By Nicolas Bard

The country of Alonissos, also known as the Old Village, is located in the ND section of the island, on the eastern slopes of the Kalovoulos peak and at an altitude of 180 meters.

It is about 3 km from the capital of the island, Patitiri, and is one of the most picturesque and beautiful settlements of Sporades.

Until 1912 it was called “Sunflowers” and today there are 792 inhabitants.

The country on the island is built on the top of a hill and has been inhabited since medieval years, as the remains of the fortification have testified, while enjoying a seamless and panoramic view of all directions. This, of course, also implies an exposure to the winds, which they used to use in windmills and threshing. There was the old capital of the island, hence its second name, old
Village.

However, after the great earthquake of 1965 the settlement was almost abandoned. On March 9 of that year, Enceladus “hit” the island with 6.1 Richter and there were many catastrophes in both the country and in the press. In fact, in the country 70% of buildings collapsed or suffered serious damage. After a few years, in the 1980s, the majority of the old buildings of the village was purchased by foreign visitors, who fully repaired them, maintaining their architecture intact.

So the area managed to regenerate! The stone and whitewashed houses with the colored doorways and the tiled roofs, the cobbled streets with the blossoming courtyards, and the historical churches of the area compose a rare mosaic, and make the settlement traditional and preserved.

The area is also suitable for hiking. From the village starts two beautiful trails: one leads to the top “Kalovoulos”, and the other leads southwest to Cape Perfect, which is the most southwestern point of Alonissos. Also, if you are there, it is worth visiting the churches of Christ (17th century), Agios Georgios and Agios Athanasios, as well as the so -called “Traditional House”, where the Folklore Museum today hosts. In the wider area you will be lucky enough to find stone threshold, windmills and at relatively close distance you will find beautiful beaches to dive. To the north of the settlement are the bay and the beach of Gialia, with the traditional windmill, and Vrysitsa beach. To the south you will find other beaches, such as the small and large mustard, the suitcase and the draft.

If you are again on the 15th of August on the island, you will also achieve the famous village festival. Dances, songs and of course the local specialties, boiled goat, will make your stay unforgettable! All the inhabitants of the village become a great company with visitors, rush to the streets and the village seems to have a second life. The starry sky and the moon mirrored in the Aegean create a mysterious atmosphere and offer a solid dose of renewal to those who seek a little discharge from the intense anxiety of everyday life. Is there a better digital detox than that?