Rovies
The area around Rovies on Evvia is beautiful in the spring with its mountains, forests and meadows presenting a wonderful show of colours. In the summer, the population more or less triples as Greeks return to their village with friends and family, creating a vibrant street atmosphere. Generally, English is not widely spoken as this area of Greece is not well known to foreign tourists. In the autumn and winter, Rovies moves into ‘every-day mode’ as a working village based mainly on olive production. Olives from Rovies are exported to Britain and are available in a number of supermarkets.   Although the climate gets colder and wetter in the winter months, there are often beautiful, clear and unexpectedly warm days. On colder days, a wonderful log fire and under-floor heating make Monastiraki a reflective place to be for an autumn or winter retreat.


Places of interest
In and around Rovies there are pebbled beaches, olive groves interspersed with pines, walnut and fruit trees. There are plenty of mountain walks and waterfalls and attractive harbour towns to visit.  In summer, the area offers relaxation and rejuvenating exercise. For example, it is ideal for swimming, casual snorkeling or fishing, star watching or simply sitting in a taverna by the sea with a book. In spring or autumn, hiking in the nearby mountains is highly recommended as well as bathing in the hot spas in the nearby spa town of Edipsos or in Ilia – a neighbouring village where a natural hot spring flows directly into the sea.

More detailed information and leaflets on recommended walks or hikes, beaches to visit, tavernas and the surrounding villages and towns and ancient Greek sites are available in the house and in local hotels.
It is worth noting that Delphi, the famous site of the ancient Greek oracle is within driving distance and makes a worthwhile day trip (it requires crossing to the mainland on the ferry via Edipsos and is less than 3 hours drive). Arachova, a picturesque mountain town on the slopes of Mount Parnassos and en route to Delphi is also easily reached by car from Rovies. Arachova is now a popular ski resort in winter. It is also a centre for a wonderful range of locally woven rugs and carpets available all the year round.
Day trips or overnight visits to the islands of Skiathos and Skopelos [also reached from nearby Edipsos] are good adventures offering sandy beaches, clubs and water sports. 
Rovies itself offers a more relaxed, low-key night life with numerous tavernas and bars serving excellent local dishes and light local wines with atmospheres for both young and old.


Nearby monasteries
Moni Aghiou Georgiou (Monastery of Saint George), a famous nunnery located very high above the village of Ilia on the coast road to Edipsos. Ilia is about 12 minutes drive from Rovies but the drive up to the monastery, which is steep and winding, may take another 20 minutes or so.  We recommend a visit to Moni Aghiou Georgiou which offers amazing views across the gulf and a chance to feel ‘monastic’ tranquility in a high mountain setting. The nuns are very welcoming.

Moni Osios David (Monastery of Holy David) is a 16th century monastery for monks. It lies in the hills above Rovies and is only about 20 minutes drive away. It is popular with pilgrims from all over Greece all the year round and is said to have miraculous waters.

Moni Aghiou Nikolaou Galataki (known locally as Galataki). This monastery is located south of the Port of Limni. It is a good 40 minutes drive from Rovies. There are numerous excellent, albeit stony, beaches to swim at and places of interest on the way.

The monasteries are usually open in the morning from and later in the afternoon or early evening although their times vary in Winter.



Getting to Rovies
There are several ways of getting to Rovies from Athens.




Car hire: is the most straightforward way to get to Rovies from Athens International Airport. Having a car also allows you to visit places of interest, beaches and mountains near Rovies, in Evvia generally, on the mainland and on other islands. You can hire a car locally from nearby Edipsos. (www.carnmotion.gr/en/)
A good road map of Greece and Evvia (preferably a satnav) is recommended. The journey from the main airport takes between 2.5 and 3 hours.

Taxis: are very expensive from the airport to Rovies, costing between 200 –250 Euros one way. However, we can arrange for a taxi from the village to meet you at the airport if required. Once in Rovies, there are several taxis available to take you to local places which are less expensive.

Buses: generally buses are very good in Greece. You can travel by bus to Rovies starting from the Northern Bus Terminus in Athens (Also known as ‘Liossion’) The bus takes the mainland motorway E75 to the village of Arkitsa about 130km (2 hours) north of Athens where it meets a ferry to Edipsos, the fascinating spa town on the north west side of Evvia. From here, Rovies is a 25-minute taxi ride south along the coast road.
During daytime this is an excellent alternative, though longer, driving route from the airport.  This route has the advantage of not having so many mountainous twists and turns and it includes a beautiful 45 minute ferry trip to the island of Evvia. Taking this route by bus may mean an overnight stay in Athens because of bus and ferry timetables. Depending on traffic, it can take an hour or more to get to the Bus Terminal from the airport and there are no late buses from Athens to Edipsos.

During the autumn and winter, the ferries at Arkitsa are less frequent and tend to stop by early evening. If you choose this route, the information desk at the airport should provide details of how to get to the Northern Bus Terminal from the airport [there are regular buses] and what time the buses and ferries leave for Edipsos.


Directions to villa ‘Monastiraki’ in Rovies.
The house, known by the family as ‘Monastiraki’ or small monastery (this is a family name - if you ask local people for ‘monastiraki’ you may be misdirected to a real monastery!) is located on a hill at the north-western end of the village, just above the village school. There are hotels clustered nearby and a carpenter’s workshop just below the house.  The house looks out over the sea and is an easy 5 minute walk down to the beach and a slightly longer walk back up!

If you are arriving from Athens via Limni, follow the ring road round the village instead of turning left at the first junction into the village. Then take the exit to the left, at the second major junction, signposted Rovies ‘[Pobies’ in Greek]. When you reach the first houses on your left turn right onto a dirt-track lane. Follow this straight up until you reach the house at the end.

If you take the first junction and drive through the village continue straight, past the main village square until you reach the basketball/football court beneath the primary school. From the basketball court go towards the school building, taking the small tarmac road running alongside the right of the school, for 50 meters or so up an incline. There are houses on your right. As the tarmac turns to dirt track, follow it sharp left continuing uphill for about 150m until your reach ‘Monastiraki’. 

To enter the main upper house, pass the car/boat garage on your left and enter by the double doors at the far left corner of the courtyard. Arrangements will be made to leave keys to the gates and front door in a safe place.
The steps on the right lead up to the kitchen and terraces.

See link to google maps showing location of the house and nearby monasteries:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?client=firefox-a&hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=208814432616039395411.000492f8c026e2fed39b8&ll=38.813496,23.227844&spn=0.780068,1.231842&z=10