What Else Is Worth Seeing Nearby?
A visit to the ancient Kylindri Quarries is the perfect opportunity to explore several other fascinating sites in southern Evia. All of them are located within a short distance of Karystos, making it easy to combine them into a rewarding day trip.
🏰 Castello Rosso
Perched high above the surrounding landscape, this medieval fortress offers one of the finest panoramic views of Karystos, the bay, and southern Evia. Throughout much of the hike to the quarries, the castle remains a constant feature on the horizon.
💧 The Ancient Aqueduct
A little-known and often overlooked monument, the ancient aqueduct has survived in remarkably good condition. Although far less famous than the quarries, it provides valuable insight into the sophisticated infrastructure that once supported this region in antiquity.
⚓ Karystos
The charming seaside town of Karystos is the perfect place to end your day. Stroll along the waterfront promenade, visit Bourtzi Castle, explore the Archaeological Museum, or see the impressive mausoleum built using marble extracted from the Kylindri Quarries. Together, these sites offer an even deeper appreciation of the area's rich history.
Conclusion
The ancient Kylindri Quarries near Karystos are one of those rare places that remain well off the beaten tourist track. There are no ticket offices, crowds, or visitor centres—just a peaceful mountain hike, spectacular scenery, and the opportunity to stand where the marble columns that adorned some of the Roman Empire's greatest monuments were carved more than two thousand years ago.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the site is the knowledge that many of these monumental blocks of marble never left the slopes of Mount Ochi. The abandoned columns, the unmistakable tool marks left by ancient stonemasons, and the mysterious Tsoukali monolith together create an archaeological landscape unlike any other in Greece.
If you enjoy historical sites, appreciate quiet hiking trails, and love discovering places that few visitors ever see, the Kylindri Quarries are unlikely to disappoint. Their appeal lies not in grand monuments or elaborate visitor facilities, but in their authenticity, atmosphere, and the rare opportunity to witness an ancient industrial landscape preserved almost exactly as it was left centuries ago.
Perhaps that is what makes Kylindri so unforgettable. Rather than admiring a finished monument, you are standing in the very place where history came to an unexpected halt—and where, in many ways, it has remained ever since.
Hiking to the Ancient Quarries – My Experience
There are several ways to reach the ancient quarries, but most guidebooks recommend driving to GPS: 38.035993, 24.440364, which is described as the shortest route. We initially chose this option as well. The access road is in good condition, beginning as a concrete road before becoming an easy gravel track.
However, during our visit in March 2026, we discovered that continuing on foot was no longer possible. We encountered a fence and could not find a legal way to proceed. This situation may change in the future, but for now it's worth knowing that this route may no longer be accessible.
Instead, we parked on a small flat area at GPS: 38.044790, 24.431430, which is easily reached via a good asphalt road. This became the starting point for our hike.
The first section follows a wide track that gently contours around the mountainside and is very easy to walk. It's a pleasant, almost level stroll with beautiful views of Castello Rosso, Karystos Bay, and the town of Karystos. Along the way you'll also pass the remains of an ancient aqueduct, which are well worth a quick stop.
After around fifteen minutes, you'll reach the start of the red-marked hiking trail leading to the quarries (GPS: 38.036854, 24.438615). Before following it, however, it's worth taking a short uphill detour to visit Tsoukali, the mysterious unfinished marble monolith (GPS: 38.038136, 24.440734). The detour takes only a few minutes and is definitely worth including.
After visiting Tsoukali, don't try to head directly towards the quarries. We spent quite a while searching for a shortcut that simply doesn't exist. The best option is to return to the red trail and continue following its marked route.
This is particularly important because several fences mark the boundaries of private land. At one point, the official trail even passes through a fenced area, but there is a gate that allows hikers to pass through without any problems. It is probably used by the goats grazing nearby, whose bells accompany you for much of the walk.
Further along, the path becomes narrower and passes through dense thorny shrubs growing right beside the trail. These can easily scratch your legs. I found that out the hard way—I was wearing trekking sandals and ended up with plenty of cuts on my feet. I strongly recommend wearing proper hiking or sports shoes, along with lightweight long trousers to protect your legs from the thorns.
From this point onwards, the gentle walk comes to an end and the real climb begins. The trail steadily ascends the mountainside, sometimes following rough stone steps and elsewhere a typical mountain footpath. It isn't technically difficult, but it does require a reasonable level of fitness, especially during the summer heat. When we visited in March, we had the entire trail to ourselves, accompanied only by the sound of grazing goats and the ringing of their bells.
The reward for the climb is the sight of the ancient marble columns still lying where they were abandoned in the quarry (GPS: 38.037811, 24.447065). Located near the end of the trail, they are truly impressive. Standing beside them, you begin to appreciate the extraordinary scale of extracting and transporting these massive monoliths more than two thousand years ago.
🎒 Practical Tips
The trail is exposed to the sun for almost its entire length, with very little shade along the way. A hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water are absolutely essential. It's also worth bringing a light snack, as the climb is more demanding than it first appears.
The best time to visit is early in the morning, before the sun becomes too intense. We do not recommend starting the hike late in the afternoon. In Greece, darkness falls relatively quickly, and descending the mountain trail after sunset is far less enjoyable.
One final piece of important advice: mobile phone coverage and internet access are almost non-existent near the quarries. During our visit, we lost signal before reaching Tsoukali. Before setting off, save all GPS coordinates, download offline maps, and use a navigation app that works without an internet connection. It will make finding the correct route much easier.
💡 Tip: Before leaving, take a screenshot of this guide or save the GPS coordinates on your phone. Internet access is extremely limited on the mountain, and having the information available offline can make your hike much easier.
📍 Key Points Along the Route
🚗 Recommended Parking Area
📍 GPS: 38.04479, 24.43143
➡️ Easy access via a good asphalt road.
⚠️ Shortest Route Mentioned in Many Guidebooks
📍 GPS: 38.03599, 24.44036
➡️ During our visit in March 2026, this route was blocked by a fence and we could not find a legal way to continue.
🥾 Start of the Red Hiking Trail
📍 GPS: 38.03685, 24.43862
🗿 Tsoukali – The Marble Monolith
📍 GPS: 38.03806, 24.44062
🏛️ Ancient Marble Columns
📍 GPS: 38.03781, 24.447065
🎒 What Should You Bring?
🧢 A hat or cap
💧 At least 1.5–2 litres of water per person
🥪 Snacks or a light picnic
🥾 Comfortable hiking or sports shoes
👖 Lightweight long trousers to protect against thorny bushes
📱 Offline maps downloaded in advance
☀️ When Is the Best Time to Visit?
✅ Early morning – cooler temperatures and much more comfortable hiking conditions.
❌ Late afternoon – not recommended, as darkness falls quickly in the mountains and the return hike becomes less enjoyable.
📶 Very Important
📵 Mobile phone signal and internet access disappear shortly before reaching Tsoukali.
Before you set off:
➡️ Save all GPS coordinates.
➡️ Download offline maps (Google Maps, Maps.me, or a similar app).
➡️ Don't rely on being able to check directions online during the hike.
Why Were the Columns Left on the Mountainside?
Standing beside these abandoned monolithic columns, it is hard not to wonder why enormous pieces of marble—requiring weeks of painstaking work—never reached their intended destination.
To this day, there is no definitive answer. Archaeologists believe, however, that several factors may have contributed to the columns being left behind.
One of the most likely explanations is a decline in demand for marble from Karystos. During the later centuries of the Roman Empire, the construction of monumental public buildings gradually decreased, while the cost of extracting and transporting such massive monoliths remained exceptionally high.
It is also possible that some columns were abandoned for practical reasons. Even a small crack could render the transport of a multi-tonne column uneconomical. In other cases, work may have been interrupted by logistical difficulties, economic pressures, or changes in organisation.
The prevailing view is that quarrying gradually came to an end during Late Antiquity. As extraction ceased, the unfinished columns were simply left on the slopes of Mount Ochi, where they remain today. Thanks to this, visitors can experience a site that looks remarkably similar to the way it was abandoned by ancient stonemasons nearly two thousand years ago.
💡 Did You Know?
Although quarrying ended many centuries ago, many of the columns still lie exactly where work was abandoned. For archaeologists, this is an exceptionally rare situation, as it provides a unique opportunity to study the different stages of ancient quarrying and the initial shaping of marble directly at the source, rather than reconstructing the process from scattered finds.
Not all traces of the ancient quarrymen's work take the form of unfinished columns. A few hundred metres away lies another remarkable feature—the unfinished marble object known as Tsoukali, whose original purpose remains the subject of debate among archaeologists.
Tsoukali – The Mysterious Marble "Cauldron"
As you follow the trail towards the ancient quarries, you'll encounter one of the site's most intriguing features even before the uphill climb begins. Known as Tsoukali, this enormous unfinished marble object resembles a giant cauldron or basin. Its modern Greek name, tsoukali (Τσουκάλι), simply means "cooking pot" or "cauldron"—a reference to its distinctive shape.
It is the first remarkable trace of ancient quarrying activity that visitors encounter on the route to the quarries.
Although Tsoukali has been known for many years, its original purpose has never been conclusively established. What is certain is that it was carved from a single block of Karystian marble and was never completed. Left exactly where work began, it still preserves the tool marks left by the ancient stonemasons nearly two thousand years ago.
Over the years, several theories have been proposed to explain its intended function. The most recent archaeological research suggests that Tsoukali was most likely meant to become a monumental marble vessel carved from a single block of stone. This interpretation is supported by its shape, its broad rim, and two distinctive handles, which closely resemble features found on large Roman marble basins and decorative bowls.
Because work was abandoned while the object was still in the quarry, its intended purpose can never be confirmed with complete certainty. It is precisely this mystery that makes Tsoukali one of the most fascinating and enigmatic monuments of the ancient quarries near Karystos.
Marmor Carystium – The Marble That Captivated Rome
For several centuries, these quarries supplied one of the most prized decorative stones of the ancient world. The distinctive green-veined marble from the Karystos region adorned temples, palaces, and public buildings across the Roman Empire. Today it is best known as Cipollino marble, but in antiquity it was called Marmor Carystium—literally, "the marble of Karystos."
At a time when most marble was white or light grey, the striking green veins of Marmor Carystium made it highly distinctive. Every column displayed a unique pattern resembling waves or the grain of wood, making each piece one of a kind.
Its beauty was only part of its appeal. The marble occurred in large, solid deposits, allowing quarrymen to extract massive blocks and carve enormous monolithic columns. These impressive columns became a defining feature of many of Rome's most prestigious buildings.
Once quarried in southern Evia, the marble was transported to the harbour of Karystos before being shipped throughout the Roman Empire. Because of its exceptional quality and high cost, it was reserved primarily for prestigious projects commissioned by emperors and the wealthiest members of Roman society.
Today, Marmor Carystium can still be admired in several famous ancient monuments, including Hadrian's Library in Athens, the Basilica Aemilia in the Roman Forum, the Domus Augustana on the Palatine Hill, and the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina in Rome.
Walking through the ancient quarries today, it is hard to imagine that this quiet mountainside once supplied the marble that decorated some of the greatest monuments of the ancient world. The unfinished columns still lying where they were abandoned stand as silent witnesses to this extraordinary history.
💡 Did You Know?
If you visit Hadrian's Library in Athens, take a closer look at the monolithic columns of the propylaea, the monumental entrance to the complex. They were carved from Marmor Carystium quarried near Karystos.
Don't be surprised if the marble doesn't appear vividly green. Nearly two thousand years of weathering, combined with damage, restoration, and conservation work, have softened its distinctive green veining, making it far less striking than it would have appeared in antiquity.
How Was the Marble Quarried?
Extracting Marmor Carystium was a long and demanding process that required not only skilled stonemasons but also careful planning. A single mistake could ruin a marble block that had taken weeks to prepare.
The work began by selecting a suitable section of bedrock. Quarrymen then cut rows of holes into the rock and inserted metal wedges. By striking the wedges in sequence, they gradually separated the block from the surrounding stone. The process demanded exceptional precision, as any crack could render the valuable marble unusable.
Even before leaving the quarry, each block was roughly shaped into the form of its future column. Removing excess stone at this stage significantly reduced its weight, making transport easier. The final carving, smoothing, and polishing were carried out only after the column had reached its destination.
The partially finished columns then had to be moved from the slopes of Mount Ochi down to the harbour of Karystos. Weighing many tonnes, they were hauled along specially prepared routes using wooden sledges, ropes, and the combined strength of workers and draft animals. Only at the port were they loaded onto ships bound for destinations across the Roman Empire.
💡 Did You Know?
As you explore the quarry, you'll notice columns abandoned at different stages of production. Some are almost ready for transport, while others still bear the marks left by ancient stonecutters. This makes the Kylindri Quarries one of the very few places where visitors can follow the entire process of quarrying and shaping marble almost two thousand years later.
💡 Did You Know?
A single monolithic column of Marmor Carystium could weigh anywhere from several dozen to well over fifty tonnes. Transporting such an enormous piece safely from the mountainside to the harbour was often a greater challenge than extracting it from the rock itself. Every stage required meticulous planning, and any damage to the column meant losing weeks of painstaking work.
Ancient Marble Quarries of Karystos
The Birthplace of Marmor Carystium
On the southern slopes of Mount Ochi, just a few kilometres from Karystos, lie some of the most remarkable remains of ancient quarrying in Greece. Here, enormous marble columns still rest exactly where stonemasons abandoned them nearly two thousand years ago.
This was the source of Marmor Carystium, the distinctive green-veined marble—better known today as Cipollino marble—that adorned prestigious public buildings throughout the Roman Empire. The surviving quarry remains offer a rare opportunity to follow almost the entire process of creating monolithic columns, from cutting them out of the bedrock to preparing them for transport.
Today, the quarries are not only an important archaeological site but also a rewarding hiking destination. Alongside the ancient remains, visitors are treated to sweeping views over Karystos, the bay, and the medieval fortress of Castello Rosso.
📍 Where Are the Quarries?
The ancient Kylindri Quarries are located on the slopes of Mount Ochi, above the village of Myloi, a few kilometres north of Karystos in southern Evia.
The abandoned columns cannot be reached by car, so the final section of the route must be completed on foot. From the parking area, the walk takes approximately 40 minutes. The trail begins with a mostly level path before climbing uphill during the final stretch. Walking time may vary depending on your fitness level, pace, and the number of stops you make to take photos or admire the scenery.