Otzias: Beach, Leon Trail and the Lion of Kea

The Bay of Otzias brings the beach and a walking trail together in a tangible way: the Leon Trail ends at the beach, while golden sand, deep blue water and dense tamarisk shrubs define the coastal landscape. This gives you two distinct options for planning your holiday: time at the bay and a walking route with named landmarks. You can decide which of these experiences you would like to make more room for during your stay.

The beach at the Bay of Otzias

The beach is 700 metres long and partly developed. Golden sand, deep blue water and dense tamarisk groves define its character. The bay offers a clear coastal focus, while the Leon Trail brings a different kind of outing into view. If you like to vary your days, you can consider beach time and a walking route as separate holiday plans, rather than automatically combining the two. The fact that the beach is partly developed is also part of its character, distinguishing this description from a simple mention of sand and water.

The Leon Trail and its landmarks

The 5.1-kilometre Leon Trail begins in Ioulis, passes the Lion of Kea and Dossonari on its way to Diaselli, and ends at the beach of the Bay of Otzias. Along the way, it passes the first houses of Otzias and crosses Diaselli. The route thus links a series of named places with a destination on the coast. The distance is a useful point of reference when planning your day: if you are travelling with children, you can weigh up whether a walk or a beach-focused day better suits your plans.

The Leon Trail also passes Benjamin’s Spring and a plane tree described as a hundred years old. The spring has running water, and you can rest in the shade of the plane tree. These are two distinctive features of the trail, in addition to the places and crossings already mentioned. They give you concrete points of reference along the route, beyond its starting and ending points, as you picture its course.

Island landmark and monastery

The famous Lion of Kea is a landmark of the island. It is located on a footpath that begins in the Aghios Spyridon area and ends at the Bay of Otzias. The lion is also part of the Leon Trail, where it connects with the sequence of Ioulis, Dossonari and Diaselli. It is therefore both an island landmark and a named point along a walking route.

The Monastery of Panagia Kastriani is also located near Otzias, about 6 kilometres northeast of the bay’s beach. It is described as the protector of the island. This adds a cultural point of interest in the area to the beach and trail. If you are interested in island landmarks and religious sites, you can take this into account alongside the natural scenery when planning your trip.

Choose a holiday apartment to suit your plans

When looking for a holiday apartment in Otzias, you can start by thinking about the kind of daily routine you want. If the bay is your main focus, check the stated location of each specific property in relation to your beach plans. If you would like to include the Leon Trail, take its 5.1-kilometre length and named landmarks into account when planning your day.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Ioulida, Merichas, Kea Kithnos, Kythnos, Kastriani, Tzia, Spathi, Kalo Livadi.

Back to the main travel overview: Kea Kithnos.