ALONNISOS-BLOG.PONDERCENTRAL.COM

Welcome to "The Alonnisos Insider" Site

2010-07-13T18:16:00Z

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to The Alonnisos Insider Site! As a frequent visitor to Greece (i.e., 9 trips between 1997 and 2009) I have learned many things about traveling there, and am particularly knowledgeable about the island of Alonnisos.

My primary intention with this Internet destination is to provide readers all over the world with valuable insights into the island of Alonnisos itself, guidance with respect to the primary ways of reaching the island, along with detailed information about what to see and do when visiting there. In addition, I share "insider information" vis-a-vis my opinions as to the best of the best restaurants and other service providers on the island. In this regard, I must stress that any recommendations I make regarding specific businesses are simply my experiences and suggestions, and of course they should not preclude you from visiting and experiencing other establishments during your stay on the island.

The best way to use the site as it grows, is to refer to the Category Archives box to your left, as it provides a summary of all topics that are covered. If you have any questions regarding a particular subject on this site, or have specific questions about Alonnisos, please feel free to contact me via email by clicking here.

If you have found value in this website and are a member of Facebook, please click on this Fan Page link to be taken to the Alonnisos Insider page on Facebook where you can become a fan of the site. This will help us to spread the word about the Alonnisos Insider. Thanks! Also please note that I've placed 82 beautiful photos of Alonnisos on that Facebook page so do check them out when you have a chance.

Important Notice: The date and time stamp at the bottom of every post is not always reflective of the "newness" of the information shared, as I regularly update older posts after every trip to Greece. Also, on July 1, 2010 I've updated all of the "Getting to Alonnisos" posts with the latest information available.

In addition, please note that some choose to spell the island's name as "Alonnissos," so if you don't find what you're looking for here or on other sites, try using a search engine to search on Alonnissos as well. Finally, please note that none of the links on this site provide compensation to me or this website for any "click-throughs" made on your part.

Matt Barrett's Greece Travel Guide

2010-07-13T18:15:00Z

A while back a friend in Athens recommended a website called Matt Barrett's Greece Travel Guide as an excellent information resource for travel throughout all of Greece. I have been meaning to post information about this site for several weeks now and today finally found the time to do so. Mr. Barrett's site does indeed have a wealth of information about Greek travel and, as such, I highly recommend it.

According to Matt Barrett, unlike Lonely Planet, Frommers and Fodors he has not attempted to write about everything in Greece. He has written about what he knows and enjoys. He has spent the best times of his life in Greece and his guides allow anyone to follow in his footsteps and do the same. Since my Alonnisos blog is based on essentially the same premise, writing about a place I know, enjoy, and love, I feel like he and I are kindred spirits and therefore, am delighted to get behind his work.

Click here to visit Matt Barrett's Greece Travel Guide website.

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

Getting to Alonnisos through Athens via Bus or Taxi to the Port of Kimi

2010-07-01T03:29:00Z

During the summer of 2010 Skyros Shipping Co. is offering services on its Achilleas ferry between the port of Kimi (located on the island of Evia) and Alonnisos twice per week on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m. Kimi is located about five hours from Athens by coach bus, and the boat ride is just over two hours (an hour shorter than the trip from Agios Konstantinos (or Volos) to Alonnisos and HALF the price. (i.e., 23 Euros per person versus 47 Euros/person from Volos to Alonnisos, and 49.5 Euros/person from Agios Konstantinos to Alonnisos).

To reach Kimi by bus from the Athens airport you will first need to take the X93 bus (Click here for more information about this bus/its fare cost) to the Bus Terminus B bus station in Athens (Click here for more information about this bus station [or "O stathmos," in Greek], and to see the latest long distance bus schedule for buses departing from Bus Terminus B click here. The total time it will take you to get to Kimi from the airport via Bus Terminus B will be perhaps as much as 6 hours, but could be more based on traffic conditions. If you'd prefer to take a taxi to Bus Terminus B, please page down to see information regarding a taxi driver in Athens that I recommend.

The cost of the coach bus to Kimi is 13.80 Euros as of June 2010. If your arrival time in Kimi is too late to connect with the Achilleas ferry, which again leaves at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays & Saturdays, you will obviously need to book a hotel in Kimi.

One other note, in addition to bus X93 from the airport, you can also reach Athens City Centre via the Metro Train line. Ask the information desk at the airport for directions to the on-site Metro station (it's on the lower level). If you do take the Metro,you'll also need to ask what stop to use in order to facilitate the most direct access to Bus Terminus B for your next travel segment to Kimi. Please note that a one-way ticket on the Metro is approximately six Euros, and that travel via train gets you to the city centre in perhaps half the time.

To Kimi via Taxi

If you aren't as much concerned about cost as you are about comfort and speed, you also have the option of taking a taxi from the Athens Airport directly to Kimi. Because this is a fairly lengthy distance, the cost of the taxi is about 200 Euros. While this is significantly more expensive than bus travel, if two or more people are traveling together the price is much more reasonable, especially considering that the cost of a hotel in Athens is at least 30 - 40 more Euros than one in Kimi. With the taxi you can stay in Kimi, sleep in, and then take the 10:00a.m. ferry.

If you are interested in taking a taxi, I highly recommend the services of a driver in Athens named Spiros Halkides. Not only is he a great guy, but he also speaks fluent English from his experience in living in New York for many years. Here is his contact information: Telephone: 30-2109944771 (H) & (30)-6944285686(MOBILE) [Note that 30 is the country code for calling Greece.] To visit Spriros' website click here. To contact Spiros via email, click here. (Please note, in Greek,when you speak about someone you use the "s" at the end of their name,for example, "I know Spiros." However, when you actually contact Spiros,you call him "Spiro.")

Staying in Athens

If you aren't able to make the bus to Kimi, and don't want to spend the extra money to take a taxi, please review the Category Archives (to your left) under "Hotels in Athens" for information regarding a property I recommend. I also provide information about getting to the hotel via city bus from the airport.

Making a Boat Reservation from Kimi to Alonnisos

If you are planning to reach Alonnisos via the Skyros Shipping Co. ferry Achilleas, then prior to your trip you need to reserve and pay for tickets. To do so, visit the OpenSeas.gr website. Once there just click on the British flag for English language, and the from there obviously enter Kymi (not Kimi) as the departure port and Alonnisos as the arrival port, making sure to choose either a Tuesday or a Saturday. Please note that Skyros Shipping Co. does not have direct online booking, so choose Alonnisos Travel as the travel agent to use for booking your passage.

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

Book Recommendation: An Insider’s Guide to Alonnisos by Julia Browne

2010-04-25T02:20:00Z

I learned today that a new book called "An Insider's Guide to Alonnisos" was recently published by a company called Travelleur Publishing. It is written by Julia Browne, a British expatriate who, along with her husband Chris, has lived on the island on a full-time basis for many years.

Julia and Chris built their first house on Alonnisos in 1990, and moved there permanently in 1996. She has worked on the island as representative for a major UK travel company since 2001, and this book is the culmination of years of research for her 'villa information folder'. While I've only met Julia a couple of times, each time I found her to be a lovely person, and I have no doubt that her book is an excellent information resource for anyone traveling to Alonnisos. For more information regarding this book, and to purchase it as well, click here.

Photo Album of Alonnisos Posted on Alonnisos Insider Facebook Page

2010-03-30T04:41:00Z

For any visitor interested in seeing many beautiful photos of Alonnisos as well as views to surrounding islands, this evening I posted 82 photos to a photo album on the Alonnisos Insider page on Facebook.com.

If you have a profile on Facebook, click here to be led to that page where you can then sign in and view the photos. Please note that the pictures were taken by my friend Shirley McDaniel, a person who loves Alonnisos as much as I do, and who owned a home on the island for many years. You'll see from these pics that Shirley is a very gifted photographer. If you enjoy the photos, please do take a moment to become a fan of The Alonnisos Insider on Facebook. Thanks!

Important Update: Website for Checking Boat Schedules to Alonnisos - OpenSeas.gr

2010-02-01T23:45:00Z

Historically, one of the major challenges in planning a trip to Alonnisos (or for that matter Skiathos or Skopelos), is that the companies providing voyages to the islands by boat are usually very slow to publish updated schedules. It's also very common for the maritime companies serving the Sporades (e.g., Hellenic Seaways, Hellas Speed Cat, Anek Lines) to wait until the very last minute to post their updated schedules. For example, the schedule for June might not be published until the last week of May!

While this behavior may never change, fortunately at least now there is now a website called Openseas.gr that provides visitors with access to the current schedules of all of the maritime companies serving the Sporades (and elsewhere in Greece as well). With Openseas.gr, once the home page loads, click on the British Flag at the upper right of the screen for English. Then, just below that flag you'll find a box where you can plug in your departure port (e.g., Agios Constantinos, Volos, etc.) and your desired destination port (e.g. Alonnisos), choose the date of departure, and the site will tell you what's available from all of the companies (if anything is at all!). If nothing is available, you can modify your departure date until something is. Although this isn't a "fool-proof" way to book boat passage to Alonnisos, at least it's better than having to visit each of the sites of the companies offering service to the island.

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

Albedo Travel in Alonnisos

2009-10-12T22:15:00Z

There are three primary travel agencies in Alonnisos, and each has their own following and and areas of expertise. Because I have family that owns property on the island I've never visited there as a tourist per se, so I'm not in a position to provide a detailed evaluation of these agencies on this site. However, I can say with confidence that during the summer of 2009 I was very satisfied with the customer service provided by one of them (i.e., Albedo Travel, pictured to your right).

In particular, prior to departing on our trip I wrote an email to Albedo Travel to ask a question about purchasing boat tickets on the Speed Cat 1 for our return trip to the Greek mainland. Within less than 24-hours I received a very friendly reply to my inquiry from the owner, Kostas Efstathiou. The speed of the response, was, in all honesty, not something I've been accustomed to when contacting businesses in Greece. Perhaps that's been due to the language barrier. In any event, once we arrived in Alonnisos I stopped at Albedo Travel to meet Kostas in person, and found him to be a wonderful person who is clearly dedicated to providing excellent service to his customers.

Albedo Travel has been in business since 1996 and offers a wide range of services, including booking accommodations for hotels, studios/apartments, and villas, plus renting cars and motorbikes, and offering guided walking tours. In addition, Kostas offers boat trips, including two Marine Park Cruises (one that stops on the island of Kyra Panagia and another on Skantzoura island). Other tours include an all day bus tour of Alonnisos on a comfortable, air-conditioned coach bus. Kostas also works with other businesses on the island to accommodate special interest holidays related to Yoga practice and creative painting.

To learn more about the services offered by Albedo Travel, click here to visit the company's website. To contact Kostas Efstathiou by phone on Alonnisos during the summer season call (30) 24240-65804; during the winter he can be reached in Athens at (30) 210-8062826.

You can also reach Albedo Travel via email by clicking here.

The Women's Co-op - Food Related Gifts and Baked Goods

2009-10-12T21:45:00Z

When you visit Alonnisos I highly recommend that you stop by the "Women's Co-op" store(s) as they offer a great selection of locally produced Greek foods and baked goods as well. We always purchase oregano from the Women's Co-op, and while visiting in 2009 we also bought some fancy pasta for a gift.

The stores also sell varieties of jellies/jams, locally-baked cookies and sweets, and some liqeurs and wines as well. The main store (pictured to your left) is located directly across the street from "The Doors" grocery market and just above Soula's Fruit and Vegetable Shop. A smaller store is situated near the harbor just up and across the street from the Evaggelia Anagnostou Market.

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

Villa Dawn - Rental Rooms in Patitiri

2009-10-12T21:35:00Z

If you're interested in an affordable place to stay in Patitiri, but don't want to be in the center of town with all its noise and activity, I recommend you consider Villa Dawn rental rooms (see photo to your right) owned and operated by Dawn and Yiannis Kiriannaki. We have known Dawn and Yiannis for over ten years and find them to be just lovely people. Dawn is originally from the U.K. but has lived on the island for a number of years, and Yiannis is renowned as one of the best waiters to have ever worked on the island.

Located on a hillside perhaps 10 minutes by foot from the harbor, the rooms at Villa Dawn provide a nice view toward the uninhabited islands called the Two Brothers and of the port of Patitiri itself. All rooms include comfortable beds along with a bathroom en suite, and feature a refrigerator and an electric kettle for heating water for tea or other hot beverages. The photo to your left gives you an idea of the type of view you'll be able to see while seated on your terrace.

For additional information or a price quotation, or to book a reservation, contact Dawn by phone at (30) 2-424-065606 or via email by clicking here. When contacting Dawn please mention the code ABVD so she knows you learned about these rental rooms on the Alonnisos Insider Site. Thanks.

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

Soula's Fruit and Vegetable Shop in Patitiri

2009-10-12T21:30:00Z

Our favorite spot to buy fresh fruit and vegetables in Alonnisos is a shop in Patitiri (see photo to your right) located a little over a kilometer from the harbor. It's about two blocks up from the Pappou Market; just go past that store and at the first cross street turn left. Then proceed about a half a block and it's on the left side of the street (coming from the Old Village it's across the street and down from "The Doors" grocery market). This fruit/veggie shop is operated by a wonderful woman named Soula, who is assisted by her family. They come to spend each summer working in Alonnisos and live the rest of the year in Thessaloniki.

In addition to this location, Soula has another location about 1 block up from the Patitiri harbor on the left side of the street; it is just about directly across from the Gelato Shop. We always frequent the store further up the road because Soula is our friend and we enjoy talking with her. When I first met her in 2006 she was struggling a bit with her English and I was doing the same with Greek. As of the summer of 2009 her English was far better than my Greek! In any event, Soula's stores always have great selection of produce, including products you don't find as often in Greece (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower). We are particularly fond of the peaches and nectarines they sell, but also purchase other items as well.

Should you travel to Alonnisos and visit Soula's store, please tell her Jeff and Andrea from the U.S. say "hello and na se kala."

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

The Artosinisi Bakery in Patitiri

2009-10-12T21:15:00Z

Located in Patitiri, perhaps one kilometer up from the harbor on the left side of the street and directly across from the Pappou Market, is the Artosinisi Bakery. Each morning during the height of the tourist season this bakery always attracts a large number of customers (like our friends Geoff and Marian Elliott from the UK pictured to your left), and is also frequented by the owners/managers of numerous restaurants and tavernas on the island. The Artosinisi Bakery offers a large selection of freshly baked foods, including both white and dark breads, a wide variety of cookies, milopita (mini apple pies), cheese pies, spinach pies, and more.

In addition, they sell affordably-priced breakfast and lunch food, including baked bacon/ham and cheese pies and traditional ham and cheese and vegetarian sandwiches on small submarine rolls. During our 2009 trip we purchased sandwiches for lunch there on several occasions and really enjoyed them. If you want to economize on lunch or breakfast there's really no better place in Patitiri than the Artosinisi Bakery. This bakery also sells a variety of juices, and uniquely offers soy milk and other non-dairy products and some novelty foods you most likely wouldn't find anywhere else on the island.

In addition to the great selection of foods at the Artosinisi Bakery, Andrea and I also are inspired to do business with this bakery because our friend Eleni works there. We originally met her back in 2000 when she worked at one of the tavernas down at Megalo Mourtia beach. Should you visit Alonnisos be sure to stop by the Artosinisi Bakery, as I'm sure you'll be very satisfied with their products and service as well. When you do, please tell Eleni that Jeff and Andrea from the U.S. say yassou!

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

Likanies Traditional Residences for Rent - Lower area of the Old Village

2009-10-12T21:00:00Z

In addition to operating the excellent Akrogiali Estiatorio in Patitiri I wrote about in an earlier post, Paschalis Diniakos and his wife, Eleni, also have traditional residences for rent called “Likanies” (see photo to your right) in a lower area of the Old Village. I had the opportunity to visit some friends who rented one of these residences back in the summer of 2006, and I must say they are exquisitely decorated. Both of them include lower and upper levels and feature a fully equipped kitchen. Each residence comfortably accommodates 2 – 4 people.

Conveniently located near the main road to the port town of Patitiri, the Likanies residences offer wonderful views to the east towards the uninhabited islands known as the Two Brothers (see photo to your left) and to the south toward the island of Evia. From these residences it will take you perhaps 5 minutes to walk to the bus stop in the Old Village (it’s just two blocks up the road) and roughly a similar amount of time to reach the entrance of the donkey path that leads down to the port town of Patitiri. You can also walk to the beach at Megalos Mourtias in 20 – 25 minutes, but as I’ve said in other posts the walk back up can be quite physically challenging if you’re not in really good shape.

While rates are subject to change, during the summer of 2009 the cost per night for the Likanies Traditional Residences started at 70 Euros from May – July 15, 100 Euros from July 16 to August 31, and 70 Euros during September.

For additional information or a price quotation, or to book a reservation, contact Paschalis by phone at (30) 2424-0-65600 (land line) or by mobile phone at (30) 6973496884. When contacting him please mention the code ABAK so he knows you learned about these rental rooms on the Alonnisos Insider Site. Thanks.

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

Rental Rooms at Fantasia House in the Old Village

2009-09-29T00:00:00Z

Fantasia House rental rooms/studios are conveniently located in the Old Village of Alonnisos just 20 or 30 meters from the plateia (i.e., town square) and 60 meters from the city bus stop. Fantasia is owned and operated by the Kostas family - Nikos, his wife Merceni, and their son Panayiotis, who is in charge of taking reservations and handling other tasks as well. We have known this family for over 12 years and consider them to be very good friends. The picture to your right gives you a clear idea of the "look" of Fantasia House and the lush vegetation that surrounds the property.

Fantasia House's location is perfect if you're interested in staying in the Old Village because it's right in the middle of everything. From there, in just a matter of 5 minutes or less you walk to any cafe, restaurant or taverna, to the grocery store, or to the bus/taxi stop for traveling down to the port town of Patitiri. In addition, if you're interested in walking longer distances there is a hiking trail to the beach at Micros Mourtias that is also only a few minutes away. And, you can also find your way down to the beach at Megalos Mourtias by foot in perhaps 30 - 35 minutes or less (depending on your age and physical condition).

All rooms include comfortable beds along with a bathroom en suite, and feature air conditioning and a television. In addition, each room has its own terrace that offers wonderful views to the east and south, including toward the uninhabited islands called the Two Brothers and the island of Evia. The photo to your left gives you an idea of what you'll be able to gaze out at while seated on your terrace. While rates are subject to change, during the summer of 2009 the cost of rooms at Fantasia House started at 40 Euros in May - June, 45 Euros in July, 50 Euros in August, and 40 Euros during September.

For additional information or to book a reservation, telephone Panayiotis Kostas at: (30) 24240-65186 or via mobile phone at: (30) 6937716323. At the time of this post he doesn't have an email address, but once he does I will update this post to include it.

When contacting Panayiotis please mention the code ABFAN so he knows you learned about these rental rooms on the Alonnisos Insider Site. Thanks.

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

Rental Rooms at Megalos Mourtias Beach

2009-09-28T23:45:00Z

In addition to operating the wonderful Megalo Mourtia Taverna I wrote about in an earlier post, the owners, Ria and Yiannis, also have rental rooms available for folks who prefer staying close to the sea. The rooms are both comfortable and affordable, and each includes air conditioning, a refrigerator (1 meter tall model) and an electric pot for heating water for tea or other hot beverages.

The rooms (see photo to your left) are located perhaps just 50 meters from the taverna, so you can walk out your door and then be seated and ordering a meal in just a couple of minutes or less. The distance to the beach itself at Megalos Mourtias is essentially the same, which makes it a great place to stay if you really enjoy spending time near the ocean.

For additional information or a price quotation, or to book a reservation, contact Ria and Yiannis Anagnostou via email by clicking here. When contacting them please mention the code ABMMR so they know you learned about these rental rooms on the Alonnisos Insider Site. Thanks.

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

Thespina Gift/Souvenir Shop in the Old Village

2009-09-28T23:30:00Z

Located in the Old Village right next to Fantasia House rental rooms, is a gift/souvenir shop called "Thespina" that is operated by a very friendly and welcoming local woman (the store is named after her). I have known Thespina for a couple of years now and find her to be just a wonderful person.

If you're staying in the Old Village or just visiting, and looking for a good selection of gifts and souvenirs to purchase, I recommend stopping by her store (the entrance is pictured to your right). If you do, please tell her hello and "na se kala" from Jeff and Andrea in the U.S.

Naval Restaurant and Café – Old Village

2009-09-27T00:00:00Z

The Naval Restaurant and Café (pictured to your right) is located in the Old Village perhaps 50 meters or so from the plateia. To get there, once you’re standing at the plateia itself, which borders on a very old but small Greek Orthodox Church, you turn left and follow the cobblestone path which weaves its way directly up to the entrance. As you approach the restaurant you’ll likely hear some type of music (primarily jazz tunes but not always) playing from the owner Nikos’ state-of-the-art sound system.

Naval is somewhat of a rarity in Alonnisos in that it is one of just a handful of restaurants that have both a great café/bar and serve excellent food as well. The café in particular serves a variety of coffees and features a wide assortment of brand name liquors and also liqueurs (see photo to your left). As for food, Nikos (also pictured to your left) has an extensive menu that features a good selection of traditional Greek food, along with entrees from other cuisines as well. We particularly like the crepes that Nikos sells, but have also enjoyed other items on the menu. For example, this past summer (2009) I tried a pasta dish, the quality of which rivaled similar dishes I’ve had at Italian restaurants.

The service is also always excellent at Naval (our favorite waitress is Anastasia as she's incredibly friendly and efficient as well), and Nikos is at all times very friendly and welcoming to his customers. While dining at Naval you’ll also have access to tremendous views to the west toward the mountain called Kalovoulos, and north to the Aegean Sea. The photo to your right (which includes my mother-in-law Elaine on the right and her visiting friend Marge) gives you an idea of the view facing the mountain.

When you visit Alonnisos I highly recommend you visit Naval, and when you do please tell Nikos and Anastasia hello from Jeff & Andrea in the U.S.

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

Rental Villa in Steni Vala - Villa Agnadema

2009-09-26T23:00:00Z

During my 2009 trip to Alonnisos, I met a very nice woman named Gioula who owns and operates a souvenir store in Patitiri. When I mentioned this blog to her, she asked if I would be willing to post information about villas that her family rents in Steni Vala. After looking at the brochure for the property and seeing how lovely the villas are, and the beautiful views they offer, I said I'd be happy to oblige. The fact that I'd driven by them before and seen the location personally also made it an easy decision for me.

With that introduction in mind, the property is called Villa Agnadema and it's located in an olive grove on the hillside just above Glyfa Beach and the port of Steni Vala that offers many tavernas and some shops as well (e.g., grocery store, gift shop). The picture above and to your right provides a good view of the entrance to the villa, while the photo to your left clearly shows the amazing view toward the island of Peristera that's available from the terrace. From that vantage point you can also see the uninhabited islands called the Two Brothers and the island of Krya Panagia as well.

The Agnadema Villa includes a number of windows that allow for plenty of natural light to enter, and offers granite floors along with a shaded terrace that includes tables and chairs for dining al fresco. In addition, it's nicely furnished throughout in a traditional manner and offers a comfortable sitting

room and a fully equipped kitchen. Other amenities include air conditioning, TV, DVD player, hair dryer, and an iron. There is also ample space for parking a rental car.

For additional information or a price quotation, or to book a reservation, telephone Gioula Kalogianni or her daughter Maria at: (30) 24240-65155 (summer period) or (30) 24240-65645 (winter period) or via mobile phone at: (30) 6979771562. To contact Gioula or Maria via email click here. When contacting the owners please mention the code ABAV so they know you learned about the Agnadema Villa on the Alonnisos Insider Site. Thanks.

Rental House - Slope of the Old Village

2009-09-23T00:00:00Z

During our trip to Alonnisos in 2007 we met a wonderful couple from the UK who have since become great friends of ours. They have owned a home on Alonnisos for over ten years and recently had the home expanded to include a second floor. During our trip in August of 2009 I had the opportunity to tour this home and it's absolutely lovely. It is offered as a rental property part of the year.

This home provides tremendous views of the Aegean Sea (see picture to your right), and is conveniently located on the slopes of the mountain upon which the Old Village of Alonnisos rests. Because it's situated away from the very center of the old town, it's generally a very quiet area. From this house it's perhaps a 7 minute walk to the bus stop in the Old Village, and about a 5 minute walk to the entrance of the donkey path that leads down to the port town of Patitiri.

You also can easily stroll down to the the nearby beach at Megalos Mourtias in about 20 minutes or so. The photo above left shows a view from a south-facing lower window facing the living room and kitchen, while the photo to your right is of one of the two updstairs bedrooms. Unlike many rental homes in Alonnisos, this home features a bathroom and shower on both the ground floor and upper level, so there's no need to climb down and up stairs to visit a restroom.

To see a YouTube video I created showing a virtual tour of this house and property, click here. To contact the owner directly with any questions regarding the rental of this home click here.

Summer Workshops and Courses in the Alexander Technique

2009-09-22T23:00:00Z

For nearly a decade now, Penny O'Connor (pictured to your right), a certified member of the Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique, conducts both group courses and individual private sessions for those interested in this powerful self-improvement technique. If you're not familiar with it, Alexander is a gentle hands-on teaching known to restore natural health, poise and vitality; relieve neck & shoulder tensions, back pain, breathing disorders and stress; develop excellence in the performing arts and sports; and re-awaken consciousness.

Lessons are offered on Alonnisos for both the general public and for teachers and trainees as well, and are available from mid-June to mid-September. For detailed information visit the Alexander in Greece website or send an email directly to Penny by clicking here.

Grocery Stores in Patitiri and the Old Village

2009-09-22T22:45:00Z

There are a number of grocery stores/supermarkets in Alonnisos, but for the purposes of this post I'm only going to talk about ones we regularly visit that are located in Patitiri and in the Old Village.

PATITIRI GROCERY STORES

In the port town of Patitiri there are actually five different grocery stores, and we've shopped at all but one of them. In general, all stores carry the same basic items at similar prices, but each one also tends to offer items unique to that store. For example, during the summer of 2009 one store was offering a higher-end Dunkelweisen variety of German beer in 500ml bottles, while another uniquely offered a very low-priced beer called Hansa in 330ml and 500ml cans. The other stores we visited had neither of these. So, what we've found over the years is that we wind up visiting 3 - 4 stores on any given shopping trip to make sure we get everything we want! The following is a summary of each of the four stores we tend to visit, and this list is not in any order of preference.

Evaggelia Anagnostou Market

Pictured to your right, this grocery store is located directly across from where the hydrofoil boats arrive. It is operated by Evaggelia Anagnostou and her husband Christos. It has a good selection of all basic grocery items and a good assortment of liquor as well. It also offers some souvenir type merchandise. What most differentiates this store is that it does not close during the typical afternoon siesta time (i.e., 2 - 5PM). In fact, in all the years I've visited the island I've never seen this store close until very late in the evening. During the high season in August the other stores tend to reduce the time they are closed in the afternoon, but for the most part they do close for some period of time.

"Nimi" Supermarket

While I don't know the actual name of this supermarket, my mother-in-law refers to it as "Nimi's." The reason is quite humorous - apparently some years ago a sign-painter who spoke limited English was supposed to paint the word "Mini" in front of market, but instead he painted "Nimi." The name stuck with the foreigners who own homes on the island, and they still use it even though a new sign saying "Super" has replaced the original sign. Pictured to your left, this store is located perhaps 4 blocks from the port on the street that also includes the National Bank of Greece and the Internet Cafe. It's just beyond the huge pine tree that sits in the middle of this street as you travel up. "Nimi" is operated by a charming woman named Dina, and she is assisted by her son and other family members. Over the years we've shopped here Dina has always been very friendly and welcoming. This market has a good selection of products across all categories, a deli counter, and also offers a walk-in cooler with a good selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, this market provides a small assortment of freshly-baked breads.

Pappou Market

The Pappou Market (pictured to your right) is located about 60 meters from the Nimi Supermarket mentioned above and on the same side of the street as well. It is currently operated by two daughters of Eleni Pappou, the original "boss," though Eleni is still involved in the business. The daughters, Dina and Marfoula, are very friendly and helpful, and they both speak very good English. When we lived in Alonnisos for the entire summer of 2000 we developed solid friendships with both daughters, and as such over the years we have tended to shop a bit more at this market than any of the others. This store has a very good selection of grocery items and liquor, as well as a deli counter and a small selection of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Doors Market

While I don't know the proper name of this market either, we call it the "Doors Market" because it features electronic entry doors that open and close automatically. Pictured to your left, this market is the newest in Patitiri, which explains the high tech entrance! In any event, it's located about two blocks up from the Pappou market (go past that market and at the first cross street turn left, then proceed about 1 block and it's on the right). This market is owned by the same family that runs one of the beverage distributorships on the island. The woman who operates it is named Ya-na (phonetic spelling), and although she really doesn't speak much English, her teenage daughter who works there has good command of the language. This store has a broad selection of grocery items and perhaps a wee bit more variety in the liquor department because of its connection to the beverage company referenced earlier. This store also has a fully-stocked deli counter.

OLD VILLAGE MARKETS

Up until perhaps 2006 there were only two relatively small grocery stores nestled in the Old Village away from the main square. These stores were operated by two very well known ladies in the village who are both named "Maria." While those markets still exist in some form, for the most part they are limiting their participation in the grocery business as witnessed by the limited selection in their stores. I do know that one of the Marias is focused on selling homemade feta cheese and eggs, while the other is selling artwork that she paints as well as locally grown oregano and other spices. If you visit Alonnisos and their stores are indeed still open, then I recommend at least purchasing a little something from each of them, if for no other reason than to respect them as the pioneers of the grocery store business in the Old Village.

The grocery store which has supplanted these original stores is located on the ground floor of a two story building right where the bus from Patitiri stops (see photo to your right). Above the store is "The Snack Bar" restaurant that I wrote about in an earlier post. This market is operated Maria and Panayiotis (who also operates a flower and plant store on the road from Patitiri to Votsi), and their teenage daughter Katarina also works in the store. It features a fairly good selection of grocery items, though not as many as the larger stores in Patitiri. It also has a basic selection of liquors and offers some souvenir type merchandise as well. The advantage of this store is that if you're staying in the Old Village you can walk to the market instead of driving or taking a bus all the way to Patitiri. The prices may be a bit higher in some instances, but it can be well worth the trade-off in time necessary to get down to the other stores.

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