Background
The name “Fourni” literally means “ovens”; don’t worry, this has nothing to do with it getting over-hot in July and August, the name refers to the dozens of little, traditional-oven-shaped bays that dot the coastline all around this tiny archipelago. It was these bays and inlets which, in centuries gone by, provided the perfect hiding places for pirate ships and led to the island being known as “The Island of the Corsairs” – a rather romantic title for a very gruesome past.

Today, the people of Fourni are still very much a distinct island community, proud of their piratical heritage while having turned their sea-faring skills to the more legitimate business of fishing – the harbour front of Fourni town with its dozens of fishing vessels is quite a sight and you are always sure of a decent selection of fish (weather permitting) at one of the waterfront tavernas. Fish can be expensive, but before ordering they will weigh it and tell you exactly how much it will cost. Fourni’s lobsters are justly famous and fetch a high price in Athens.

The main street to the top of the town opens out into a very pleasant square, lined with plane trees which shade the chairs of two cafes and a little bakery. There are more tavernas up here too, again serving very traditional fare, and vegetarians will find that all needs are catered for; as elsewhere, the owners will happily take you into the kitchen to view the options.

Here, over a coffee or ouzo, you might sit and plan a small expedition – perhaps a trip on a taxi-boat to a deserted little beach, or a walk along the beautifully paved pedestrian way from the back of the town, past the dome of a wonderfully picturesque church, across what passes for a major road, to the café at the newly restored windmills. Views from here across to the sister island of Thymaina are delightful and ever-changing. Perhaps from here you might be led down all two-hundred and twenty-odd steps to beach at Kambi. This pretty, tamarisk-lined beach is tranquillity at its best; boats bob around in the bay and there are two or three fish tavernas open in high season. Here also, as on all of Fourni’s beaches, you will appreciate that these sheltered waters are ideal for swimming and rarely see more than a ripple, unlike the notoriously wild seas of the surrounding Aegean. When it is time to leave, you might have arranged for a taxi boat to collect you, as the walk back up those steps is not for the weary-hearted! However, if you do walk back in the evening, you will be rewarded by one of the prettiest sights in the Aegean as the setting sun throws its orange light onto the domed church overlooking the bay and harbour of the town.

.There are no big adventures to be had here, unlike on neighbouring Ikaria and Samos; hiring a car may be barely worth the effort, though a moped or scooter might get you along the spine of the island for more views or to visit another of the little hidden beaches, but if it is an authentic Greek island atmosphere you are after, in the most relaxed of settings, friendly laid-back people serving quality, traditional food and wines, then Fourni is waiting for you with open arms.