Folegandros is the small jewel island of the Cyclades. Next to Milos, this intricately hidden paradise is gaining more and more travelers while keeping its authenticity unchanged.
The few but hospitable inhabitants will make you feel your Folegandros bathed in the Aegean light.
Its calm energy, the white houses with the colorful door windows, the plane trees in the squares and the beautiful beaches with the crystal clear waters and the steep cliffs compose a landscape of unique beauty.
The impressive Chora of the island stretches around and inside the medieval Castle that hangs on the edge of the cliff.
As if stopped in time, the picturesque Chora enchants you from the first moment you will see the flowery courtyards and the balconies with the bougainvilleas, the cobbled alleys, the busy squares and the incomparable view of the Aegean.
At the top of the hill of the castle you will meet Panagia, the largest church on the island. The Castle is the oldest part of Chora.
Many of the houses of this medieval settlement are more than ten centuries old. Its two parallel streets, the Lower Roua and the Mesa Roua are one of the most characteristic points of Folegandros.
In the square of the Danube you can enjoy the noon under the shade of the plane trees and in the square of Piatsa you can get to know the night life of the island.
Other settlements worth visiting are Karavostasis, the port of Folegandros and Ano Meria, a rural settlement with a special physiognomy. In Karavostasi you will find hotels, taverns, cafes and bars while the homonymous beach is suitable for relaxation and rest.
In Ano Meria you will be enchanted by the austerity of the rural houses that are called “themonia” and are built so that they function as autonomous units of agricultural and livestock production.
Smaller coastal settlements that are worth visiting are Agali with the impressive vertical rocks in Vathi bay and Livadi, where you will find a beach and camping!
In the clear blue waters of Folegandros you will find the peace you are looking for!
We suggest you Hochlidia, the sandy beach near Karavostasi, Agios Nikolaos with its small pebbles where you will find a tavern with panoramic views and Katergo the most beautiful beach of the island with cool waters.
You will approach the latter by boat from Karavostasis. By boat or on foot you can reach the impressive northeastern coast of the island. The North, with the green stone of Folegandros, Serfiotiko and Agios Georgios will make you think that you are in a dream!
Activities
- The small area of Folegandros allows you to turn it on foot. If you are a lover of hiking, follow the well-preserved network of old cobbled streets and paths and cross the Folegandrit countryside passing through places of historical, cultural and environmental importance to reach beautiful deserted beaches with crystal clear waters!
- In Folegandros you have the opportunity to go around the island by boat and visit inaccessible beaches by road! If diving is your hobby, do not miss the opportunity to explore the enchanting seabed of Folegandros.
Sights
The Ecological Open-Air Folklore Museum of Folegandros is the first Ecomuseum in Greece and has been operating since 1988. If you are in Folegandros, be sure to go to Ano Meria to visit it.
You will feel that you travel through time and it is located in Folegandros somewhere in the middle of the 20th century.
The rural house with the original objects of the last century, the olive press, the oven, the orchard and the press compose the way of life of a rural family in the past, without modern interventions!
It is worth devoting some time to this impressive effort of the Folegandrites to save their tradition.
If you take the boat from the port to Katergo beach you will admire the Georgitsi cave! The wild landscape is impressive while the spot is ideal for scuba diving.
In the small but miraculous Folegandros you will taste exquisite delicacies and cooked meals in the picturesque taverns and restaurants of Chora, Ano Meria and Karavostasi.
Be sure to try the local recipe “Matsata”, traditional noodles accompanied by braised rooster or rabbit! A local product with a special taste is Souroto, a soft fresh cheese that you will find in salads and in “Kalasouna”, the Folegandrit cheese pie.
Other delicacies of Folegandros are the cooked capers and the baked chickpeas. Accompany them with local white or red wine!
To close, do not forget to eat Watermelons, the local dessert with fried watermelon that will be unforgettable!
