Old Village of Alonissos

Alonissos Old Town or “Chora” as the locals call it, was once the main settlement and the capital of the island. It is perched on a hillside, some 200 meters above sea level, at the southern tip of the island and offers spectacular views over Skopelos island and the Aegean Sea. It was built in a very safe location that offered the greatest possible protection from pirates and other threats. The houses were built next to each other to serve as a boundary for the fort, with only two entrances.

The village was completely destroyed in 1965 by an earthquake. Most of the people abandoned the village and settled in Patitiri, the harbor of the island. In the 1980s, the majority of the old buildings were bought by foreign visitors who restored them to their former glory, keeping their architecture intact. The Old Town is now largely restored and has been transformed into a beautiful, idyllic, traditional village. Τhe narrow streets are filled with several family hotels, restaurants, tavernas with delicious food, long-established stores with homemade food products or wines and various gift shops.

Strolling through the Old Town is a mesmerising experience because of its distinct traditional style, with cobblestone streets, stone stairways, beautiful houses and a sense of calm and easy living. You can see the old windmill of the island that has been renovated and turned into a house, the threshing floors and numerous of picturesque churches. Worth visiting is the church of Christ with its post-Byzantine frescoes from the 16th and 17th centuries. The Old Town has attracted many writers, painters and artists, who now live there. Old Alonissos is ideal for walking and exploring the countless alleyways, witnessing one of the most beautiful sunsets in the Aegean Sea, shopping at the traditional shops and tasting the amazing local cuisine. Old Alonissos is a must-see place.

The village holds an annual festival that takes place on August 15, with the representation of a traditional wedding and a party that lasts until the morning. The festival is accompanied with traditional food which includes goat in tomato sause, boiled with thick spaghetti.

During the summer months a bus runs frequently between Old Alonissos and Patitiri. However, for hiking lovers there is an old cobbled path that connects the two settlements. The walk takes about 20-30 ‘. Vehicles are not allowed inside the village, thus there is a parking space at the entrance of the village.