A short history of Euboea
Euboea, called Evia in modern Greek, has always sat between the mainland and the Aegean. In antiquity two cities led the island: Chalkis, today's Chalkida, and Eretria. Both traded by sea. Later the island passed to the Venetians, who called it Negroponte, and then to the Ottomans. Chalkida was handed over in 1833.
You can follow this story on the ground. Museums in Chalkida and Eretria hold the finds, and the fortress of Karababa recalls the Ottoman period. If you prefer a guide, see our Evia tours and day trips.
Our pick: Chalkida's layers of history
A guided tour of Ottoman, Venetian and Jewish sites in the old town.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Evia tours and day trips
Guided day trips, boat trips and hikes on Evia, with live prices and availability.
Key dates at a glance
The main dates and where to see them.
| Date | Event | Where to see it |
|---|---|---|
| Antiquity | Chalkis is a trading and sea power with colonies reaching Italy and Sicily | Chalkida museums |
| Antiquity | Eretria is a maritime trading centre with its sanctuary of Apollo Daphnephoros and an agora | Eretria site and museum |
| 1209 | The Venetians take Chalkida; the island is known as Negroponte | Chalkida |
| 1470 | Ottoman conquest, after a siege led by Mehmed II in June | Chalkida |
| 1688 | Karababa fortress built by the Ottoman administration | Karababa, on the mainland side |
| 1833 | Chalkida handed over without resistance after the treaty of that year | Chalkida |
| 1963 | The present electric sliding bridge dates from this year | Old bridge, Chalkida |
| 2021 | The Arethousa archaeological museum opens in Chalkida | Arethousa museum |
The handover of the town in 1833 is a separate event from the founding of the modern Greek state, so keep the two apart.
Antiquity: Chalkis and Eretria
Two trading cities on the strait and the coast.
Chalkis, today's Chalkida
Chalkis was a commercial and naval power with colonies reaching Italy and Sicily. The Chalcidian alphabet travelled with those western colonies to Italy. The modern town lies on both sides of the Euripus strait.
Chalkida guide →Eretria
Eretria was a maritime trading centre. The sanctuary of Apollo Daphnephoros and the agora were central sites of the ancient city. The museum shows finds from Eretria, Amarynthos and Lefkandi, among them the terracotta centaur. The theatre is no longer open to visitors because of its condition.
Eretria guide →The dragon houses
In the south stand monumental dry-stone buildings with corbelled stone roofs. Pottery places two studied buildings, at Ilkizes and Palli Lakka, in antiquity, and research there has been going on since 2020. Their purpose is still being studied, so do not treat them all as one kind of building.
Karystos guide →Venetians and Ottomans
Negroponte and the fortress on the strait.
1209: Venetian Negroponte
The Venetians took Chalkida in 1209, and the island became known as Negroponte.
1470: the Ottoman conquest
Mehmed II besieged Chalkida in June 1470. The siege and the fall of the town are not the same date, so treat June as the start of the siege.
Karababa, 1688
Karababa fortress dates from 1688 and is an Ottoman building, put up against the Venetian siege. It stands on the mainland side of the strait, and an exhibition of medieval sculpture is shown in the western part of the bastion. It is sometimes called Venetian, but the date points to the Ottoman administration. Entry is free, and it opens 08:30–15:30 from 1 April to 31 October, closed on Tuesday. From 1 November to 31 March it opens Friday to Sunday only.
1833: the handover
Chalkida was handed over without resistance after the treaty of 1833. It is a local event, not the founding of the Greek state.
Recent history you can see
The bridge, a museum and a fire.
The old bridge
The electric sliding bridge dates from 1963. It is 42 m long and 11 m wide, with traffic lanes and footways, and it slides open, not up. The cable-stayed high bridge carries the other crossing.
Arethousa museum
The archaeological museum Arethousa opened in 2021 in a former industrial building. Entry is €10, reduced €5, in 2026. It opens 08:30–15:30 and is closed on Tuesday. The old archaeological museum has a separate address, 13 Eleftheriou Venizelou, and charges €5, reduced €3.
The 2021 fire in the north
Between 5 and 11 August 2021 the burned area in northern Evia grew from 7,313 ha to 50,909 ha. A state reconstruction programme is under way. Do not expect an unchanged landscape on every trail in the north.
Limni guide →
Euboea history: frequently asked questions
What was Evia called in the past?
Euboea is the old name, still used in English. Under the Venetians, who took Chalkida in 1209, the island was known as Negroponte.
When did the Ottomans take Chalkida?
Mehmed II besieged the town in June 1470, and the Ottoman conquest of 1470 ended Venetian rule there.
Is Karababa a Venetian castle?
Karababa is an Ottoman building from 1688. It is sometimes called Venetian, but the 1688 date points to the Ottoman administration.
Which ancient cities led Euboea?
Chalkis, today's Chalkida, and Eretria. Both were trading cities by the sea, and Chalkis had colonies reaching Italy and Sicily.
Can I visit the ancient theatre in Eretria?
No, access is closed because of its condition. The museum and the open parts of the site are the places to visit.