Patitiri Capital of Alonissos

We find the Patitiri village in the south east and is the capital of the enchanting island of Alonissos. It is also where the port is located where all the boats for the neighboring islands of the Sporades archipelago arrive and depart.

A small village with modern houses embellished with colorful flowers and whitewashed streets where an atmosphere of complete relaxation reigns and everything flows at its own pace. The Patitri village was rebuilt on the slopes of the hills not long ago as in 1965 an earthquake destroyed the Chora the old city once the capital of Alonissos. Currently about one thousand six hundred inhabitants live permanently. Patitiri in Greek means press and the town owes it this name as it has been dedicated to the production of wine since ancient times.

The whole town is surrounded by a lush pine forest and there is a beach on the promenade of sand and small pebbles washed by a clear and emerald sea despite being right in the immediate vicinity of the port where you can relax if you do not want to explore the island. There are only two roads in Patitiri that start from the pier going up towards the main square and then divide into one towards Steni Vala and the other towards Alonissos Vecchia also called Chora.

Despite its small size, Patitiri has everything you need for a quiet holiday, from typical taverns where you can enjoy dishes based on fresh products and fish since fishing is still one of the primary activities of the island, or ancient recipes of the local tradition , small cafes where you can stop for a drink, supermarkets, souvenir and handicraft shops, bakeries and delicious pastry shops where you can enjoy unforgettable breakfasts.

Patitiri despite being newly built, has managed not to give in to the temptation to expand for an economic issue, here you can still find hotels, landlords and apartments for a holiday in Greece but all with the utmost respect for the natural environment.

On the seafront you will find the information center for the study and protection of the Mediterranean Monk Seal called MOM, the environmental organization that deals with the research and conservation of this sympathetic species in danger of extinction and of the whole marine environment, a true and its own mine of information, because you should know that the National Marine Park of Alonissos and the Northern Sporades is the largest in Europe and the first to have been established in all of Greece. If you pay a visit and believe it is worth it, it is very informative and interesting, by buying a souvenir you will help support this important project aimed at preserving a part of our planet.

Also worth visiting is the Folklore Museum of the Northern Sporades where ancient nautical maps, a particular collection of pirate weapons and handicraft tools are exhibited. Just above the museum, a café with walls embellished with works by local artists and an enchanting sea view.

Not far from the port, we find two beautiful beaches in bays protected from the winds, with a shoreline of pebbles and strictly bathed by a crystalline and calm sea.The Roussom Gialos beach is the first that is encountered about a kilometer from Patitiri and is equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas, the second just after is the Votsi beach a particular landscape surrounded by red-veined marble formations, emerald waters and a charming little port with a traditional fish tavern that you absolutely must try.

Also worth some of your time is the Association of Women of Alonissos where about twenty ladies produce and sell homemade products such as olives, fresh herbs, spinach pies and cheese (the famous tyropita disputed with the Skopelos island for its origin), tuna in brine and desserts all prepared with ancient recipes passed from mother to daughter. The association was born in 2000 with the intention of passing on and maintaining the culinary culture of Alonissos and it is a beautiful idea as well as a very good one.

A delightful, unique village, where nature and comfort have a perfect harmony without disturbing each other, making everything pleasant and peaceful just like the longed-for holidays should be. Do not forget to mark it in the things to do in Alonissos, it would be a shame not to spend at least one evening there, perhaps sitting in a little place right on the seafront, enjoying an iced ouzo and contemplating the Aegean.