The Gorgeous Greek Island To Visit Instead Of Overcrowded Santorini

For those who love a vacation with a party vibe or visiting bustling cities, there are plenty of options in the Greek Isles. For instance, you could visit Athens along with a whole lot of other tourists or take in the popular, busy beaches on the island of Santorini. While those are wonderful options, there is a lot more to Greece than the big names. Santorini, in particular, has become overrun with tourists in recent years, with around 2 million people visiting in 2017 alone. If you're looking for a more relaxed vacation, or you want to schedule a calm break on a 7-day Greek Isles tour, there is a gorgeous island in the Sporades group that you have to put on your itinerary. This is the island of Alonissos, which is full of beautiful beaches, hikes, tavernas, and a Marine Park with a shipwreck you can dive. More importantly, it offers peace and quiet and is the perfect remedy for the stress of everyday life. 

Alonissos is known for having incredibly clear blue water and a relaxed atmosphere. Though the island doesn't have an airport, you can get a ferry from Volos Port (a bus ride away from Athens) or nearby Skiathos Island (that you can book online), which are four and two hours, respectively. Here's what you need to know before you book your serene vacation to the island of Alonissos. 

Legend says the first person to live on Alonissos (or Ikos as it was called in antiquity) was Stafylos, the son of the wine god Dionysus and Ariadne. It's also where Jason and the Argonauts are said to have left to find the Golden Fleece. There is even evidence of a Neolithic settlement at the Cape of Kokkinokastro. These days, Alonissos has several villages, including Chora, the old capital until a 1965 earthquake destroyed it. Although rebuilt, many residents moved to Patitiri, close to the island's main port. Both lovely villages are worth a visit, with wonderful restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops. In Patitiri, you must stop by the Women's Agrotourism Cooperative, which features local women selling traditional Greek foods like desserts, pies, pasta, and olives. 

Alonissos is famous for beautiful beaches, and visiting them is a must. (Just don't forget your reef-safe sunscreen.) There are 18 on the island, including Agios Dimitrios, about nine miles northeast of Patitiri with pebbles and some of the clearest water you've ever seen. There are chairs for rent and a tavern for drinks. Or you can visit Chrisi Milia (in the first pic), with its golden sand and turquoise water. It's got umbrellas and chairs for rent and rocky pools to explore. Alonissos has many caves along the coast to discover, including the beautiful Blue Cave. You can catch one of the daily boat tours from Patitiri to see and swim in them, as well as the surrounding islets. 

Part of the Alonissos experience is taking long walks, and there are 14 trails on the island to explore. One to try is Chora to Patitiri, which is 1.3-miles point to point and takes you on a cobbled road between the old capital and the new. Or, you can do the 3.7-mile Old Town and Port Loop, which is great for birders. You'll walk from Cape Mavri Pounta to Megalos Mourtias beach (do stop for a swim) and along the stunning coastline. You can also rent bikes on the island to see the sights a little faster. 

With waters this clear, scuba is, of course, a big draw. Alonissos and surrounding islands are part of the National Marine Park, which protects about 10 percent of the Mediterranean monk seal population, which were even featured on some ancient Greek coins. In the summer, if you dive and have second-level certification, you can visit the wreck of the Peristera from 235 BCE, often called the Parthenon of shipwrecks. Just check in with any of the area's dive centers. Advanced Open Water Diver certification is required, which is bad news for beginners still learning how to dive. However, if you don't dive at all, you can still take part. There is a camera that streams the wreck that you can watch, or you can take a 3D virtual reality tour of the Peristera at the Information and Awareness Centre in Chora.