathers execute exercises. The water is simply a blend of seawater and thermal spring water, with temperatures ranging betwixt 28 and 30 degrees Celsius. I similar to caput to the hydrotherapy hall, erstwhile frequented, arsenic co-owner Voula Karatziou-Anastasopoulou explains, “by cosmonauts from the Gagarin Institute and Russian ballet dancers with worn-out knees. The results were spectacular, thanks to the therapeutic enactment of the spring waters connected the musculoskeletal system.”

The Stadion Hotel successful the foreground, with the Heraklion down it. Neither operates today. [Perikles Merakos]

In the hall’s reception area, I travel crossed photographs of a visit to the Thermae Sylla by a associated delegation of American and Russian astronauts and cosmonauts from the International Space Station. I admit the wide smile of astronaut Peggy Whitson, who, I recall, holds the grounds arsenic the oldest woman to implicit a spacewalk. As I slip into the water, I announcement lone its temperature, hovering betwixt 30 and 32 degrees Celsius. I sink slowly, feeling the warmth take implicit my muscles. I relax, and there is thing much to do. I simply stay there. My heartbeat slows, my caput empties, and for a fewer minutes, thing exists but the “now.”

Many visitors try clay therapy astatine the blistery springs, for a heavy cleansing of the skin. [Perikles Merakos]

Bathing successful Little Rock Pools

In beforehand of the historical hotel, pipes carrying thermal water bare into the Evian Gulf, creating a unique premix of bathing and hydrotherapy; chill oversea currants are suddenly interrupted by the higher temperature of spring water. The shoreline present is constrictive and studded with rocks that person been eroded and turned yellow by the dense deposits of limestone and trace minerals. Locals told us that during the pandemic, when question was restricted, young radical carved artificial hollows into 1 of these rocks, forming small pools that collected thermal water, where they could sit and soak successful comfort.

Umbrellas are scarce, claimed lone by those who stake their spot from 9 successful the morning. Most radical get aft ten and permission conscionable earlier one. Upon arrival, bathers spread their towels connected immoderate available surface: some connected the sand, others connected the ledge beneath the wooden hooks where belongings and towels are hung, others still connected the mineral-stained rocks themselves oregon farther on astatine the abandoned EOT pavilion, where the extortion still provides shadiness for those who aren’t fond of sunbathing. Many wear special water shoes, some to debar slipping connected the rocks and to amended negociate the pebbly seabed. “Be cautious connected that rock, it’s nary joke. And nary running!” shouts a parent to her daughter, who scampers up and down the steps, collecting clay from the cliff face.

I step gingerly into the sea, similar anyone unaccustomed to walking connected pebbled shores, cooling disconnected concisely earlier climbing retired again to stand beneath the rocky ledge where thermal waters cascade similar a waterfall. There’s a small enactment of radical waiting. An unwritten regularisation seems to prevail; everyone respects the assemblage and avoids lingering too long. I borderline closer, unsure whether the water will beryllium too hot, then stand beneath the yellowed rock. It is the very explanation of relaxation.

The word “spa” is said by some to person Latin roots and travel from the operation salus per aquam (“health done water”), a motto reflected successful the murals of the Thermae Sylla hydrotherapy hall. [Perikles Merakos]

From Serbia with Love

On the neighboring rock, three women from the Serbian metropolis of Kruševac are sitting together. It feels unusual to spot them this acold south, arsenic astir Balkan visitors typically spend their summers on the coasts of Pieria, Halkidiki, oregon Kavala. “Travel agencies often advertise bundle deals for Edipsos. This year we decided to travel for the archetypal time, due to the fact that it seemed cheaper than the prices we recovered successful bluish Greece, and besides due to the fact that we wanted something different,” Vesna explains.

Locals we spoke to enactment that tourist traffic has slowed this summer. “In the past, visitors would spend twenty days here. It’s still cheaper than different islands, but adjacent so, successful caller years everyone is cutting back. Greeks simply can’t spend it anymore,” says Elli Karatsiraki, who runs a small guesthouse with rental rooms successful the Platania district, the country where Loutra Edipsou archetypal developed. Yet there is simply a counterbalance. “Edipsos is simply a destination with visitors each year round. The precocious play present stretches into October, while the blistery springs marque it appealing adjacent successful winter. Imagine, we’re afloat booked connected October 28. And it’s not lone older radical – young couples are coming too, drawn to thermal tourism.”

The Aigli Hotel, built during the town’s roar years successful the interwar period. [Perikles Merakos]

Wine Tasting and the Evening Stroll

By fractional past twelve, the beaches are empty. It’s clip to rest. Many radical person luncheon connected the balconies of their rented accommodations, while others caput to the tavernas beneath the level trees astatine the bluish borderline of town oregon on the coastal roadworthy toward Aghios Nikolaos. “It’s still quiescent now; wait until Saturday and Sunday, then you’ll see,” says the waiter astatine Maravelis Fish Taverna arsenic helium sets down a platter of caller fish.

In the afternoon, the formation beckons erstwhile more. Around five-thirty successful the afternoon, bathers return, leaving again by seven, conscionable arsenic the sun begins to set, its airy bathing the aged Kyma Pavilion successful aureate tones. Once a seaside refreshment stand, the venue present comes to beingness with periodic creation exhibitions. In aboriginal summer, it’s a venue for screenings that signifier portion of the Evia Film Project, organized by the Thessaloniki International Film Festival.

Before sunset, we thrust to the adjacent village of Yialtra to visit the Vryniotis Winery. Here, within the household vineyards, wine lovers tin taste the section grape varieties that flourish successful bluish Evia – such arsenic Vradianó and Mavrokountoura – while enjoying panoramic views of the North Evian Gulf.

Thanasis Delbenderis steps retired of his bakery with trays of caller bougatsa. [Perikles Merakos]

Back successful Edipsos, the promenade closes to traffic each evening, and the town comes alive. First stop for galore is the Mahairas pâtisserie, a family-run concern successful cognition for 110 years, celebrated for almond sweets, food kourabiedes, and ergolavoi (macaroon-like cookies). In the backmost of the workshop, Yiannis Mahairas and his son Anargyros hole confections that locals and visitors alike take location with them. “It was the archetypal pastry store successful town, and each the area’s pastry chefs started here,” says Mahairas. “Something I retrieve from my grandfather’s aged recipes is that helium ever said: ‘I adhd a small little sugar, for economy.’ At the time, sugar was imported and outgo much than almonds, which are present overmuch much expensive. That’s why they made them that way.”

At 9 o’clock, the tourist train begins its rounds. Families and visitors of each ages ascent aboard, snapping photos arsenic traditional land songs sung by Yiannis Parios play done the speakers. We whitethorn not beryllium successful the Cyclades, but Evia, too, is an island. Locals and vacationers stroll up and down the promenade, crystal creams oregon roasted maize successful hand. Many intermission astatine the open-air Apollo Cinema, the lone 1 still operating successful the wider area, to drawback a fewer scenes from the evening’s escaped screening. In Edipsos, everything reminds you that summertime is here, and successful nary hurry to leave. And nor, of course, are we.

This nonfiction appeared successful Greece Is (www.greece-is.com), a Kathimerini publishing initiative.