Alonissos is the most serene of the Sporades islands, still blissfully untouched by tourism, and something of a backpacker’s paradise. It’s a beautiful, lush green island with some amazing beaches, and small villages that charm visitors into endless photographs.


Alonissos

Alonissos is the northernmost island of the Sporades, located to the east of Skopelos. The waters around this charming little island are some of the cleanest you’ll find anywhere in the Aegean – they were declared a National Marine Park in 1992, for being a breeding ground for the rare species of monk seal, the Monachus Monachus. Also a big feature of the island, and included in the National Marine Park, are the 25 uninhabited islets, some of which are accessible by excursion from the main port.

If Alonissos looks more modern than some of the other Greek islands, that’s because it was rocked by a massive earthquake in 1965. The earthquake all but flattened the old capital, and the locals had to relocate to Patitiri and start again.

Alonissos is certainly a great island for a quiet, relaxing holiday, but there are concessions to tourism with excursions to the Marine Park, Skopelos and Skiathos, and plenty of guided walks. The western and northern parts of the island are wild, with steep slopes and secluded beaches that can be reached by boat from Patitiri. Diving is strictly forbidden on the island because of all the ancient remains on the seabed – but the snorkelling is amazing!

The island’s climate is cool and dry – the forests keep the temperatures down and the local Meltemia wind comes off the Aegean Sea from the north during the summer months. The winds can get quite strong, although they tend to die down in the afternoon.


The Church at Agios Dimitrios


History
Alonissos is an ancient island – there’s evidence of people living there for over 100,000 years. All the Sporades islands have been linked at some time in the past. It’s thought that a prehistoric Pelasgian tribe lived on Alonissos before the Cretans settled here during Minoan times.

The Mycenaean may well have used the island as a stronghold, and according to myth, Achilles’ father Peleus spent his last years here, which explains the island's previous names of Achilleodromia and Chiliodromia.

During the classical era, Alonissos reached its economical and cultural peak, becoming well known for producing high quality wines and olive oils.

The Romans invaded Greece in the 2nd century BC and Alonissos became the island that banished people were sent to! The surrounding islets became prisons and military bases. Because of the high taxes imposed by the Romans, the island hit hard times, which continued during the Byzantine period. This was coupled with the constant threat of piracy. Many of the islands churches and monasteries were built during this time, presumably as some kind of religious insurance.


The Monastry at Agios Dimitrios

Alonissos was under Venetian rule from the 13th century followed by Ottoman rule from the 15th century. The pirates continued to raid the islands, and in 1830, as part of the London Protocol Alonissos was liberated and became part of the First Hellenic Republic.

During the Second World War, many islanders died fighting on the Greek mainland and at the Albanian border. Then in 1965 an earthquake destroyed most of the buildings and claimed many lives. The population moved from Alonissos Old Town to Patitiri, and rebuilt their lives, leaving the old town as ruins for many years. In the 1970s people started to show an interest in rebuilding the old town by buying up and restoring the old houses.

Getting There
The nearest airport is on Skiathos, and from there you can get the ferryboat (that takes about two hours), or the hydrofoil (that takes around an hour). You can also get the hydrofoil or ferryboat from Volos and Agios Konstantinos. During the summer there are also connections via Thessaloniki and Kymi.
Hydrofoils connect the island with Volos and Agios Konstantinos, and provide links with nearby Skopelos, Skiathos, Skyros, Evia, and the Peninsula of Halkidiki.

As there is only one local bus and a few taxis, getting around the island is best done by bike or car, The island is steep, so bear that in mind if you are thinking of hiring a bike!

Money
The Greek currency is the Euro. For up to date exchange rates visit www.xe.com You can exchange all foreign currencies at banks on the island, or bureaux de change, but keep an eye on the exchange rates as they tend to fluctuate from one bank to another. All the major credit cards are widely accepted, as are traveller’s cheques in most currencies.

Greek banks charge a flat commission rate for cashing traveller’s cheques, and you can avoid extra fees by taking them in Euros, Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.

Banks are generally open from 8:00am to 2:30pm Mondays to Thursdays, and close at 2:00pm on Fridays.

Shopping
Most shops and facilities on Alonissos are in Patitiri – there’s a local post office, supermarkets, banks (Agrotiki and National Bank of Greece both have a 24 hour cash machine) a tourist office, police station, and a health centre.
The souvenir shops sell wooden toys, books and jewellery. For something a bit different, head to the old town and you can find some of the local artists exhibiting and selling original work, and you’ll be able to pick up paintings, candles and antiques among other things. There are some great souvenirs at the Marine Park information centre, and all the proceeds go towards the conservation of the Monk Seals.

Nightlife
Alonissos isn’t the place to go for partying hard, but you can still have a really nice evening out in Patitiri or the old village. The nightlife on Alonissos is low key as it’s the kind of place that appeals more to nature lovers. If you do want a noisy night out, you could head off towards Skiathos where there are more than enough boozy bars and clubs to choose from.

Alonissos does have some lovely bars and cafes, some of which have music, often live, until the early hours in summer season. And there are even a couple of clubs in Patitiri that are open until dawn, so it is possible to stay up late and dance.

Food
The cuisine on Alonissos is based around traditional Greek food. A Sporades delicacy is the Skopelos cheese pie, which is made in some places on the island, and can be made to order. The island’s particular speciality is astakomanestra a lobster-based pasta dish. Walnut pies, also known as ‘karydopites’, are also delicious.

Where to go

The Old Town – Alonissos:
Like most small Greek towns, Alonissos old town exudes a sense of calm, with pretty whitewashed houses, narrow climbing streets and steps, but if something seems amiss, it’s because the old town is really rather newer than its name would suggest.

The village of Alonissos is in the hills to the south of the island, and the locals sometimes refer to it as Chora. It was once the capital of Alonissos until the earthquake destroyed it in 1965 – forcing the residents to move nearer to the sea and build their new capital, Patitiri.

The views from Alonissos are reputed to be some of the best in Greece, in particular the sunset. If you want to stay in the Old Town rather than the capital, it’s easy to find a room or a taverna and there are shops nearby. The town has been sympathetically restored by people who have bought some of the old buildings at bargain prices and renovated them to their former glory. Many of the beautifully renovated houses have balconies or verandas decorated with flowers, all adding to the authentic charming style.

Some parts of the old Byzantine walls restored by the Venetians to fortify the city survived the earthquake and remain to this day. Some of the surviving Byzantine churches – such as the chapel of Agio Anargyroi are worth visiting. At the church of Agios Andreas you can find the International headquarters of the International Academy of Homeopathic Medicine – worth investigating if you’ve got an interest in complementary medicine.

Old Alonissos is good for eating out – one of the most popular restaurants is Astrofengia, a carefully restored Sporadic home that features some spectacular views from the outdoor terrace.

Patitiri
‘Patitiri’ means ‘wine press’ in Greek and the village got its name from the fact that all the wine presses and stores for Alonissos’ wine supply used to be here. Unfortunately, during the 1960s the island’s vineyards were devastated by Phylloxera – a North American bug that eats vine roots and now there is hardly any local wine to sample.

Patitiri is the capital and main port of Alonissos, and the biggest settlement on the island. The town built after the earthquake of 1965 seems strangely modern for a pretty Greek island village. The buildings in Patitiri are still quintessentially Greek, and far from unattractive.

The narrow whitewashed streets of the village still lend a certain quaintness, and the beautiful harbour has an atmosphere all of its own, surrounded by the clean, crystalline waters of the Aegean, and rocky marble formations that light up at night.

The village is surrounded by dense pine forest, and there’s a sandy beach with tavernas and cafés to relax in and take in the views of the harbour. There are all the local amenities you’d expect as well – a post office, a health centre and the Euronature Information Centre on Environmental Protection.

Also in Patitiri is the Kostas and Angela Mavrikis Museum, established in 2000, a privately owned museum that displays local works of art, wine-making, war memorabilia and traditional Alonissos costumes.


Votsi


Votsi
The little fishing village of Votsi is slowly merging with Patitiri, but remains a quiet village in one of the most scenic bays of Alonissos, with just a traditional harbour, some romantic little tavernas and fabulous views of the sea and the ochre-yellow cliffs. There’s also a swimming beach at Votsi, or if you prefer you can head down the road to nearby Spartines.

Votsi has no shopping centre but the harbour has a lively atmosphere, and the fishing boats and tavernas that line the port, create a charming scene.


Stenivala

Stenivala
Stenivala is another small fishing harbour, around 10km from Patitiri. This village is older than Patitiri, and full of traditional character. There’s not a great deal here in the way of accommodation, but Stenivala is, however, famous for its amazingly fresh fish, and the few tavernas here, all owned by fishermen, are proud to serve it.

Animal lovers could also head out to the monk seal hospital which is also in Stenivala – if you’re lucky you might see one there.

Kalamakia and Agios Dimitrios
Kalamakia is even quieter than Stenivala, and is another tiny fishing harbour with only a few tavernas. The village is popular for its top quality fresh fish, especially the lobster that is served in the waterside tavernas. There is no bus service to Kalamakia from Patitiri, so you’ll need to find your own transport or hire a taxi if you want to see the village. One of the recommended island day trips takes in Kalamakia and Agios Dimitrios. Kalamakia only has a small beach but the beach at Agios Dimitrios is one of the best on the island, so an ideal combination would be to stop for a swim there, and finish off with a meal in Kalamakia.


Kalamakia

The National Marine Park
The National Marine Park of Alonissos is the first marine park in Greece and is made up of Alonissos itself along with six smaller islets and some uninhabited rocky outcrops. The whole area is rich in marine life and home to the endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal – one of the rarest animals in Europe – there are only around 800 left in the world.

The Marine Park is also a breeding ground for many species of fish, birds, reptiles and mammals. The Marine Park Centre is responsible for the area’s management and conservation, and gathers new knowledge on the monk seal, marine life and the ecosystem around Alonissos.

The Blue Cave of Alonissos
The wild and rocky coastline of Alonissos features plenty of small caves, some of which are deep and filled with water. One of these is the famous Blue Cave, located on the north eastern side of Alonissos, between the remote beaches of Strovili and Lalarias, and just north of Agios Dimitrios village.
A tour from Patitiri takes you to the Blue Cave, and also covers the northern side of Alonissos and surrounding islets. The water around the Blue Cave is staggeringly clear and the views are to die for.

The Greek seabed is among the richest in shipwrecks – some of which are said to date back to the 5th century BC. The area around Skopelos, Alonissos and the Marine Park has the second largest concentration of ancient and middle age sea wrecks in the whole world.

Many wrecks have been discovered in these seemingly oh-so-calm waters – the most famous of these being off the coast of Peristera islet.

Islets
Peristera is the closest islet to Alonissos and is home to some really lovely sandy coves. Camping is allowed on the beach known as ‘Barbecue Bay’ and there are some old castle remains to explore, too. The islet has two natural harbours: Peristeri and Vasiliko

Kyra Panagia, also called Pelagonisi, is to the north east of Alonissos. It’s tiny and uninhabited with two natural harbours, Agios Petros and Planitis. The bay of Planitis was used as a pirate shelter in the middle ages. Archaeological findings have also shown that this is probably where the ancient Alonissos, (mentioned by Demosthenes and Strabo), must have been, after finding evidence of ceramics, small statues, tools and animal bones. On the eastern side there’s the monastery of Kyra Panagia, from which the islet takes its second name, and the remains of another old Basilica.

On Yioura there’s a stalactite cave known as the Cyclops’ Cave, which according to Greek Legend is the cave where Odysseus was imprisoned by Polyphemus (one of the most famous Cyclops), son of Poseidon. You’ll need a guide to visit this cave. The islet is also home to some rare wildlife.

Psathoura is home to the tallest lighthouse in the Aegean as well as the remains of a submerged ancient town, believed, by some, to be the ancient Alonissos.

Beaches
Most beaches on Alonissos are pebbly but there are some gorgeous locations where you can relax and make the most of the sun and tranquil seas.
The beach at Leptos Gialos is quiet and peaceful, and has just a couple of taverns and a few sun beds.

Steni Valla is the only beach that’s served by the buses, and is slightly busier with a few places to eat and drink.

Agios Dimirios is one of the most popular beaches, and is one of the island’s most sandy beaches.

Rousoum Yialos is also a popular beach, just seven minutes on foot from the centre of Patitiri. There are plenty of tavernas here and places to stay.