A large sandy beach with a rock in its middle and an abandoned Venetian tower on a cliff give the area around Agios Ioannis two distinct points of interest. Also nearby is Pyrgos, a small beach at the northern end of Vlychada, with the churches of Panagia Pyrgou and Agios Petros. The surrounding area therefore brings together a coastal landscape and named historical and religious landmarks. When planning your trip, it is helpful to distinguish between these features: they represent different interests and places, even though some share the same name.

Vlychada Beach and Tower

Vlychada Beach is large and sandy, with a rock in its middle. The Venetian Tower of Vlychada is a separate landmark: it stands on a cliff and is abandoned. The nearby area thus brings together two distinct points of interest, a coastal landscape and a historic structure. The beach is defined by its expanse of sand and central rock; for the tower, its cliffside location and Venetian character are what matter. If you are considering what makes the area distinctive, you can look at these natural and cultural features separately.

The tower was probably built in the early 15th century. This dating is explicitly tentative and does not give an exact date. Together with its Venetian character and abandoned state, it gives the structure a historical connection, while its position on the cliff describes its location. This also distinguishes the tower from the beach in terms of what each represents: the tower is about the history of a named structure, while the beach is about sand, rock, and the shape of the coast.

Pyrgos and Its Churches

At the northern end of Vlychada Beach lies the small beach of Pyrgos, in the west of Andros. Pyrgos is home to the churches of Panagia Pyrgou and Agios Petros. The description of the area thus brings together a small beach and two specifically named churches; Pyrgos is also located at the northern end of Vlychada Beach. When exploring the area, the names can help you distinguish between the beach, its location, and the churches. The difference in size is also useful: Vlychada is described as large, while Pyrgos is explicitly described as small. This makes it possible to distinguish the two coastal locations by their position and the features mentioned for each.

Choose the Right Focus

When choosing a hotel in Agios Ioannis, it can help to first identify what matters most to you on your trip. The large sandy beach with a central rock, the tower standing on a cliff, and the smaller beach with two churches represent different interests: coastal scenery, history, or a combination of the coast and church buildings. Consider which of these perspectives matters most for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Paleopoli, Andros, Mpatsi, Menites, Gávrion, Kato Agios Petros, Kypri, Pitrofos.

Go to the main travel overview: Andros.