The Manikiotis Gorge and Makrichori
This area lies substantially further to the east, and is accessible by the scenic road which rises north from Amarynthos through a sea of olive-groves, into the eastern foot-hills of Mount Olympos, with wide, unfolding views across the island and the straits. The road levels off on reaching the attractive mountain villages of Seta (57.5km from Steni and 19km from Amarynthos) and Kato Seta.
At Makrichori (65.3km), the early 14th century cemetery-church of Aghios Dimitrios lies just below the level of the road in the centre of the village. Once again the de sign—with narthex added later—has the elevated transverse vault in the middle. The interior possesses a simple altar and stone floor; but it is decorated with 15th century paintings of considerable quality, although darkened with soot. After the next village, Manikia, the road begins to descend the impressive * gorge of the Manikiotis River. The valley is deep and tranquil, hemmed by vertical scarps that rise to 800m on its north side. Shortly before the gorge ends just to the west of the village of Koili, some stretches of well-constructed polygonal walling, suggesting that the entrance was once marked by a fortified look-out in antiquity, are visible on the ‘bastion’ of cliff to the north of the road. (These are high up on the precipice above the entrance to the gorge, just below the summit: they can best be seen from a point on the last level stretch of road, before the final descent by switchbacks.) Further west of these, a mediaeval tower still stands on the crest. From the gorge the road drops into the lush, hilly country of the eastern corner of central Euboea, whose natural centre for exploration is Kymi.
Euboea Island, Greece