🪪 The island at a glance
📍 Where it is
Nisyros lies in the Dodecanese, a few kilometres south of Kos, between Kos and Tilos. The easiest way is via Kos: you fly from Athens in about an hour, and from Kos harbour or from Kardamena a boat takes you to Mandraki in about an hour. There are also ferries from Piraeus, but the trip takes more than twelve hours.
📍 Where Nisyros is
Nisyros is in the Dodecanese, south of Kos, in the southern Aegean. The island is in red, and in green are Athens airport and the port of Kos, where the boat leaves from.
🗺️ The map of the island
Nisyros is almost round, and in its centre lies the caldera, a large hollow left by the volcano, with the flat plain of Lakki and the craters. Mandraki, the capital and port, is at the northwestern tip. One road follows the north coast to Loutra and Pali and climbs to the villages on the rim of the caldera, Emporios and Nikia. Another goes down into the caldera, to the Stefanos crater.
🗺️ Map of Nisyros
Nisyros is almost round, with the volcano’s caldera in the middle. Mandraki, the port, is at the northwestern tip, with the castle and Palaiokastro above it. On the north coast are Loutra and Pali, and on the rim of the caldera Emporios and Nikia. Stefanos lies inside the caldera, and the beaches of Lies and Pachia Ammos are in the east. Tap each number to see what it is.
Map: Cristoforo Buondelmonti (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
⚖️ Is it worth it? The pros and cons
Nisyros is for those who want to see something different, nature and peace, not sandy beaches. Here is an honest picture.
📊 At a glance, from 1 to 5
👍 The pros
- An active volcano where you walk right into the crater.
- Beautiful villages on the rim of the caldera.
- Ancient walls built of huge blocks, at Palaiokastro.
- An easy trip from Kos.
- Peace, greenery and good, simple food.
👎 The cons
- Few beaches, and not very pretty ones, mostly black pebbles.
- At midday the volcano fills with day-trippers from Kos.
- Inside the crater it is very hot and smells of sulphur.
- Few places to stay and few ferries in winter.
🌋 The volcano and Stefanos
Nisyros is one of the active volcanoes of Greece. Its caldera is about four kilometres across, and on its floor there are several craters opened by steam explosions in the 19th century. The largest is Stefanos, about 300 metres across. A path leads down to its floor, where the ground is warm, small holes give off steam and yellow sulphur crystals form around them. The air smells of sulphur.
Legend says that in the battle of the gods against the Giants, Poseidon broke off a piece of Kos and threw it onto the giant Polyvotis, who was buried underneath. The old people used to say that the steam and the rumbling of the volcano are his breath. In Nikia there is a small Volcanological Museum.
The big crater.
You walk inside the crater.
Yellow sulphur on the rocks.
From Nikia, high above.
The rim of the caldera.
Steam and sulphur from the earth.
Crystals made by the steam.
Here the earth boils.
White, yellow and grey.
Photos: S.Nikolakakos (CC BY-SA 4.0), Alexandros Kellaris (CC BY 2.0), Sofia Sotiriou (CC0), Rob Koster (CC BY-SA 4.0), Dreizung (CC BY 3.0), Dionysisa303 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
Wear closed shoes, because the ground is hot and crumbly, and stay within the marked areas. Take water and a hat: inside the crater there is no breeze and the heat is intense. There is a small entrance fee.
🏘️ Mandraki
Mandraki is the capital and the port, a white village with narrow alleys, wooden balconies and houses built on the rocks, next to the waves. Its heart is the square of Ilikiomeni, with a big tree, cafés and tavernas. Above the village, in the rock of the Knights’ castle, stands the monastery of Panagia Spiliani, built inside a cave, with views over the whole of Mandraki.
A little higher, Palaiokastro is the island’s ancient acropolis, with walls of huge volcanic blocks from the 4th century BC that still stand intact. You can climb onto the battlements for views of the sea and the islet of Gyali opposite. It is the best spot for the sunset.
The monastery, above the village.
White among the green.
Rooftops and bell towers.
Houses on the waves.
Stone and flowers.
Colour in the alleys.
The square with the big tree.
The rock with the ruins.
The view from the monastery.
Walls of huge blocks.
The islet opposite.
The ferries arrive here.
Photos: Karelj (Public domain), Mike1979 Russia (CC BY-SA 3.0), Turhan Akman (CC BY 3.0), Rosa-Maria Rinkl (CC BY-SA 4.0), Krzysztof Gabrylewski (CC BY 3.0), Rob Koster (CC BY-SA 4.0), RoyBatty8888 (CC BY-SA 4.0), Dreizung (CC BY 3.0) · Wikimedia Commons
🏡 Nikia, Emporios and Pali
On the rim of the caldera, Nikia is one of the prettiest villages in the Dodecanese, with its round square, the Porta, paved with pebble mosaic, and a view straight down into the crater. Opposite, Emporios is a village that had almost been abandoned and is now coming back to life, with arches, a ruined castle and a cave with warm steam, like a natural sauna.
On the north coast, Pali is a fishing village with a small harbour and tavernas, and just before it, Loutra, with thermal waters from the volcano. The interior of the island, outside the caldera, is green, with oaks, terraces and footpaths.
On the rim of the caldera.
The square with the pebble mosaic.
Houses above the crater.
The church of Nikia.
Arches and stone.
A village coming back to life.
Oaks and fields.
Black stone and clear water.
A round volcano.
Photos: Taxiarchos228 (FAL), U. Clemens (CC BY-SA 3.0 DE), Tomisti (CC BY-SA 4.0), V. Vlasenko (CC BY-SA 3.0), Robert Powell (CC BY-SA 3.0), Karelj (Public domain) · Wikimedia Commons
🏖️ The beaches
Nisyros is not an island for sandy beaches. Next to Mandraki, Chochlaki is a beach of large black pebbles below the monastery, often with waves. At Pali there is a beach with dark sand, and in the east Lies is the quietest and cleanest beach on the island. From Lies a footpath leads to Pachia Ammos, a large beach with dark sand. Opposite, the islet of Gyali has a white sandy beach, reached by small boat.
- Chochlaki: black pebbles, next to Mandraki.
- Pali: dark sand, next to the fishing village.
- Lies: the quietest and cleanest beach.
- Pachia Ammos: large, with dark sand, on foot.
- Gyali: white sand on the islet opposite, by small boat.
🍽️ What to eat
Try pitia, chickpea fritters, and soumada, a cool almond drink that is the island’s trademark. In the tavernas of Mandraki and Pali you will find fresh fish, kid goat and local cheeses. In Nikia, a coffee in the Porta with a view of the crater is one of the best moments on the island.
📅 When to go
May, June and September are the best months, with mild heat for the crater and the footpaths. In July and August it is very hot inside the caldera, and at midday the day trips arrive from Kos. In mid-August the big festival of Panagia Spiliani takes place.
✈️ How to get there from Athens
| How | Duration | From | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plane and ferry | About 1 hour to Kos, plus 1 hour by boat | Athens airport | Fly to Kos and take a boat from Kos harbour or Kardamena. |
| Ferry from Piraeus | More than 12 hours | Piraeus | Few sailings, via other islands. |
From Ioulianou 50, Athens airport is an hour on metro Line 3. In summer there are daily boats from Kos, but check the timetables in advance. On the island a car or a scooter helps for the volcano and the villages, but there are also buses to the crater. Nisyros is easy to combine with Kos: see also our guide to Kos.
🗓️ Three days on Nisyros
Mandraki
Stroll through the alleys of Mandraki to the square with the big tree. Climb up to Panagia Spiliani and Palaiokastro, for the ancient walls and the sunset. In the evening, have pitia and fish by the village beach.
The volcano and Nikia
Go to Stefanos crater early in the morning, before the day trips from Kos arrive, and walk down to the floor. Then climb up to Nikia for the view of the caldera and a coffee in the square, and pass through Emporios.
Loutra, Pali and the beaches
A morning swim at Loutra, then on to Pali for fish by the little harbour. In the afternoon, swim at Lies or walk to Pachia Ammos.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to go into the crater?
Yes, if you stay within the marked areas. The volcano is constantly monitored, and the Stefanos crater is open to visitors. Don’t go near the holes giving off steam, and wear closed shoes.
Where should I stay on Nisyros?
In Mandraki, for the alleys, the tavernas and the port. In Pali, for a quiet fishing village by the sea. In Nikia, for the view of the caldera and complete peace.
Can I visit Nisyros on a day trip from Kos?
Yes, and many people do, on organised trips that include the volcano and Mandraki. If you stay a night, you will see the crater in the morning without the crowds and the villages in the evening.
How many days do I need?
Two to three days are enough for the volcano, Mandraki, Nikia and a beach. More if you want to walk the island’s footpaths.
— Kathy
