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| Alonissos |
| Greece's marine park |
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| One of the first images of Alonissos for the incoming traveller, and one of the most memorable. |
Alonissos is a beautiful and peaceful island that is a perfect destination for nature lovers. The island is home to the first marine park to be declared in Greece and also one of the 6 Mediterranean islands that have instituted special protection and preservation programs for the monachus-monachus seal, which is threatened with extinction.
The island was named Alonissos in the early 19th century. Until then, since antiquity, it was known as Ikos, whereas Alonissos was probably the name of a small, arid island off its northern end.
The island was inhabited during the Paleolithic age, when it was probably part of a unified terrestrial mass that included mainland Greece and the rest of the Sporades. According to legend, Alonissos and Skopelos were Minoan colonies, starting in the 16th century BC, during Minoan Crete's complete domination of the Aegean. This is when the olive tree and the vine tree first started rowing on the island.
The Minoans were succeeded by the Myceneans, who built a strong city at the site of today's Kokkinokastro. Legend has it that Achille's father, Peleas, came here to die and is buried on Alonissos.
In 476 BC Ikos becomes part of the Athenian Alliance (or Delian League). The island is called Dipolis ("two cities") by contemporary travellers, indicating the existence of two dominant cities, one of which must be the one at Kokkinokastro.
Alonissos became famous during the classical antiquity for its production of fine wines, which was exported in amphorae carrying the name Ikos; perhaps the first instance of a Place of Origin in wine production. The island was a busy destination and layover for shipping lanes, at the time, as indicated by the unusual number of ancient shipwrecks that have been discovered off its coast.
The Romans took over in 190 BC and the island falls into obscurity until 1204, when Constantinople falls to the hordes of the 4th Crusade and the Aegean islands come under Venetian, Genoese and Spanish rule. In 1538 the Venetians leave the Aegean and the Ottoman Turks take over, until 1821, when the Greeks declared their independence and gained it, after a 7-year war.
Chora, the main town on the island, was totally destroyed in 1965 after a devastating earthquake which sent the inhabitants to tent cities for 2 years, before normalcy was restored. Most of them relocated to Patitiri, the new harbor.
In Old Chora, the majority of the residents are Germans and Brits who bought the locals' houses after the 1965 quake. Patitiri is named after the traditional vat where grapes are put, after being picked, and stepped on by barefoot youngsters to extract the grape juice and turn it into wine. Anoher allusion to the island's storied winemaking past. Patitiri is the hub of island life and hosts many accommodations and taverns that usually serve extraordinary seafood.
Alonissos is a place for a quiet vacation and a choice for those who seek to be surrounded by nature during the holidays. The island has no significant nightlife and is not a major tourist magnet.
Although the last few years have seen some activity, with the opening of a number of nice establishments in Old Chora, and tourism seems to be picking up, the island seems to be almost indifferent to the development of a tourism infrastructure and seems to be focusing instead on the preservation of its natural beauty and environmental concerns.
Texts/Photos: Christina Nathanael
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| The Highlights |
- The marine park and the caves.
- Charming Old Chora, the first capital of the island.
- The Historical and Folk Art Museum in Patitiri.
- The beaches at Vrisitsa and Agios Demetrios.
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| We Recommend |
- Visiting the monastery of Analipsis (Ascension) in Gerakas that is reachable by sea.
- Visiting the National Marine Park, the first such nature reserve to be recognized in Greece.
- Exploring the streets and alleys of Old Chora.
- Visiting the Historical and Folk Art Museum in Patitiri.
- Trying the local delicacies such as roasted figs with honey.
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| We Do Not Recommend |
- Coming to Alonnisos if your idea of a holiday is wild fun and sleepless nights.
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| Useful Information |
| The country code for Greece is 0030 (from the US and Canada: 01130). |
| Police Station |
| You will find police stations in the harbor of Alonnisos, Patitiri (24240 39065), and other secondary settlements. For emergency call 100. |
| Hospital |
| Alonissos has a General Hospital (24210 39225) and Health Center (24210 22222). |
| Pharmacy |
| You will find pharmacies in Patitiri, Chora and other villages, usually in very central places. Opening hours are 8 am to 2 pm, Monday to Friday. The one or two that are open in the off hours are posted on the storefront of every pharmacy, by law. |
| Port Authority |
| On the quay, in Patitiri (24240 65595). |
| Tourist Agency |
| You will find travel agencies in Patitiri, on the quay. On of the is Ιkos Travel (24240 65320). |
| Foreign Press Outlet |
| There are newstands in Patitiri and Old Chora. |
| Internet Cafe |
| There are a couple of Internet cafes, in Patitiri and Old Chora. Some travel agencies also offer internet access. |
| Bus Depot |
| The buses that leave from the central square of Old Chora and the harbor of Patitiri go to many destinations of the island. |
| Car Rental |
| Μοtor tours (24240 66266) and Albedo Travel (24240 65804-5) are some of the rental agencies on the island. |
| Bank |
| There is a branch of National Bank of Greece in Patitiri. Opening hours are Monday to Thursday from 8 am to 2 pm and Friday from 8 am to 2.30 pm. Most smaller cities have at least an ATM cash machine. |
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