Standing abandoned with its burgundy cloth on the hill that overlooks Aidipsos, in the North of Evia island, the "Heraklion" Hotel is the bitter reminder of the bygone glory days for this small and remote coastal spa town of central Greece.
Eighty thermal springs gush from a depth of 3.000 meters to the surface of Aidipsos and run through the town. Coming out of the earth at 86o C, the water's high content of salts and minerals, such as iron, calcium, and magnesium is beneficial for the healing of arthritis and other diseases.
This is the place that General Syllas of the Roman Empire chose as he tried to heal his skin disease, followed by Caesar Marcus Aurelius. By the 20th century, the popular visitors of Aidipsos included Winston Churchill, Gerta Garbo, Omar Sharif, Maria Callas, Aristotelis Onassis, as well as the Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos.
The "Heraklion" Hotel was built in 1901 on the bare rocks of the beach and its interior was like a mansion; it included a huge dining room with round tables and linen tablecloths, plants, and chandeliers. A large marble staircase with a wooden handrail and amazing iron designs on the railings led to the bedrooms.
The terrace offered a wonderful view to the sea, while the hotel's perimeter had long walking paths through blooming flowers and plants. To this day, the most famous photograph of "Heraklion" Hotel is one of the first great poets of contemporary Greece, Kostis Palamas, looking to the sea from the balcony.
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