European certification: A milestone for Andros

After two years of preparation, training and systematic work in the field, in 2015 Andros Routes accomplished a great achievement:
The european certification Leading Quality Trails – Best of Europe for the 100 km long Andros Route.

This achievement was a source of pride for Andros, as it served as a basis for the development of low-impact, quality tourism, as well as the foundation for the extension of the tourist season, but at the same time, it has been a powerful lever for promoting the island abroad.

The certification was awarded at a special ceremony with the presence of the European Hiking Federation — a moment that highlighted the collective effort of volunteers, donors, and then institutional representatives of the island.

Continuous action & international recognition

Since then, in collaboration with local cultural associations, the volunteer team has proceeded to clean, highlight and mark new circular routes, increasing the number of visitors to more villages.

To this day, Andros Routes continues to maintain the routes continuously – often under difficult conditions.

Every year, hikers from all over the world travel to Andros to hike the top-quality routes and discover our island.

At the same time, numerous promotional activities for the hiking infrastructure of Andros were designed and implemented by the project management team.

There have also been hundreds of publications in the national and international press and distinctions for the remarkable hiking infrastructure of Andros and the Andros Routes project. Recently, Andros was named the Best Hiking Destination in Greece at the Greek Travel Awards 2025 of the Greek National Tourist Organization, a distinction that reflects years of work and the value of the 240 kilometers of routes.

The award was received by the Municipality of Andros, as is institutionally provided for distinctions concerning the destination as a whole.

For us the volunteers, it is a special honor to see the work of the volunteer team and the Andros Research Center contribute to the promotion of Andros internationally, even when this is recognized at the destination level.

Path Protection: An Urgent Need

Despite constant maintenance, every year the paths face serious threats:

• dumping of rubble and waste
• land encroachments
• damage from illegal earthworks
• damages to dry-stone walls
• alterations of the natural landscape

In the last two years alone, Andros Routes has submitted 6 official reports to the competent institutional bodies (Municipality, Provincial Office, etc.) regarding incidents that endanger the hiking infrastructure of the island. The natural and cultural capital of Andros needs systematic institutional protection – not occasional treatment.