Horio, Alonissos

Votsi Harbour Alonissos

Background
Alonnisos is relatively small – about 20km long and between 3km and 4km wide – but it has a landscape rich in contrasts. The western promontory rises precipitously from the sea in rugged cliff formations to a height of 300 metres, the southeast coast is beautifully pine clad, rolling hills fill the interior and the small harbours have clear turquoise waters. This quiet island, relatively unspoiled by tourism, has a surfeit of beaches and coves, each more picturesque than the last, and with very different characters. The colourful landscape and the wide variation of vegetation make the island a magnet for nature lovers, who travel through an interior crisscrossed by dirt tracks, preserved donkey paths and well thought out walking routes. If you are particularly interested in hiking, several books are available giving detailed information on walking and swimming. Alonnisos is also the homeopathic centre of Greece.

The main harbour of Alonissos is Patitiri, situated in a small bay surrounded by steep, ochre yellow cliffs. Boats are available for day trips to neighbouring islands and into the National Marine Park. There is excellent swimming off the rocks to the northeast of the port. The area behind the harbour is densely developed into the next bay and the neighbouring fishing village of Votsi.

Further up the southeast coast there are two more villages. The first, Steni Vala (10 kms from Patitiri) is a charming fishing village and the home port for many sailors, being the last place to take on provisions before visiting the many uninhabited islands of the Sporades group. A little further is the built up area of Kalamakia, which consists of another small harbour and a few houses.

Finally, the old capital of Palia Alonnisos perches precariously on a cliff top in the centre of the island. Here, there are the ruins of a 15th century Venetian castle and a beautiful small chapel. The town was severely damaged by earthquake in 1965, and the inhabitants were forced to leave their homes, moving down into Patitiri. The abandoned village was later restored by individual British, Greek and German families, and now retains all the architectural beauty of a typical Sporadan village

How to get there

By air
Alonnisos does not have an airport, so it is necessary to fly to neighbouring Skiathos and then complete the journey by sea. For additional information, please refer to Skopelos pages.

Things to do

History
Several archaeological sites are to be found on the island, testament to it having been inhabited as far back as 30,000 years ago, but they have not been developed into tourist sites accessible to the general public. Likewise, there are no classical ruins or ancient temples, although at the popular pebble beach of Kokkinokastro there are scant remains of the site of ancient Ikos, the old name for the island.

However, relics of a more recent past are to be found – ruined olive presses, windmills, prune ovens, the old threshing floors previously used at harvest time, which are now the occasional venue for traditional dancing. At the Kastroporta in Palia Alonnisos, there is a traditional house furnished as a small folklore museum, open to the public in the summer. The privately owned Museum of Alonnisos is situated in Patitiri and consists of various exhibits from different eras, including its piratical past!

Beaches
The southeast coast is studded with beaches, hidden in bays surrounded by pine forests or olive groves and all very different from each other. You will find yellow sand, colourful pebbles, grey rocks and steep ochre yellow or reddish cliffs, most within a 3-8km radius of Patitiri, although one beach, that of Ayios Dimitrios, is 16km away. Beaches can be reached by car or by passenger boat from Patitiri. You can also go by taxi to some beaches - destinations and prices are displayed at the taxi rank in Patitiri. You can also, of course, walk to several beaches. It is possible to rent beach chairs and umbrellas at most beaches on this coast. Some beaches have a small taverna, otherwise, take a picnic! The northeast coast is rugged and to a great extent unapproachable by land. Small isolated beaches here can only be reached by boat.

Boat trips
Not to be missed is a boat trip to the National Marine Park. Founded in 1992, it includes Alonnisos and all the uninhabited islands towards the north and east, covering an area of 2,200 square kilometres. Its declared aim is to protect the rich marine life of the area, including over 300 species of fish, dolphins, whales and rare corals as well as to ensure the survival of the endangered Monk Seal and rare birdlife. Trips run daily from Patitiri.

Walking/cycling
Alonnisos offers fantastic walks for the enthusiast ready to discover the beauty of the island. The vegetation is as varied as that in a botanical garden and the countryside contains gentle, green hills interrupted by deep ravines, gorges and steep cliffs. Flowers bloom in all seasons and the island abounds in scented herbs such as sage, thyme and oregano. Chapels proliferate, many of them located in very attractive sites and all over the island you will discover one fantastic view after another. Climb high up on the easily accessible mountains, walk through some of the deep ravines, or follow the exciting gorge of Kastanorema, which cuts its way through the northeast corner of the island down to the beach of Strovili.

Ikion Sport
This organisation offers outdoor activities with professional instruction: mountain biking, sea kayaks, hiking and rappel climbing, sea diving with snorkel or SCUBA and excursions by fishing boat or speedboat.

Eating out
Everywhere, tavernas offer a wide variety of food, from traditional Greek to more international cuisine. Coffee bars offer homemade pastries, pancakes and traditional pies. In Palia Alonissos, you can eat in several tavernas offering magnificent views of a large part of the island, as well as the sea on both sides, reaping the benefits of peaceful isolation. Patitiri is full of cafes and tavernas where you can sit and enjoy the port atmosphere with its many colourful fishing and sailing boats.

Evening entertainment
Alonnisos is about quiet relaxation – sipping cocktails, strolling in the cool night air, eating under the stars and chilling out! However, in Patitiri there are a couple of nightclubs, which occasionally have live music, and discos during the summer.

Shopping
Palia Alonnisos has many small boutiques offering souvenirs, ceramics, antiques and clothes, tucked away in the pretty cobbled streets. You will also find jewellery workshops, a beeswax candle workshop and a Gallery of water-colour paintings.

Patitiri has two main streets leading away from the harbour full of shops selling souvenirs and clothes, as well as bakeries, supermarkets, greengrocers, butchers, confectioners, small inviting tavernas and a shop specialising in fishing, diving and swimming equipment. There is also a co-operative shop, which prepares and sells various products from the island.

General information
High season is between 15th July to the end of August and it is at its peak during the first fortnight of August. Accomodation of all types is available on the island. Luxury hotels and others, rented apartments, studios, rooms to rent, all of which are of good quality, offer genuine island hospitality. You can stay in town or village, in the country or by the sea – the choice is yours! Car and motorbike rental is easy. In Patitiri, you can also rent motorboats.

In Patitiri there are:
A branch of the National Bank of Greece and a cash checkpoint.
Two pharmacies (which are dispensing chemists in Greece, with staff who are trainedto prescribe for minor ailments)
An International bookshop/newsagents
An Internet café
A post office
And the Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre for Monk seals in the Mediterranean
(Mom), which has a showroom above the Café Avra.

There is a regular service by the island’s only bus up to Palia Alonnisos and a service to Steni Vala two or three times a day during high season. There are 4 taxis, all of which are based in Patitiri.