Alonissos is located in the Aegean Sea and is part of the Sporades. Τhe ancient name of the island was Ikos, it got its current name from the time of Otto in 1838. Τhe island was inhabited from the Middle Paleolithic era and was united with other islands and Thessaly. The capital and port of the island is Patitiri with many hotels and tourist attractions. It is built amphitheater and surrounded by pine trees. The old capital is Chora, built on the site of the medieval castle, it dominates the top of the hill and there is a path that leads from the port to Chora, there is a women’s agro-tourism association where you can sample local traditional products. Τhe first thing you have to do is eat a local pie of your choice from a traditional bakery.

The port town of Patitiri is the island’s most lively spot, but even so, manages to retain a sense of simple fun rather than turning into a mad, crowded people-watching orgy. Upon arriving at the port we opted for a refreshing glass of chilled white wine at Aesop’s Cave, a café / bar with a shockingly tacky but (to be fair) original exterior where the service was so accommodating and the prices so reasonable that it became our main hangout whenever we swung that way. The café is an ideal place to meet locals and expats who have settled on the island, such as Thomas and Belinda from England who related to us how they fell in love with Alonissos when there on an accidental visit and have now retired there, enjoying long walks along the island’s many (there are around 14 in total) pathways and being part of friendly Greek-foreign community. The port is lined with cafes and tavernas, and further towards the right becomes quite cosy with a small strip of smaller eateries and bars, which at night are wonderful to sit in as they face the sea and are right beside a large, limestone rock facade lit up in a soft green light.

At the port you’ll find all your essentials – foreign and Greek press, the island’s one and only internet café, beach and swimming gear (including fishing guns, flippers, snorkels), some trendy clothes shops and the usual tourist trinkets. The tourist offices there offer a variety of day-trips to the Marine Park (we favoured Ikos Travel Tour with the legendary Captain Pikos, whose enthralling tales about the island’s history, mythology and culture are not to be missed) and other destinations, and there are also several car / bike rental places.

Once there, it’s also well worth visiting the Women’s Association of Alonissos, where the 15 or so women sell homemade sweets, pickled tuna, olives as well as fresh herb, spinach and cheese pies, and pasta all of which are made from traditional recipes passed on through the generations. The Association opened in 2000 and welcomes customers year-round throughout the day, aiming to keep the island’s food culture alive. We were surprised to not see more use of the island’s overabundance of herbs as Alonissos is renowned throughout Greece for its plethora of herbs, as they only had the usual dried sage, mountain tea, oregano, thyme and chamomile, but we found out that since the ‘70s the island’s main industry is tourism and fishing, and that “no one can find the time to cultivate and pick herbs”. The prices at the Women’s Association shop are reasonable, with herb-smoked pickled local tuna at 10 euros for a large jar and traditional wedding and celebration almond and flower-water (amygdalota) sweets or walnut and honey (bourekia) sweets sold by the piece.

Hawks, rare passion flowers, butterflies, honeysuckle and ripe apricots make up only a part of the vibrant paradise-like environment of the old town and the island overall. In our first day in the Chora we came across an adder scuttling across the pathway and instead of feeling alarmed we were pleased to be surrounded by real, living nature, going about its own life rather than being in an environment solely controlled by man.

Even if you choose not to stay there, the Old Town is a must-see place, but try and avoid it between 11-1pm when bus-loads of tourists on cruises take over. Enjoy a leisurely ouzo or coffee at Haiati with its dramatic views of the valleys and sea. The café-restaurant, which also offers live music at night, is owned by a lady from Thessaloniki whose family originated from Capadocia in Eastern Turkey, and as both those places are known for their spell-binding cuisine it’s no surprise that her food holds secret treasures from her roots (it is said that Capadocia is the place of origin for tortellini – a fact hotly disputed by the Italians) but trying the cheese and herb pitta or the minced meat pie, topped with yogurt or spicy red sauce made according to her grandmothers recipes it is easy to see why (you can order these and have them made there and then, but be prepared to wait 20 minutes).

Strolling through the Old Town is a mesmerising experience because of its distinct traditional style, with cobblestone streets, stone stairways sharply leading you into veiled pockets where you’ll discover small, long-established stores with homemade food products or wines and hand-picked medicinal herbs. Take in the Venentian-inspired golden and rust-coloured architecture and above all, a sense of calm, easy living, where, as locals will tell you, a sense of innocence and trust pervades. Within one day of staying there we were on first-name basis with various shop-owners and taverna waiters, and our second favourite café, Aerides, set in a shady, green-filled little square and decked out with wooden benches, tables and chairs, had no qualms to lend us their backgammon set for a couple of days. The nightlife is more on the quiet side, but you can head to the newly opened Sofrano bar near the main square, where you can stay long enough to soak in the awe-inspiring sight of sunrise over the sea and mountains.

In the Chora you will find two mini-markets and several tourist shops selling toys modelled on the Monachus Monachus seal and on dolphins, T-shirts themed on the marine park and traditional food, cosmetic products and trinkets.

The Island’s beaches are generally characterized by their exceptionally clean, cool, crystal waters, most of which are a sparkling emerald or turquoise colour. Every beach we visited, however, has its own distinctive character. Here is a listing of our top 5:

Megalos Mourtias: Lounging on the foothill below the Old Town in the neighbouring gulf, this beach has flat stones and is flanked by rocky walls. As with most beaches on Alonissos there isn’t a mass of chaise longue and beach umbrellas taking over the beach, but there are a few straw umbrellas and chairs and there is a patch of olive groves behind the beach where you can take a snooze. We had lunch at the prettily decorated Meltemi, surprisingly it was rated by Athinorama magazine’s gastronomic supplement as serving the best lobster pasta.

Milia: This long bay emerges after a small trek through a thick pine-forest and has both sand and stones. The sandy sea-bed feels crunchy when you step on it and you might smell something that reminds you a little of sulphur, which locals offer various renditions to explain: some say it is indeed beneficial sulphur, while others say it’s the black seaweed growing in the sea bed, is considered to be very rejuvenating for the skin and even able to treat cellulite. The beach has no umbrellas or bar but its crystal clear waters offer a refreshing respite from the summer heat.

Kokkinokastro: The deep blue sea, imposingly tall red rocks, yellow sand, pine trees and colourful pebbles make this ancient settlement one of the most impressive beaches on the island. On this reasonably large beach you can also rent out a pedalo or canoe for some beach action.

Yialia: This tiny cove is characterized by the windmill that stands on its left-hand edge and pebbles in different shades of grey. As you enter it suddenly plunges into deep, cool water, and we found it was the perfect beach from where to watch the sun set, while inside the sea.

Tsoukalia: This archaeological site is most unusual as it used to be the home of a pottery factory, and until today the entire beach is scattered with broken bits of pottery from vases and vessels that look new but are actually at least 2000 years old. If you go snorkeling you will also spot large vessels broken into chunks and serving as fish hotels as they sit lodged between rocks. Swimmers will also enjoy a little cove off the left hand side of the beach where one can lie on the pebbles in complete privacy after a 15 minute swim.

The National Marine Park was founded by Presidential Decree in May 1992 and protects 10 percent of the world’s endangered Monachus Monachus seal population, which is one of the largest seal species in the world, with a length of 2-3 metres and an average weight of 250 kg. The Mediterranean monk seal is represented on ancient Greek coins and passages by Homer describe it basking in the sun on sandy beaches. The Alonissos municipality writes that “Today, the largest population of seals in the Mediterranean is found in Greece, spread out over the whole of the Aegean and Ionian Seas, while it is significant that the species has essentially disappeared from the industrialised Western Mediterranean. This makes it easy to appreciate the importance of the Park in protecting the seals. Because of its morphology and position, the Park is an ideal habitat, rich in food. The active participation of the region’s fishermen and the fishing Cooperative of Alonissos in the protection effort is significant, and has largely contributed to the elimination of the deliberate killing of seals in the area of the Park.”

Alonissos is the largest island in the Park, which also encompasses six smaller islands (Peristera, Kyra Panagia, Gioura, Skantzoura, and Piperi) and 22 uninhabited islands and rocky outcrops. The day trip includes visits to all these places.

Where to head next?

Keep exploring the best of Greece! After Alonissos, the top destinations to visit are Skiathos, Pelion, and Skopelos.