Steep Hills

[mags]

Hi, we are about to come to San Stefanos for the first time this September.  We have been holidaying in Greece and her islands for almost 20 years now.  All reports from San Stefanos are great but being a 'larger' lady with asthma I am vecoming concerned about the hills!  We are staying in the Tsaros.  Any thoughts/advice please.

[don]

I was until recently a 40 year 40 a day smoker so not too hot on the old breathing. On the last weekend of June we walked to Arillas twice and once up and along the path on the ridge of the cliffs. Not too bad at all to pleasantly surprise us. I have worse to contend with on my way to work in a morning. Admittedly i wouldn't have liked to do those walks on our second or third weeks. Looking forward to doing it all again in September!

[Holistica]

Hi, we are about to come to San Stefanos for the first time this September.  We have been holidaying in Greece and her islands for almost 20 years now.  All reports from San Stefanos are great but being a 'larger' lady with asthma I am vecoming concerned about the hills!  We are staying in the Tsaros.  Any thoughts/advice please.

There is a hill up to Tsaros - we live up just past there so often walk it twice a day back and forward to work. Its not as bad as it looks and is certainly not the steepest, longest hill in the village. The views are great and Tsaros is a nice place to be.

[tonyco1]

If you are a bit unfit then you may find it tough. I personally don't like the hills at all these days,
but I can do it in spite of an occasional bad back and sciatica.
All due respect to Gwen (Holistica), but if you live there and do it Daily - you get very acclimatised to it, plus Gwen is quite fit anyway.
(yes Gwen - you are one fit lady - LOL)
I on the other hand am getting older now and I also get a touch of Asthma, but the hill was manageable.
We stayed in the Moros Apts. just 20 metres down the hill from Tsaras and I found it a bit tough going, but everyone seems to make it OK.
I hated the hill when the sun was Hot, but in the evenings it was not so bad.
My advice is go slowly, stop for a short rest halfway up - turn admire the view, and you will be fine.
Tsaras has a nice pool and bar to stay in if you don't like the walk to the beach, and a nice restaurant is just below you - Elphita Bistro.
When we stayed there a few years back, we were getting quite used to it by the end of 2 weeks, and it seemed a shorter trip then somehow, by the end of the fortnight.

[Jules]

I also have asthma but never find the hill to where we stay at Teresa to bad at all. In fact I feel better in the resort health wise than I do at home. It's just something you do get used to during your stay.

[tonyco1]

C'mon Jules - you're six foot two inches tall on the longest legs in the resort - three strides and you're there!! LOL

[don]

Jules has minus one O Level........ Minus ten if you take in spelling! the to in " never find the hill to where we stay at Teresa to bad at all. " Should read TOO ...... Obviously the fact that I am not English helps me when speaking/typing/writing English...... OK! Unfair advantage LOL

[Colin]

I stayed just above the Teresa at Kapitanios and only once did the "Hill" nearly kill me  but I was rushing back to try and catch the end of the Newcastle v West Brom game  other than that I found the walk quite pleasant, I wouldn't fancy the Romanza tho! 

[Bubblehead and kipper]

Views and the sound of the sea from the hill side/top aps are fantastic, but what we need is local shuttle service for the hot trips during the day and for those with health problems!!!!. If you are able to do hills, then walking home at night at an enjoyable pace, taking in the stars, sound of the sea, tranquility and the occasional conversation with tourists/locals you meet along the way, can become a most enjoyable routine. These locations are usually very peaceful too and you can spend time away without feeling isolated from everyone. 

We stayed at Theos aps(top of hill behind Nafsika) for many years and the walks home at night was one aspect of the hols that we enjoyed most and dreamt about when we were back in th U.K and pined for a SS hol. We only made one trip up the hill during the day at about 7pm in time to watch the spectacular sun sets with refreshments before going out for dinner.

Many of these aps have the family in Res, so you become not only part of the community in that setting but get close to the Greek culture.

It looks very warm and inviting at the Tsaras pool bar, their customers seem to like staying there in the evenings and it always seem buzzing. Many of our customers comment on the fab Sunday night BBQs, we live just down from there and must make the effort to go there. All good reviews about staying there, you will love it.

[Holistica]

If you are a bit unfit then you may find it tough. I personally don't like the hills at all these days,
but I can do it in spite of an occasional bad back and sciatica.
All due respect to Gwen (Holistica), but if you live there and do it Daily - you get very acclimatised to it, plus Gwen is quite fit anyway.
(yes Gwen - you are one fit lady - LOL)

Yes you are right Tony - if you suffer a bit with the old bones and joints etc the hill can be a bit tough on you - ( I do too believe it or not - although they're maybe not so old! ). And yes its harder in the heat of the daytime and easier at night but as you say you can do a bit and rest a bit. I've been known to sit on the Moros wall for a while before doing the rest of the hill. Other times its ok to do it in one. I guess its easier for us as we are used to it by now. But the atmosphere is great in Tsaros Bar and when I go home late evening I can hear lots of chatter and fun being had - and great music too as I pass by. And sometimes we stop for a cool drink before wandering along to our house. Tsaros has people returning year after year- a very friendly bunch.

(yes Gwen - you are one fit lady - LOL)

Thanks for that Tony - you little Devil!  I try!

[alnwickist]

I stayed just above the Teresa at Kapitanios and only once did the "Hill" nearly kill me  but I was rushing back to try and catch the end of the Newcastle v West Brom game  other than that I found the walk quite pleasant, I wouldn't fancy the Romanza tho! 

[/b]
I`ve just come back from the Romanza and only really struggled when I carried six bottles of water up.

[SANDY]

First time we went to SS we stayed at Romanza, this was before they had restaraunt and pool, had no choice but to walk down and then back up again.
we always called at Sunset for a nightcap before the climb,one night it had been persisting it down
and Spiros took us all up in the back of Vasillis old red van, lovely memories,lovely people.

[zoe]

have been thinking about booking the tsaros any one in san stef got a wheelbarrow so roy can push me up the hill or it may have to be the olga in the book it says the pool is 70mtrs away can anyone tell us if this right

[Holistica]

have been thinking about booking the tsaros any one in san stef got a wheelbarrow so roy can push me up the hill or it may have to be the olga in the book it says the pool is 70mtrs away can anyone tell us if this right

Not sure about the 70 mtrs ( seems a lot ) but it really isn't far to the pool from the apartments - just a short stroll away. 5 minutes walk should do it!

[mags]

Thanks for all the replies, I think the best thing for me to do will be to take it one step at a time!! 

The pool bar sounds like it's in the perfect spot and I'm sure we'll be making good use of it.  You never know I may be fitter at the end of the holiday than I am at the start. 

Thanks