Alonissos is a beautiful, green island about 20m kms long and 4 kms wide, situated in the northernwest of the Aegean Sea, about 40 kilometres from Pelion on the Greek mainland. It belongs to the Northern Sporades group of islands. The island has a rich and fascinating historyand findings in the area of Kokkinokastro show that there was a human settlement on Alonissos over 100,000 years ago, when all the Sporades islands were connected. It is believed that a Pelasgian tribe lived on the island in pre-historic times, and that there might have been Cretan settlers here during Minoan times. From ancient years until today Alonissos has been renowned for its production of excellent wine and olive oil.

In 1965 an earthquake shook the island, and almost all buildings were destroyed. The people, who until then, had lived in the old village (Chora), moved down to Patitiri, now the island’s capital. The old village was left for many years, but more recently the ruined houses have been bought and refurbished. The village is popular to visit for its picturesque old houses, small cafes and art shops. The majority of hotels and shops are in Patitiri as well as the post office, supermarkets, banks and tourist agencies. The bus route to Old Alonissos (Chora) (3 kms away) and Stenivala, a small fishing village (10 kms away) starts from Patitiri, as do the taxis and excursions to beaches and the National Marine Park of Alonissos where, if you are lucky, you will see dolphins, seals, and turtles on one of the boat trips that can be arranged. Despite Patitiri being the main harbour of the island, the water at the village's popular beach, Rousoum Yialos, 7 minutes walk away, is crystal clear and perfect for swimming. The small harbour of Votsi is 20 minutes walk from Patitiri, with many nice tavernas and a small, quiet beach where you can swim.

Most beaches on Alonissos are pebble/sand beaches – some can be reached by car, or track path, and others by boat. With just a little effort you can easily find your own private bit of beach and the sea is unbelievably clear for snorkelling. There is no airport on the island, just a heliport, so the way most tourists arrive is via hydrofoil from Skiathos, which takes around one hour.

The three villas we rent here are all on the same hillside estate, so are also a good option for several groups wanting to travel together. Additional services at all the villas include: meet and greet at the heliport or Patitiri port, escort to the property, car rental arrangements and vehicle delivery, yacht and sailing boat charter arrangements and reservations at a selection of fine restaurants.