Alonissos is a beautiful island located in the eastern part of the Sporades islands and also the village and muncipality set at the southern part of Alonissos island.
It is located 3 km east of the island of Skopelos. The village is locally known as Chora - nowdays however the settlement is at Patitiri port - the main harbour of the island and the first place you visit at your arrival. After a massive earthquake in 1965 - local people moved from Chora (which is the old village) down to Patitiri. In these days Patitiri is the biggest village and also provides most of the nightlife of the island, with several clubs, restaurants and bars.
Patitiri is also the capital of the island - the other villages are: Rousoum, Votsi, Stenivala, Kalamakia and of course the old village of Chora. The muncipality covers also the other islands of the region - Gioura, Kyra Panagia, Pelagos, Skantzoura, Piperi, Peristera and Adhelfopoulo.
The length of the island is 4,5 km from NorthWest to SouthEast and the island is wide 20 km from SouthWest to NorthEast.
The island is made mostly out of limestone.The beaches are mainly around Alonissos and Patitiri - although Patitiri is main island's harbour it has a crystal clear water and offers a perfect swimming conditions for the visitors. Alonissos is also the bay which is set between Patitiri and Alonissos - in the south part of the island.
National Marine Park of Alonissos
What visitors should not miss about the island is that island is part of NMPAMS (National Marine Park of Alonissos) which is the first park to be founded at Greece. It is situated in Eastern Central Greece, in the region of the North Sporades Islands, which belongs administravely to Prefecture of Magnesia in the district of Skopelos.
Alonissos is the largest island in this Park which also covers six small islands (Peristera, Kyra Panagia, Gioura, Skantzoura, Piperi) and 22 islands and searocks without inhabitation.
One of the most famous part of the NMPAMS is the program of protection of Monk Seals - the Monk Seal (Monachus Monachus) is a marine mammal belonging to the seal family. In ancient Greece the monk seals were placed under the protection of Poseidon and Apollo because of their love for sea and sun. One of the first coins, minted around 500 BC, depicted the head of a monk seal, and the creatures were immortalized in the writings of Homer, Plutarch and Aristoteles who has depicted seal monks bathing in he sun on the beaches. It is one of the largest seal species in the world, with a length up to 3 metres and an weight about 250 kg. It is an animal of considerable intelligence and charm.
History of Alonissos
The history of Northern Sporades islands goes back to the Stone Age - period before 100000 years ago where we can trace the oldest remains. That time the islands were joined to Pelion penisula. Ecavations at Kokkinokastro discovered petrified bones from the Middle Stone Age. Signs of the first inhabitation from New Stone Age is dated in the bay of St. Peter on the Kyra Panagia island.
The first known inhabitants was tribe of Dolopes (which is related to Pelasgi).
During the classical years there has been a traces of offerings to the Delphi oracle. In the year of 478 BC the island was part of the alliance of Athena state. 75 years later in 403 BC the island was conquered by the rival Spartans but few years later was reconqured by Athenians again. During Macedonian-Athenians the islands was under influence of Phillip of Macedonia and the prosperous years came. In 146 BC they the Rome has conquered the siland..
In the third century, inhabitants of the island accepted Christianity and as a part of Byzantine Empire the best flourish years came as we can see from many churces, fortification as well as the monasteries that are dated back to that years. Monastery life was also in many centers at unhabited islands around Alonissos and some of them are here still belonging to monastery of Mt. Athos.
