Alonissos is one of the
symbols of the endless beauty of Greece, a dream island transmitting
at first sight magic sensations, a sublime destination surrounded by
pristine Aegean waters which embrace that paradise called Sporades
Archipelago located east of the
Greek mainland and the spectacular Magnesia part of the scenic and mystical
Thessaly Region, northwest of the charming
island of Skyros and northeast of the stunning Euboea, the second-largest island of the country after Crete.
At distance that stupendous sunny Eden which was known
in ancient times with the name of Ikos and
later also as Chilidornis, Alonnessos and Liadromia, all
denominations linked to periods of different Greek colonists appears as a
mythological cliff rising from that extraordinary corner of the Mediterranean
and from another perspective it seems as a ship which wants to reach its
nearest charming sister Skopelos which is situated less than 4, 0
kilometres away.
That magnificent image immediately transmits old and
evocative Hellenic stories and legends with protagonists epic figures related
to the Minoans with the King of Crete Minos son of Zeus and Europa and
the Mycenaean frequently narrated by Homer in the
Iliad with reference to the Trojan War, civilisations that populated those magnificent lands
eternally encircled by a magic aura.
Alonissos is mostly limestone, it has a surface of approximately 64, 0 square
kilometres, it is just 20, 0 kilometres long and its maximum width is around 4,
5 kilometres, all that means
that renting a scooter or also cycling in
a day you can easily cross the entire territory from north to south
discovering the beauty of that pearl which despite its size has a very relevant
historic and natural patrimony and showing in every corner an aspect simply
astonishing at first sight.
With its 2,700 official resident inhabitants,
including the population living in the tiny islands around it which are part of
the municipality that little paradise was and is the composition of several small
rural and fishing villages and it is part of the iconic Region of Thessaly which
suffered a terrible earthquake in 1965.
The former
capital of the island which had the same name due to that tragic natural
disaster was largely abandoned and the inhabitants who once settled that
place on a hill situated at 3, 5 kilometres from the coast moved to the southern side towards the current main centre:
Patitiri.
The major part of the locals currently lives in that
area which is the most populated and also seat of the more important services,
such as offices, Institutions and
branches of maritime companies and navigation and from there you can take ferries to Volos the capital of Magnesia (I wrote a post about that very
interesting city) Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece but
also to Agios Konstantinos and there are in addition lines which connect
to the other Sporades islands such as Skyros, Skopelos and Skiathos.
Fascinating and unique in its kind, that Aegean
diamond is one of those unmistakable places which immediately capture the
attention of every visitor with the desire to discover it metre by metre
appearing as a legendary land surrounded by the sea and highlighted by its tiny
picturesque villages such as Steni, Vala, Mourtero, Gérakas, Chrysi Milia,
Isiomata ,Kalamakia, Agios Petros, Alonissos and some others abandoned as Marpounta,
all highly attractive and each of them extremely appealing including in their
smallest details.
Encircled by other fabulous tiny islands and islets
which form a sort of crown and part of the municipality such as Piperi, Psathoura,
Adelphi, Gioura, Kyra Panagia, Sjantzoura and Peristera, that extraordinary frame forms a
scenery simply fantastic and for that the Sporades have always had a distinctive
immense fascination capturing the attention and inspiring the ancient classical Greek
literature which always had a notable feeling with those enchanting places
emerging from marvellous crystalline waters which were several times narrated and depicted as sacred refuges of Gods.
Sites like that are part of the fascinating secrets of the chronological stages of the Classical Greece represented in all what the tourists can enjoy today also in that multitude of islands scattered in the Aegean waters which next to their natural sublime beauty and scenic silhouettes were protagonists of historic, epic and heroic events which embrace their entire territory and for all those reasons they have always had a very particular charm.
Sites like that are part of the fascinating secrets of the chronological stages of the Classical Greece represented in all what the tourists can enjoy today also in that multitude of islands scattered in the Aegean waters which next to their natural sublime beauty and scenic silhouettes were protagonists of historic, epic and heroic events which embrace their entire territory and for all those reasons they have always had a very particular charm.
Originally unknown destinations including for the
skilled navigators and sailors always focused by that constant and challenging desire
of new discoveries which was an emblematic feature of the Hellenic civilisation also that has always represented the enchanting history
of the Greek colonisation who including once landed on a remote land always had the mission
to create something of extremely relevant transforming it in the course of the history in a flourishing, unique and unforgettable centre leaving
an immense historic and cultural patrimony an aspect which is
greatly confirmed in Alonissos.
In all the most remote sites there you can breathe the
atmosphere of the most Epic Hellenic world reminiscent the
Odyssey when Ulysses and his sailors met those territories totally
unexplored, mysterious and highly captivating and as further detail closely
related to that Alonissos with Skopelos are part of a specific area which has the second largest concentration of
ancient sea wrecks in the world.
That island is a superb choice for those tourists who
are searching an extraordinary Eden to
spend unforgettable sunny holidays but a heaven as the Sporades Archipelago is not just
limited to a striking sea and a warm sun because it is also a destination particularly suggested for all people who love the ancient Greek history and with
other several civilisations such as the
Roman, the Byzantine, the Venetian and the Ottoman who landed there and they
left important cultural marks still visible nowadays.
Alonissos is a lively symbol of all those exciting
chapters of history with something of eternally mystical alonng its coastline highlighted in just few kilometres by constant changes of scenery consisting in
sandy coves, rocky inlets and
natural enchanting bays, rugged promontories and gentle hills, wonderful pebbled beaches
and imposing cliffs and also by a fabulous multicoloured mosaic painted in white, blue
and green tonalities consisting in the colours of the traditional houses, the Mediterranean and that of the local vegetation.
The interior of that dream island is very picturesque
and wild, with scenic olive groves, hilly plateaus with superb romantic landscapes, scattered vineyards and
tiny charming villages reachable by narrow paths which also lead to heights from where the visitor can
admire unforgettable views making it an
Eden for passionate trekkers with stunning trails in developed in a magnificent in and
out between the interior and the coast, definitely
a more than fantastic spot for passionate
photographers who can create there divine photographic services with successful works.
In addition it is very recommended for visitors who
are fervent lovers of nature, in an
island totally uncontaminated so also a climatic paradise, simply perfect for
who is searching peace, relaxation and serenity, fantastic for the visitors
who want to know in mini cruises other
realities discovering nearest islands which have other extraordinary features.
Visitors fond about water sport such as scuba diving, snorkeling sailing and
excursions by boat will find in that island a Mecca and in addition in that
concrete area is located a Marine Park
among the most enchanting of the entire Mediterranean.
Notable is also the aspect linked to gastronomy with a delicious cuisine rooted
in the traditional and typical Mediterranean culinary art highlighted by genuine and healthy recipes totally homemade, fish and seafood always fresh, an use of olive
oil and vegetables in many plates and boasting goat meat and cheeses with a secular tradition.
All
that is certainly a mine of treasures for Tour Operators and Travel Agencies
which want to have Greece and that archipelago as a superb outgoing product
and highly suggested is a superb
Educational because there is the great chance to discover live all those realities absolutely useful to suggest and organise magnificent combinations and special
packages.
That archipelago is a heaven of stunning surprises to plan mini cruises, holidays with the chance to link by sea those extraordinary islands with the wonderful mainland with the stupendous Magnesia, and a potential client will undoubtedly love concrete suggestions and specific proposals and including to know smallest details.
That archipelago is a heaven of stunning surprises to plan mini cruises, holidays with the chance to link by sea those extraordinary islands with the wonderful mainland with the stupendous Magnesia, and a potential client will undoubtedly love concrete suggestions and specific proposals and including to know smallest details.
A full immersion for professionals working in the
Tourism area will illustrate how those scattered marvels have a different coastal conformation
with waters which have different depths and colours, the beaches are not all identical as someone thinks and including
the local architecture has different variants because an island more than
another has had more connections with a specific civilisation also in the
Hellenic world.
Including in many areas the
cuisine presents flavours and use of spices which can be different for cultural links deeply rooted in the locals since many
centuries ago absorbed by the rulers and
also that delights the tourist who wants
to know also that before the departure.
The local history is absolutely enchanting and it
started according to archaeological
excavations since prehistoric times and it represents in its kind a mixture
of ancient Greek legends combined with important historic events since the
time in which Alonissos was occupied by the
first Cretan colonists and the Minoans with the King Stafylos who gave the
first signals of a very flourishing life highlighted by a busy trade, a
constant navigation reaching the Greek inland and other islands, notable
artistic and handcraft movements and agriculture.
All that happened before the Mycenaean period in the 6th century B.C which continued
with success all that made by those predecessors and it said that the father of the mythological hero Achille,
Peleus, King of Aegina and Endeis spent in Alonissos his last years of life
finding in that site a golden oasis of peace and according to narrations of the Greek-Egyptian poet and writer
Callimachus on the island there is somewhere his tomb.
Those former inhabitants were well known to be very active
traders and merchants and they established an intense traffic with the coasts of the continental Greece transporting their products in particular amphorae, handmade pots and jugs establishing
constant contacts with the motherland returning in several occasions in the
ancient centres of Iolcos, Sesklo, Dimini, Volos and Aisonia.
It said in addition that it was a land protected by the God
Poseidon and probably explored by Ulysses who visited the lands of the Cyclops
stopping in Alonissos and according to other mythological suppositions it was a favourite place
of rest for the sirens during their trips towards the Ionian and Tyrrhenian
seas.
The archipelago was also for a period a stronghold of
the legendary Sparta which for a period
between 431 and 404 B.C was the main rival and enemy of Athens and in the 4th century B.C it lived the times
of Jason of Pherae, that influential leader who became King of Thessaly who conquered the entire Epirus.
According historic information that Sovereign was ready to invade the Persian Empire using the treasure of the Sacred Temple of Delphi and he was organising his fleet in the Sporades and that character is also well known to be the predecessor of Philip II King of the Greek Macedon who replaced him ruling those lands.
According historic information that Sovereign was ready to invade the Persian Empire using the treasure of the Sacred Temple of Delphi and he was organising his fleet in the Sporades and that character is also well known to be the predecessor of Philip II King of the Greek Macedon who replaced him ruling those lands.
In those times the major part of that population was
mainly concentrated in two centres such as Alonissos and Ikos,
the first is the village you can see today and former capital before the
earthquake while the second was
for a period the major centre was probably located in proximity of the
current beautiful beach of Kokkinokastro.
The Romans as new governors after their campaign of colonisation incorporated the Sporades in the Province
of Macedonia in the 148 B.C which after the fall of Rome entered in the
Byzantines Empire sphere for a long period until the early 13th century with the fall of the former Constantinople.
In 1207 it became a
Venetian domain governed by the influential Gizi Family and the
influence of Venice ended in 1538, year in which the Ottoman Empire conquered
those Greek islands with a long occupation finished in 1830 with
the Independence of Alonissos which
joined the new established Greek Republic.
In the course of its most modern history the
inhabitants as today were and are mainly devoted to fishing which was once the main
resource for many villages as in the case of Steni Vala and Kalamakia which conserve
their tiny fishing harbours developed in picturesque small bays and agriculture and in the interior there are still some vineyards which produce excellent grapes despite in less quantity than in the past.
Patitiri is today the main and the most
populated centre situated in the southern side of the island, Its name is
linked to one of those activities and it means wine press because since old times there were in that centre
several presses and wineries. All that endured until
1960 when the Phyloxera devastated the local vineyards and the cultivation since then had a notable crisis.
One of its highlights is its lively atmosphere, the
beauty of its turquoise waters and the wonderful pebbled beaches in its immediate
proximity and the outskirts are surrounded by a splendid
Mediterranean vegetation largely composed by pine forests.
It is architecturally less attractive than the former
capital because it was developed with new buildings hosting the population
affected by the earthquake and the agglomeration is mainly arranged around its
charming and scenic harbour.
Despite those pretty recent constructions it has not suffered a massive elevation of big Hotels or huge accommodation structures and that clever plan of preservation has definitely saved the image of the island.
Despite those pretty recent constructions it has not suffered a massive elevation of big Hotels or huge accommodation structures and that clever plan of preservation has definitely saved the image of the island.
Once strolling its centre you can find a good numbers
of shops, some charming streets directly leading to the port where you can find
some fine restaurants and cosy taverns and Patitiri is also the core of the
main local Institutions and offices such as the Information Centre, the
Environmental Centre of Protection and Euronature Centre and Navigation Branches companies headquarters.
One of the most important attractions is certainly Kostas
and Angela Mavrikis Museum inaugurated
in 2000 and that exhibition is the historic and chronological
and documented representation and soul of that dream island.
The complex was arranged over the harbour in a four-stories
building, it is the largest private
museum of all the Greek islands and it displays typical costumes, the
history of its inhabitants, objects and documentations related to the former activities
including the information regarding the production of local wines, traditional handicraft, weapons and every room is highlighted by sculptures and
paintings left by artists who lived in Alonissos and furthermore it has a
conference hall and a shop.
Roussoum
Gialos is the first village you can find immediately after
the boundaries of that municipality in an adjacent bay and its main attraction is its scenic beach
considered among the most charming of the entire territory flanked by a low
hill covered by a pine woodland and picturesque cliffs lining divine emerald
waters.
Its name is of Turkish heritage and it means Tax because originally in that place in which
there was the Ottoman headquarter to
receive the payment of the taxes since the 16th century when the
Turks decided to introduce that contribution for all the non Turkish
citizens.
Despite its small size its natural environment is
particularly appealing and totally intact and you can find some traditional
restaurants offering excellent fresh fish and seafood.
Votsi is another enchanting village, it has
approximately has 500 inhabitants and
it is located at approximately 1, 5 kilometres from
Patiriri in the second gulf after the major centre of the island in proximity of
two tiny rocky spurs forming a splendid bay. It is the classical tiny
Hellenic centre with narrow streets, steps and white houses, a charming oasis
of peace but also with cosy taverns and restaurants which boast a delicious
local cuisine.
Highlighted by turquoise and pristine waters and
surrounded by a typical Mediterranean vegetation with a splendid view on the
coast from gentle slopes a short distance from the banks of its harbour thanks to that it is particularly chosen for panoramic
pictures and for its scenic
position.
Its name derives from a Greek hero and patriot called Votsis who in 1912 blew up the Feth–i-Bülent
a Turkish warship placed in the port of Thessaloniki. That event was
considered an operation very difficult because the entire harbour of that city was totally
surrounded by the Turkish Navy but that man driving a torpedo was able to enter
without being seen by the Turks and he
visited Alonissos when he was an Officer of the Greek Marine Army during the 1st World War.
Alonissos which was the ancient capital of
the island also called Chora despite
the earthquake of 1965 is still the village which keeps the most relevant
historic patrimony.
Situated at approximately 4,0 kilometres from Patitiri, it is located over a picturesque
hill with a magnificent view on the island of Skopelos, (I wrote a post
about that splendid jewel of the Sporades if you are interested) the beauties of the local environment and the charming
architecture have always attracted tourists and new investors who established there
activities linked to the tourism industry after that terrible natural disaster .
Many houses which were totally devastated are today small shops or cosy bars and many of them were bought by some German citizens and it is the centre with more foreign residents.
A big part of the village is concentrated in an area called Palio Chorio which was severely damaged but saved thanks a massive restoration and it kept today the charm of the past with its narrow alleys, low white buildings with coloured flowered balconies, painted shutters and doors and several picturesque panoramic corners.
One of the most important highlight is definitely Agios Athanasios, a charming stoned Orthodox Church dated the 17th century which was rebuilt of a previous dating back the 12th century.
It was restored after the earthquake and it conserves in its interior relevant icons dated the 18th century coming from another religious complex called Agios Demetrios which was totally destroyed by that sad earthquake of the 60s.
Many houses which were totally devastated are today small shops or cosy bars and many of them were bought by some German citizens and it is the centre with more foreign residents.
A big part of the village is concentrated in an area called Palio Chorio which was severely damaged but saved thanks a massive restoration and it kept today the charm of the past with its narrow alleys, low white buildings with coloured flowered balconies, painted shutters and doors and several picturesque panoramic corners.
One of the most important highlight is definitely Agios Athanasios, a charming stoned Orthodox Church dated the 17th century which was rebuilt of a previous dating back the 12th century.
It was restored after the earthquake and it conserves in its interior relevant icons dated the 18th century coming from another religious complex called Agios Demetrios which was totally destroyed by that sad earthquake of the 60s.
On the top of the village you can see another one
dedicated to St. George and called Agios
Georgios in which interior you can admire other iconostasis dated the 17th and 18thcentury and from that Sacred building you will be delighted by fascinating panoramic sights.
Despite its small size you can see there a big number
of small beautiful Churches such as Agios Christos, Agios Andreas tiny
religious structures which reflect the relevant history during the Byzantine
Empire when all the population embraced the Christian Orthodox Religion.
The village also conserves the rests of a Fortress
which was used by the Marine
Republic of Venice until the 16th century during its rule and
the ancient remnants of fortified walls built during the period of the war against the Ottomans. You can
reach that site from Patitiri by a local bus or through a path which offers during the trip spectacular views.
Not far you can enjoy the
magnificent beach of Kokkinokastro, one of the most attractive of the that Aegean archipelago for its variety of colours consisting in bright pebbles, red soil
and emerald waters in a wide arched gulf highlighted by scenic cliffs, the presence of trees and a
stunning promontory its final section.
In proximity of that natural
marvel it said arouse the oldest centre of Alonissos, the epic Ikos. In the local seabed there are the rests of
an ancient defencive wall probably erected in 500 B.C and in the same area
were also found pottery items, tombs, others objects linked to the early
Stone Age and including artifacts dating back 10000 B.C corresponding to
the Mesolithic period.
Steni Vala is another captivating tiny municipality located at approximately 10,
0 kilometres from Patitiri and reachable by a Bus service. The village is the second
largest centre of the island for population and its agglomeration is mainly
concentrated in proximity a charming small harbour destination of
several yachts sailing in the Aegean and one of its most enchanting attractions is its geographical position in an extraordinary arched
bay.
Glyfa beach is certainly one of its major highlights, a magnificent bright pebbled stretch in
which the tonality of the water ranges from turquoise to a light blue and flanked by
a marvellous green hill. It is one of the most photographed beaches and not far
you can reach a further one equally wonderful called Agios Petros, a
very peaceful place, very loved by a multitude of tourists for its stunning
image and often frequented by migratory birds.
Kalamakia is a small hamlet at 12, 0 kilometres from the capital, it still
conserves its aspect and spirit of a traditional fishing village with its tiny
but more than appealing harbour, a magnificent small beach and its core is
developed beneath a hill.
In its immediate vicinity
you can reach another wonderful pebbled beach called Agios Dimitrios which
is one for many people one of the most impressive and in its proximity on the main
road over it you can see the rests of the Monastery of Agios Dimitrios which
gave the name to that magnificent stretch which was destroyed by the Saracen
pirates. You can see the remnants of some walls and a Basilica and in that
place as in Agios Petros there is a notable presence of different species of birds.
On the dirt road which links
Megali Ammos to the wonderful beach of Tsoukalia which next to its immense beauty was historically
very important, its name means pots and it was the place in which were situated the ovens to make amphorae
and pots to contain wine and olive oil, many of them found in the local
seabed and having an inscription : Ikion.
Once there you can admire the rests of the monastery of Agios Anargyroi and next to it was elevated a Byzantine Church dated the Middle Ages, probably erected in the 13th century, it is not very big but it boasts very stylish architectural lines, a balanced layout and a beautiful cupola.
Once there you can admire the rests of the monastery of Agios Anargyroi and next to it was elevated a Byzantine Church dated the Middle Ages, probably erected in the 13th century, it is not very big but it boasts very stylish architectural lines, a balanced layout and a beautiful cupola.
For those who love much more
history, the island is well famous for its and archaeological sites and
discoveries and behind that stunning beach there is one of them. Another one is situated in front of the beach the desert village of Marpounta consisting in the
rests of an ancient Temple elevated in honour of the Son of Apollo and
Coronis, Aescoulapis who was venerated as main divinity of Medicine.
Other places in which were
discovered other important renmants are Kastraki where there are the rests of
a defencive tower, Agios Yiannis with the found of an ancient settlement with
an observatory on a hill and also Garbitsa which conserves the founds of a watchtower.
Alonissos as all the Greek Islands is chosen by
thousands of tourists who want to enjoy sunny and pleasant holidays, a paradise
for all people who desire to discover the beauty of virgin coves and small bays,
granite rocks and cliffs bathed by wonderful emerald waters.
Apart the previously mentioned beaches there are others less famous but equally striking, some of them are in Northern side which is a spectacular natural Eden and worth a mention those of Lalarias and Strovilo while others pretty recommended are Lefto Lalos, Hrisi Milia and the isolated beach of Gerakas if you love something really wild and particular, a virgin place which could be a fantastic spot for a brochure or a tourist catalogue immortalising the intact splendour of the Aegean in a nutshell.
Apart the previously mentioned beaches there are others less famous but equally striking, some of them are in Northern side which is a spectacular natural Eden and worth a mention those of Lalarias and Strovilo while others pretty recommended are Lefto Lalos, Hrisi Milia and the isolated beach of Gerakas if you love something really wild and particular, a virgin place which could be a fantastic spot for a brochure or a tourist catalogue immortalising the intact splendour of the Aegean in a nutshell.
In that area is a must is an excursion to the Blue
Cave, a splendid panoramic visit to discover a sort of miracle of nature and to be fascinated by how the strength of the sea can transform the rock in a kind of
artistic masterpiece.
All that is also a symbol of that dream island also because you can be delighted in so many places by wonders very different and obviously all that increase its
captivating image with scenic changes attracting every visitor for those more
than special feature.
The major part of the locals established their
residence in the main island but in some smaller in total there are about 30
people while the islets are practically uninhabited.
Some of them have an interesting historic past or they
are linked to ancient and mythological Greek legends as Yioura
which according a legend is the place in which the giant with one eye Polyphemus
the most legendary of the Cyclops imprisoned in a cave Odysseus son of the God of the Sea Poseidon.
That marine grotto was for long time unexplored although known
and in the last decades started some guided tours to admire that impressive
marvel which has some very particularity in its rocky formation
with some extraordinary stalactites and in addition some special species
of marine plants in its striking seabed.
The island of Kyra Panagia is also visitable
by Taxi Boat and it is especially interesting if you love history because
it preserves the ruins of a couple of ancient Monasteries, one of
them under restoration since 2011.
In ancient times it was
called Epthtyros and Polyaigos and later renamed Pelagos; it has
two small bays called Planitis and Agios Petros, places which
were used for a long time as shelters by pirates and corsairs.
After archaeological
excavations the found of some artifacts such as tools, ceramic fragments, some
small statues and animal bones determined that such site was inhabited since
very ancient eras and the mentions by notorious historians as Strabo and
Demosthenes created a supposition that it was in a period one of major
centres of the archipelago and possibly the original Alonissos, but that is a
supposition.
Psathoura is another attraction and it was inhabited since a long time
ago and according to some
archaeological excavations there was a town on that small island. A
highlight on its soil is the presence Psathoura Lighthouse, the most important of the
Sporades and the tallest of the Aegean
Sea.
Peristera is
a wild and intact heaven of turquoise waters and small sandy coves, it is the closest islet to Alonissos, it
has two small harbours called Vasiliko and Peristeri and on it you can see some ruins dating the Roman-Byzantine period and camping is allowed.
In addition if you are furthermore interested you can find a Monastery on the
island of Skantzoura and a small Church on the islet of Papou.
Piperi is the favourite place for the monk seals, it is an island with a
surface of approximately 8, 0 square kilometres with its highest point situated
at an altitude pf 352, 0 metres of the sea level, very rich in fish and it is
the natural habitat of those marine mammals and several species of birds which
find their main resource of food there but you can visit it by permission.
Alonissos is part of the NMPA - NS the National
Marine Park of the Northern Sporades,
an Institution which was founded in 1983
and largely developed in 1992, it is a protected nature reserve which includes all the villages and
the small islands and islets around its territory created to preserve flora,
fauna and the local environment protecting a wide variety of species of animals and over 300 species of different kind of fish.
All that is certainly an immense patrimony, the Marine
Park is organised and subdivided in sections, there are areas where it is
possible to swim and diving admiring the unique seabed, to film and other
activities while another one is subject to many restrictions where it is not
possible to arrange tents for camping and turn on fires and on the Island in
all the protected surface is absolutely forbidden fishing and hunting.
The beauty of the seabed and its marine world
absolutely stunning attracted since the 70s many passionate
zoologists, geologists and anthropologists. Several TV documentaries were
filmed in that territory as one by the famous German Thomas Schulze Westrun
Company an Institution with its office based in Athens.
That
Company was one of the first to produce documentaries about the life of the
monk seal in Alonissos and later the Marine Park started an interesting
collaboration with some Associations particularly interested and specialised
in the study of the habitat, the attitude and movements of that kind of animal.
The presence of that kind of seal in Greece is a pride
for the Greek Natural and Animal Associations of Protection if you think
that in the entire world there are less of 800 survivors.
The local cuisine is a further highlight which will
delight you, simply delicious and you will find many very good places where to
enjoy a great lunch or dinner in typical small taverns and cosy restaurants
offering the best of the gastronomy of the Sporades.
Fish is
always fresh cooked in different styles such as fried, grilled, baked, in
casseroles and worth a mention the superb quality of the local Astakos, a supreme lobster served in a soup
called Astakosmanestra or combined
with pasta in a plate called
Astakomakaronada. Of superb
quality is the tuna considered as
one of the best in the entire Aegean Sea and excellent are the Kalamarakia, a delectable speciality
consisting in fried calamari.
The
Souvlaki is another recipe very traditional made with pieces of
meat and vegetables grilled on a skewer and served with fried potatoes and
different sauces, you can try the
notorious Moussaka, one the most famed Greek national plates and the
popular Gyros, roasted meat filling a slice of pita bread accompanied by
tomato, onion and the emblematic Tzaztiki sauce which is frequently
present in many other recipes.
The Gemista is a further delight made with stuffed tomatoes and peppers accompanied
by rice. Frequently integrated in different specialities,
appetisers, snacks or salads is the excellent Feta cheese which is also one of the
most important ingredients for the Horiatiki,
the famed Greek salad prepared with tomato, cucumber, olive, red onion and dressed
with salt and olive oil and also used in the Garides Saganaki combined with tomato
and fresh shrimp.
A delicious goat
cheese pie and the local Olives of high quality, well known for their pretty strong flavour and a
purple colour due to the climate are served in meze, those traditional starters and all that
accompanied by fine local smooth wines or a glass of Ouzo, a popular flavoured aperitif made with anise.
Very appreciated are the Amygdalota, traditional almond biscuits, the exquisite Pecan pie, Karydopites, a walnut pie, the local rice pudding, the Baklava made of layers of filo fillers
prepared with syrup sugar and honey and
naturally you can taste an excellent yogurt.
Excursions, boat services, the opportunity to rent a
bicycle or a scooter and also a boat are the best ways to discover integrally
the beauty of Alonissos metre by metre spending unforgettable stays and
divine holidays enjoying a stupendous experience.
Those sublime and pristine Aegean waters with the chance to admire
the seabed from the heights of stupendous promontories and hills are other
fabulous attractions next to an extraordinary history, a further highlight of that dream island so captivating, something
you will remember forever because that Greek diamond in all its beauty
is always ready to enchant every visitor conquering everyone with all its magic
splendour unique in its kind as a little Mediterranean paradise simply
unforgettable.
Francesco Mari
Recommended Accommodations in Alonissos
Hotel Pleiades
Hotel Ikion Eco Boutique
Hotel Paradise
Hotel Atrium
Hotel Yalis
Anasa Villa Alonissos
Recommended Restaurants in Alonissos
Restaurant
Tassia
Restaurant
Eleonas
Restaurant
Dendro Limano
Restaurant
Megalos Mourtias
Restaurant
Babis
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Thanks a lot to read and note.