Seals and sunsets: The best things to do in Alonissos, Greece

Discover the best things to do in Alonissos, the quietest and most remote of Greece’s Sporades islands, with lush forested hills, beaches and clear seas protected by the National Marine Park of Alonissos.

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The quietest and most remote of the four inhabited Sporades islands, Alonissos is one of those places you’re tempted to keep a secret. I visited neighbouring Skiathos last year, which is easy to get to with its international airport. But Alonissos can only be reached by ferry, helping it stay peaceful and laid back, with plenty of traditional Greek charm.

Alonissos is surrounded by a National Marine Park which is an important habitat for the rare monk seal – perfect for exploring on or under the water. And the protected clear seas make for beautiful swimming spots, with pebble beaches and hills topped with pine trees.

Alonissos keeps its sleepy feel even in the busy summer months – it’s the sort of place where you start to recognise people after a couple of days. From sunset drinks in the hilltop old town to boat trips and beach days, the island makes an ideal low-key relaxed holiday. So here’s my pick of the best things to do in Alonissos to help plan your visit.

The best things to do in Alonissos

Visit the old village for sunset

Alonissos’ old village or Chora was the island’s main town until it was heavily damaged in an earthquake in 1965. The buildings were abandoned, with residents relocating to Patitiri on the coast. But the ruins have slowly been bought up and renovated over the years.

Today the old village’s cobbled, car-free streets are a mix of ruins and redeveloped craft shops and galleries, restaurants and cafés. And mixed in among them are domed Byzantine churches and remains of the old castle walls. It’s a picturesque spot with pops of colour from painted doors and flowering window boxes among the old stonework.

At 200 metres high there are some fantastic views out across the Aegean to Skopelos, and it’s one of the best places on the island for sunset. Glass-walled Barbarossa cocktail bar has a prime sunset spot (though get there early if you want to bag a front-row seat).

You can walk to the old village from Patitiri along an old donkey path which takes around 45 minutes, though it is uphill all the way. Or the bus between Patitiri and the old village only takes 10 minutes and runs frequently during the summer months.

Visit the National Marine Park of Alonissos

The National Marine Park of Alonissos was Greece’s first protected marine area when it was founded in 1992. It’s an important habitat and breeding ground for 300 species of fish as well as birds, reptiles and mammals. But the park’s most famous resident is the rare Mediterranean monk seal, an endangered species with less than 800 left in the world.

There are regular boat trips into the marine park on board several boats with slightly different itineraries – if you walk around the harbour in Patitiri you can see info boards showing which are running when. Prices are around €50–€70 for a full day trip.

You’d have to get incredibly lucky to spot a monk seal, but you’re more likely to see dolphins, turtles or migrating whales. There are usually a few swim stops too, and many trips call at Kyra Panagia – one of the few islands in the reserve where boats are allowed to dock so that you can climb up to the 16th-century Monastery of Kyra Panagia.

Scuba dive to a shipwreck

The protected waters of the marine park have some brilliant diving and snorkelling. But as well as wildlife-spotting, there are also shipwrecks hidden beneath the surface. The area was on the crossroads of ancient trading routes, making it a magnet for pirates.

The wreck of a 5th-century ship was discovered off the coast of the island of Peristera in 1985. Excavations showed it was one of the largest merchant ships of the time, carrying 4000 wine amphorae. The site has now been designated as the Alonissos Underwater Museum, where experienced divers can explore the wreck at 24 metres below.

Triton Dive Center in Patriti take divers to the wreck, as well as other sites like the Blue Cave and Agios Georgios. They also offer snorkelling trips and trial dives* or PADI certification* for beginners. Or if you don’t fancy going underwater yourself, you can try a virtual dive to the shipwreck at the Knowledge Awareness Centre in the old village.

Explore Patitiri

Patitiri is the main town on Alonissos. It was built in the 1960s so doesn’t have that traditional Greek architecture, but it’s still a nice place for a wander, as well as being the island’s main transport, shopping and restaurant hub. A row of cafés and restaurants runs along the edge of the harbour, extending out above Patitiri’s small beach.

Just above them is the Alonissos Museum (entry €4). It takes you through the history of the island, with a focus on pirates and shipwrecks upstairs and traditional industries downstairs. You can also find out more about the monk seal and the work being done to protect them (and pick up seal souvenirs to raise money) at the MOm centre in the harbour.

Also look out for a spooky ruined hotel on the hill above the harbour – the former Galaxy Hotel was a major resort but was abandoned over 15 years ago and still lies empty.

Have a day at the beach

Alonissos has fantastically clear waters, with lots of sheltered coves around the coastline. There’s a mix of sandy and more commonly pebbly beaches, so water shoes are useful. Expect to pay €10–€15 for two sunbeds and an umbrella on the organised beaches. Here’s our pick of the Alonissos beaches, from closest to furthest away from Patitiri:

Patitiri has a small beach on the edge of the harbour, far enough away from the ferries that it stays clear. It’s a narrow pebbly stretch with calm, sheltered waters, which was my go-to spot for a morning swim. There are no sunbeds but you get some shade from pine trees later in the day, and there are bars and restaurants behind for a post-dip drink.

Roussoum Gialos is the nearest organised beach to Patitiri, 15–20 minutes’ walk away. It has a mix of sand and pebbles, with sunbeds for hire from a couple of tavernas plus an espresso bar. Waters are calm, though it can get busy in the late afternoons.

Chrisi Milia is one of Alonissos’ sandiest beaches with shallow waters, making it popular with families – it’s probably the island’s busiest beach. There are sunbeds and watersports available, and a taverna on a hill overlooking the beach (4km north of Patitiri).

Kokkinokastro (‘red castle’) beach is built on the site of the ancient city of Ikos, with an eye-catching mix of deep red rocks, pebbly sand and blue-green waters. It’s good for snorkelling and has sunbeds to hire from a basic beach bar (6km north of Patitiri).

Megalos Mourtias on the west coast is the closest beach to the old village – you can walk to it in around 30 minutes if you don’t mind the climb back up. This sheltered bay with pebbles has sunbeds and a couple of tavernas (6km west of Patitiri).

Leftos Gialos is a picture-perfect cove with white pebbles backed with pine trees. There are two smart tavernas with comfortable padded sunbeds to rent, restaurants and bars – one has a swimming pool at an extra cost too. The bars stay open late in summer too so are a good place to come for an early evening swim (7km north of Patitiri).

Agios Dimitrios is Alonissos’ most famous beach, with a horseshoe-shaped peninsula covered in white pebbles surrounded by clear waters straight out of the Caribbean. One end has places to eat and sunbeds for hire, and the other is quieter (14km north of Patitiri).

Take a hike

Like the nearby island of Skiathos, Alonissos has a network of designated walking trails which make it easy to explore on foot. There are 14 different routes connecting mountains, gorges, chapels, fishing villages and beaches, often using old donkey paths.

A chain of forested hills runs along the island so many hikes involve a climb – so are easier in the cooler spring and autumn months. Routes are marked and have signposts at the start with maps. But it’s useful to have a copy of the Alonissos on Foot guidebook for detailed maps and descriptions. You can buy it in shops around the island or online.

The details

When to visit Alonissos

Alonissos has hot, dry summers and mild winters. July/August is peak season, with sunny days and average high temperatures of 30ºC (86ºF), though Meltemi winds help cool it down. Accommodation and ferries get booked up though so reserve in advance.

Spring and autumn are a good time to visit Alonissos, particularly for hiking, with average highs of 22–27ºC (72–81ºC) in May/June and September/October. Autumn is better if you want to swim though as the sea takes until June to warm up. Winters are mild at 13ºC (55ºF), but December and January can be wet, and many places close from October.

How to get to Alonissos

There’s no airport in Alonissos, so you need to catch a ferry to reach the island. The nearest airport is in Skiathos, which is 1–2 hours away by ferry. There’s a mix of small high-speed ferries and larger car ferries along the route, with up to five services a day in summer. Many of the ferries also call at Skopelos on the way between Skiathos and Alonissos.

If you’re travelling from Athens, there’s no direct ferry, so you would need to take a KTEL bus from Athens to Volos (3.5 hours) first then catch the ferry to Alonissos from there, which takes 3.5 hours. There are also less-frequent ferries connecting Alonissos with Thessaloniki (4.5 hours) and Mantoudi on the island of Evia (3.5 hours).

Or if you’re short on time, there are day trips* from Skiathos which visit Skopelos and Alonissos, calling at Alonissos’ Marine Park, Blue Cave and old village.

Getting around Alonissos

Public transport on Alonissos is limited, but it’s still possible to explore the island without a car. There are two bus routes from Patitiri – one to the old village and one to Steni Vala.

Buses generally run from late May until September, with more services in July/August. The bus from Patitiri to the old village takes 10 minutes. During high season it runs around once an hour (except between 3pm–6pm) and finishes after midnight. There are also two–three buses a day from Patitiri to Steni Vala, which takes 20 around minutes.

All buses leave from the eastern end of Patitiri harbour and cost €1.80 one way. You can’t buy tickets on board the bus but they’re on sale from a kiosk in the harbour.

Although the regular buses don’t go to the beaches, Acqua Travel run a beach shuttle bus from Patitiri. It goes to a different beach each day, rotating between Chrisi Milia, Leftos Gialos, Kokkinokastro and Agios Dimitrios. The bus leaves around 10am and returns at 4pm so you get a full day in the beach, and costs €6 return (€10 for Agios Dimitrios).

There are also four taxis on the island, with a stand next to the bus stop. Expect to pay around €10 one way to the old village, €15 to Leftos Gialos or €25 to Steni Vala. Or if you want to explore more remote areas, you can rent a car, scooter or quad bike in Patitiri.

You can also hire a small motor boat in Patiriti harbour if you want to explore some of the coves along the coast independently (you don’t need a licence either).

Where to stay in Alonissos

If you want a good selection of shops, restaurants and transport, then Patitiri is the most convenient base, with a couple of swim spots nearby. There are also places to stay in the old village (often with great views) or quieter areas by the beach, but you need transport.

We stayed in Casa Nina*, which is set on a hillside overlooking the harbour in Patitiri. There’s a mix of apartments, rooms and suites which sleep two–four people. Most have small kitchenettes as well as a balcony or terrace, where we spent evenings watching the boats. It’s light, bright and stylishly decorated, with daily housekeeping and friendly staff.

The Ikion Eco Boutique Hotel* is the island’s most eco-friendly hotel. It’s on the edge of Patitiri, a short walk to Roussoum beach, with 13 rooms and suites, each with a balcony. Breakfast is included, which you can have in the garden or on your balcony.

If you’d rather stay in the old village, the boutique four-star Althea Traditional Hotel* comes with panoramic sea and mountain views. There are eight rooms and three apartments, all decorated in minimalist white style and some with sea view terraces and jacuzzi pools. The same owners also rent a couple of luxury villas nearby.

Looking for somewhere to stay in Alonissos?*

Where to eat and drink in Alonissos

Local specialities to look out for in Alonissos include the Alonissos cheese pie, with feta wrapped in filo pastry, fried and rolled into a spiral. There’s also astakomakaronada (lobster pasta), amygdalota (almond biscuits) and fouskakia (doughnuts in syrup).

In Patitiri, Kritamo was one of my favourite spots, set up above the harbour with delicious cocktails and lovely views (though book in advance). Also nearby is Favela for Mexican if you fancy a change from Greek food. And Ostria and Akrogiali on the waterfront do good-value tasty traditional food, with two mains and a half-litre of wine for under €40.

There’s also Astrofegia in the old village, with lighter salads alongside the classic Greek dishes served in a pretty flower-filled garden (and a friendly cat called Tony). Or Hayiati is a pastry shop by day and piano bar by night. And the village of Steni Vala is known for its seafood – Tassia’s Cooking has some of the island’s best lobster pasta.

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