Car hire Alonnisos

Introduction

Alonissos is the least touristic island of the Sporades, that furthermore consists of Skiathos and Skopelos. Just like the two other islands, Alonissos is very green with lots of wooded hills (namely pine trees).

Not far from the current capital Patitiri lies the old capital which is called 'Old Alonissos', but locally known as Chora. The attractive village on the top of a hill was destroyed during an earthquake in 1965. Afterwards it has been reconstructed in its original state with narrow streets and little white houses.

Population

The mall island has about 3,000 inhabitants, but in summer a lot more people stay in Alonissos. Nevertheless, it is not that busy as in Skiathos and Skopelos.

Location

Alonissos is situated in the Aegean Sea, east of the Greek mainland and north of the large island Euboea. It is 20 kilometers long and the maximum width is 3.5 kilometers. Of the three largest Sporades Islands, Alonissos lies most to the east.

Economy

Tourism is the most important source of income for Alonissos. Besides that there is also some agriculture: among others, almonds, figs, olives and grapes are cultivated. Part of the grape harvest is used for wine production. Formerly the fishing industry was important for the inhabitants of Alonissos, but nowadays it is not that important anymore for the local economy.

Airports

Alonissos is only reachable by boat. The island does not have an airport.

Public transport

Only during the summer months July and August there is a (limited) bus service on the island between the Patitiri harbor and the Old City and to the small town Steni-Vala as well. Outside the high season these buses are mobilized as school buses.   

Taxis are widely available on Alonissos. In Patitiri you can find a taxi stand in front of the Alkyon Hotel.

Furthermore there are many boats for rent in the Patitiri harbor to sail around the island or visit a small beach that is not or barely reachable by land. There are regular connections with the protected Marine Park as well.

Traffic and parking

Paved roads are mainly found in the southern part of the island. Furthermore the roads in Alonissos are unpaved and sometimes very narrow. Be careful at these places since loose stones can damage the bottom of your rental car. The beaches near Votsi, Steni-Vala and Milia are reachable via paved roads. However, do take into account that outside of the larger (touristic) places there are not any gas stations; so make sure that you have a full tank when you leave.

It is not a problem at all to find a parking space for your rental car. Especially the northern, rather quiet part of the island can be explored easily by rental car.

Hotels

Since tourism is the most important source of income, there is no lack of hotels in Alonissos. There is also a wide offer of hotel rooms and apartments for rent. The largest accommodation offer can be found in Patitiri, the Old City, Rouroum-Yialo, Votsi, Steni-Vala and Kalamakia. Near Steni-Vala and Plakes (at the harbor) there are camping sites.

External sources

For more information about Alonissos, we recommend Google and the following sources:

• Wikipedia, Alonissos
• Alonissos Island (English and Greek)