🪪 The island at a glance
📍 Where it is
Alonissos lies in the northern Sporades, east of Skopelos and opposite Mount Pelion. It has no airport: ferries leave from Volos and Agios Konstantinos, call at Skiathos and Skopelos, and reach Patitiri in three to five hours. You can also fly to Skiathos and continue by ferry.
📍 Where Alonissos is
Alonissos is the third island of the Northern Sporades, after Skiathos and Skopelos, opposite Mount Pelion. The island is shown in red, and in green the ports of Volos and Agios Konstantinos, where the ferries leave from, and Athens airport.
🗺️ The map of the island
Alonissos is long, narrow and green, about twenty kilometres from end to end. One main road runs from Patitiri, at the southern tip, to Gerakas, at the northern one. The Old Town is on the hill above Patitiri. Most beaches are on the east coast, reached by small roads through the pines. Opposite the east coast, Peristera encloses a calm channel of sea, and beyond it lie the uninhabited islands of the Marine Park.
🗺️ Map of Alonissos
Alonissos is long and narrow. Patitiri, the port, and the Old Town are at the southern tip. Most beaches are on the east coast, up to Steni Vala and Agios Dimitrios. Opposite is Peristera with the ancient shipwreck. The north, up to Gerakas, is wild and part of the Marine Park. Tap each number to see what it is.
Map: Olfert Dapper, 1688 (Public domain) · Wikimedia Commons
⚖️ Is it worth it? The pros and cons
Alonissos is an island for people who want nature, peace and the sea, and don’t mind a long journey. Here is an honest picture.
📊 At a glance, from 1 to 5
👍 The pros
- Some of the clearest water in the Mediterranean, inside a Marine Park.
- A green island, with pine trees down to the sea and walking trails.
- An ancient shipwreck you can visit.
- Quiet, without mass tourism.
- A lovely, restored Old Town.
👎 The cons
- A long journey: you need to drive to Volos and take a ferry.
- No airport.
- Few sandy beaches, most have pebbles.
- Quiet nightlife.
🏘️ The Old Town
The Old Town, or simply Chora, is built on the top of a hill, inside medieval walls, with views of both sides of the island. In 1965 an earthquake struck and the inhabitants moved down to Patitiri. For years it stayed almost empty, until Greeks and foreigners discovered it and restored the stone houses one by one. Today it is one of the prettiest villages in the Sporades: cobbled lanes, stone houses with slate roofs, bougainvillea, little chapels, and cafés and tavernas with a view. The sunset from the walls is one of the finest on the island.
On top of the hill, with views of both seas.
Stone, slate and flowers.
Quiet, cobbled, full of flowers.
From the walls of Chora.
Photos: Catlemur (CC BY-SA 3.0), sarah alfinito (CC BY-SA 4.0), Eric Spenle (CC BY 3.0), Stk2k7 (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Wikimedia Commons
An old cobbled path climbs from Patitiri to the Old Town in about forty minutes, through olive and pine trees. Go up in the afternoon, stay for the sunset and dinner, and come down by bus or taxi.
⚓ Patitiri and the little harbours
Patitiri, the port, is built like an amphitheatre around a bay, with tavernas, cafés, shops and most of the island’s rooms. The name comes from the wine presses where the island’s wine was made. On the waterfront, an information centre on the monk seal explains how it is protected. Next door, Votsi is a small fishing village with a picturesque harbour, and further north, Steni Vala is a narrow little harbour with fish tavernas and moored sailing boats.
The port, inside a bay.
Fishing boats and yachts from all over the world.
Learn about the Mediterranean monk seal.
The fishing village next to Patitiri.
A little harbour with tavernas.
Photos: dronepicr (CC BY 2.0), Handrian (CC BY-SA 3.0), Stk2k7 (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Wikimedia Commons
🦭 The Marine Park and the monk seal
Alonissos and the uninhabited islands around it form the National Marine Park of Alonissos and the Northern Sporades, the first marine park in Greece, since 1992, and one of the largest marine protected areas in Europe. It was founded to protect the Mediterranean monk seal, one of the rarest mammals on the planet, which lives and gives birth in the sea caves of the islands. Dolphins, sea turtles, rare birds and posidonia seagrass also live here, which is what keeps the water so clear.
The best way to see the Park is on the boat trips that leave Patitiri every morning. They pass Kyra Panagia, an uninhabited island with a monastery, the Blue Cave and Psathoura, the northernmost island, with one of the tallest lighthouses in the Aegean, and stop for swims in secluded bays.
Next to Alonissos, at the islet of Peristera, lies one of the most important ancient shipwrecks in Greece: a merchant ship from the 5th century BC that sank with thousands of amphorae of wine. Since 2020 it has been the first underwater museum in Greece open to visitors: divers can visit it with a licensed dive centre, and everyone else can see it at a virtual reality centre in Patitiri.
One of the rarest mammals in Europe.
It lives in sea caves.
This is where the ancient shipwreck lies.
The boats stop for a swim.
Thousands of amphorae, from the 5th century BC.
Wine from Chalkidiki.
Photos: Wanax01 (CC BY-SA 4.0), Marinko Babic (CC BY-SA 4.0), dronepicr (CC BY 2.0), Elpida Hadjidaki (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Seals are very sensitive. If you see one, keep your distance, don’t approach it by boat or swimming, and never enter a sea cave where it may be resting. The Park rules forbid approaching certain islands.
🏖️ The beaches
The beaches of Alonissos are mostly pebbly, with crystal-clear, turquoise water and pine trees reaching the shore. Kokkinokastro is the most spectacular: red cliffs, two islets, pebbles and the site of the ancient city of Ikos. Chrysi Milia has sand and a pine forest, ideal for families. Agios Dimitrios, in the north, is a long curve of white pebbles. Near Patitiri are Rousoum Gialos and Votsi, and below Chora, Mourtias and Vrysitsa. Leftos Gialos and Gialia have tavernas right on the pebbles.
Red cliffs and turquoise water.
Ancient Ikos stood here.
A white curve in the blue.
Sand and pines, for families.
Next to Patitiri.
Below the Old Town.
The windmill and the bay.
By boat, on the north-east coast.
Photos: dronepicr (CC BY 2.0), Atsoukali (CC BY-SA 4.0), Chris Taklis (CC BY-SA 4.0), Vasilis drosakis (CC BY-SA 4.0), PLAKLE (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
- Kokkinokastro: red cliffs, islets, the most beautiful.
- Chrysi Milia: sand and pines, for families.
- Agios Dimitrios: white pebbles, in the north.
- Leftos Gialos: pebbles and a taverna, on the east coast.
- Steni Vala: a small beach next to the little harbour.
- Rousoum Gialos: next to Patitiri, easy.
- Mourtias: quiet, below the Old Town.
In Patitiri you can rent small boats without a licence for the day. It is the best way to reach coves with no road and swim on your own. Ask about the weather and about the areas of the Park where you are not allowed to go.
🍽️ What to eat
The best-known dish on the island is Alonissos cheese pie, a coiled pie with thin pastry and cheese, fried, which you will find in every taverna. Alonissos is an island of fishermen: eat fresh fish, lobster spaghetti and tuna, which is caught and canned on the island. Also try thyme honey and amygdalota, and a glass of tsipouro at Steni Vala.
📅 When to go
June and September are the best months, with warm sea and empty beaches. In July and August more people come, but Alonissos stays quiet. In May and October the island is green, ideal for walking the waymarked trails, but the Park boats run less often.
⛴️ How to get there from Athens
| How | Duration | From | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferry from Volos | About 3–4.5 hours | Volos | Via Skiathos and Skopelos. Volos is about 3.5 hours from Athens. |
| Ferry from Agios Konstantinos | About 3.5–5 hours | Agios Konstantinos | About 2 hours from Athens by car or bus. |
| Plane and ferry | About a 40-minute flight, plus 1.5–2 hours by ferry | Athens airport | Fly to Skiathos and continue by ferry. |
From Ioulianou 50, KTEL buses to Volos and Agios Konstantinos leave from the Liosion bus station, very close by. On the island there is a bus from Patitiri to the Old Town, but for the beaches you need a scooter, a car or a water taxi. Alonissos combines easily with Skopelos, half an hour away by ferry: see our guide to Skopelos.
🗓️ Three days on Alonissos
Patitiri and the Old Town
A stroll around Patitiri and the monk seal information centre. A swim at Rousoum Gialos or Votsi. In the afternoon, go up to the Old Town, on foot by the old path or by bus, and stay for the sunset and dinner.
The beaches of the east coast
By car or scooter, from Chrysi Milia to Kokkinokastro, then on to Steni Vala for fish at the tavernas. In the afternoon, a swim on the white pebbles of Agios Dimitrios.
The Marine Park
A full-day boat trip from Patitiri: Peristera and the ancient shipwreck, Kyra Panagia with its monastery, the Blue Cave, and if you are lucky, dolphins or a seal.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I stay on Alonissos?
In Patitiri, for the port, the tavernas and the Park boats. In the Old Town, for the atmosphere and the view. In Votsi or Steni Vala, for peace by the sea.
Do I need a car?
A scooter or a small car is enough to reach the beaches. The island is small, and many beaches can also be reached by water taxi or a rented boat from Patitiri.
Is Alonissos good for families?
Yes, for families who love nature. Chrysi Milia and Rousoum Gialos are calm, the island is safe, and the cruise in the Marine Park is an adventure for children.
How many days do I need?
At least three, for Chora, the beaches and a cruise in the Park. A week to combine it with Skopelos or Skiathos.
— Kathy
