
Greece's second largest island that you won't have heard of has a new hotel – and you can walk to it from the mainland
ISLE GO
Plus, the affordable holiday island for Brits with white sand beaches and Dubai-like restaurants that is loved by celebs
THE second largest island in Greece is less than an hour from Athens - but most Brits wont have heard of it.
Evia is split off from the mainland by only about 50 metres so visitors can cross the bridge from the mainland.
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The island is welcoming a new hotel resort as well upgrading a current one.
One of the largest hotel investments in Evia is being developed in the Cheromylos area, including a five-star hotel.
The resort will span across 54-acres on the seaside and have a total of 71 rooms, seven bungalows with private pools, wellness facilities, conference rooms and a number of eateries.
Only electric vehicles will be allowed within the hotel complex and at the front of the resort there will be around 200 metres of sandy beach.
Heading over one of the Two Bridges - the Old Bridge and the newer suspension bridge - travellers will find themselves in Chalkida, the capital of the island.
Just 80km away from Athens, Chalkida acts as the main gateway to the island.
And here is where another destination is getting an upgrade.
The Saint Minas Beach hotel is being upgraded to offer better services and facilities.
Throughout the Chalkida there are pedestrian lined streets with quaint cafes and restaurants.
Key landmarks include the Red House - a neoclassical building that features four clay statues.
The adult-only Greek hotel with laid-back DJs and hidden beach
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The town hall also features stunning architecture.
Visitors won't be short of choice when it comes to historical spots too with The Archeological Museum, the Roman Aqueduct, the Folk Art Museum and a range of breathtaking churches.
Chalkida was even used as a filming location for Triangle of Sadness, which follows the story of a celebrity couple who are invited on a uber-luxury cruise captained by a questionable individual.
Also on the island is Aidipsos - a famous resort which is capable of accommodating 40,000 tourists during the summer season.
Here, travellers can relish in thermal spas that even Aristotle and Plutarch used to visit, according to Discover Greece.
In fact, Aidipsos is home to more than 80 thermal springs with temperatures ranging from 28C to 86C.
Sun-bathing fans are also spoilt for choice, with beaches including Aghios, Minas, Asteria, Rodies and Liani Ammos.
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One particular beach - Alikes - is home to several vibrant bars that are a great spot for dance lovers wanting to boogie.
And Kalamos Beach features azure blue waters, with one visitor commenting: "One of the most beautiful beaches on Evia".
The same visitor said on Tripadvisor that there are some local tavernas close to the beach and also showers available.
Alternatively, you could head to Armyrichi Beach, which one visitor said on Tripadvisor was "just magical".
The visitor added: "The place [is] untouched by modernism. Both family and romantic couples the place is a must vacation stop."
Prices across the island are pretty cheap as well, with a beer costing around €2.50 (£2.13) and medium glass of white wine costs around €3 (£2.56).
It takes just under an hour to drive from Athens International Airport to Evia.
Brits are also swapping busy Spain for these three quiet Greek hotspots with £1 pints and secret beaches.
Plus, the affordable holiday island for Brits with white sand beaches and Dubai-like restaurants that is loved by celebs.

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