Mikri Xamolia: A beach with turquoise waters 50′ from Syntagma
28/06/2022It is a small stream with the sand and pebbles. The last time we were here and although there was a breeze the sea was “oil”. Such is the position of Hamolias that it is almost always protected from the waves. Today – also thanks to the Internet – the beach is no longer as “secret” as it was a few years ago. This means that if you want to find a place on the beach and not on the rocks, it’s a good idea to arrive early – especially on weekends. Not many of them come here precisely to spread their towel on the rocks and slabs, an ideal “bathing” to dive into the crystal clear waters. While swimming, you will have a view of the opposite shores and the hills of Vravrona, a special landscape that you would hardly have imagined seeing in Attica.
The beach is not organized – there are no deckchairs or umbrellas. But it is quite possible to take shelter in the shade of tamarinds and rocks.
If you want to visit a longer beach, 20 minutes away is Loutsa Beach, with its endless sand and shallow sea, a timeless – as well as vintage – vacation choice for Athenians since the 1980s.
The Temple of Artemis and the Vravrona Wetland
It is worth starting relatively early for Hamolia so that you can combine your bath with a visit – preferably before the bath – to the archaeological site of Vravrona and the museum.
His shrine Bravronia Artemis it was one of the most important sanctuaries of antiquity. The current archaeological site is dominated by the small Doric Temple of Artemis, built on the site of an earlier Archaic temple in the first half of the 5th century BC. Here, in addition to Artemis, she was also worshiped Iphigenia.
Around the temple, there is a magnificent wetland area with lush vegetation. The archaeological site is located on the banks of the river Erasinos. Just before its mouth in the Euboïkos, the river stagnates creating an ecosystem in which live frogs, turtles and water snakes (harmless).
If you find yourself in the archaeological site, a visit to the museum is a must. Small but very important with valuable finds. Among them, the many statuettes of little boys and girls stand out, because Artemis was not only a goddess of the hunt, but also a goddess of childbirth and children.
Leaving the museum, we once again admired the serenity of the landscape. Hamolia and the archaeological site and wetland of Vravrona are among the places that will make you forget that Syntagma Square is less than an hour away by car.
The beach on the map:
Read more:
Althea: The beach of Attica with waters reminiscent of the Ionian Sea
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