Folegandros: Rugged beauty in the most romantic Greek island

A TRAVEL GUIDE TO FOLEGANDROS ISLAND, GREECE

In the long route that conventional boats take from Athens to the southern Cyclades, the port of call just before international superstar Santorini is a small island of 765 inhabitants. The name of this small island is Folegandros and until not so long ago, only a few native islanders would disembark here. In the last decade though, more and more travellers have branched out into Folegandros. First it was bohemian Athenians. Now it is pretty much everyone in Greece along with in the know travellers from around the world!

In a short decade, this emblem of political exile, diaspora and lonely island life has become a vibrant summertime playground. Its rugged beauty, breathtaking vistas, friendly locals and irresistible Cycladic architecture are finally celebrated. As big of a change this has been, though, Folegandros is by no means a mass market destination. It is a small rocky island forged by the wind, the sea and the sun in all their glory and might, a romantic outpost that charms everyone who wonders its thousand year old paths.

WHAT TO DO IN FOLEGANDROS?

EXPLORE CHORA

Whether in the morning or early in the evening, or preferably both, take a walk around the cute streets of Chora. You will get plenty of opportunities for cool coffee breaks, amazing dining, stunning photos and overall summer happiness!

One of your main points of focus will be Pounta, not exactly a square and hardly a roundabout, rather an opening in the tightly built village that offers incredible views of the jagged cliffs of Folegandros, the sparkling blue sea, the horizon and the hazy profile of Sikinos island in the distance.

Further into Chora, there will be plenty of photo opportunities of traditional Cycladic houses, bougainvillea adorned cobblestone alleys and cute squares. A fine example of the latter is Kontarini square where you will spend your time eating, drinking and people watching. We were also debating whether this is, in fact, two semi-connected squares or a big one divided in two by pretty Saint Nicholas church (none other than the protector of sailors and seafarers).

Last but certainly not least, there is the second most frequent postcard depiction of Folegandros, Kastro. Chora is old and Kastro is its oldest part with the houses of this tiny neighbourhood dating back to the medieval ages. If you are lucky enough to be able to (subtly) peek through the ones facing the sea, you will get an idea of what it is like to live life on the edge (of a cliff). Literally!

ASCEND THE HILL TO THE CHURCH OF PANAGIA

Naturally, the postcard perfection view of the Church of Panagia (Virgin Mary) high on the hill overlooking the whole island is the most iconic depiction of Folegandros, and rightly so. Don’t miss going all the way up to this beautiful church and enjoying stupendous views of everything that is good in the world!

The perfect time for going up the steps to the Church of Panagia is late afternoon, around sunset. The sea and the sky will be bathed in golden hues and you won’t get too sweaty during the ascend! By the way, the ascend is not hard and the stepped path is fully paved and quite wide. So, no excuses!

EXPLORE THE COAST & GO TO THE BEACH

Folegandros may not have the vast amount of beaches that some other Greek islands do, however, there are quite a few lovely sandy and pebbly bays and coves. Their main characteristic is that they are fairly small and feel quite intimate. Furthermore, there are no umbrellas, sun loungers or fancy beach bars in sight which further promotes the low-key vibe of the island.

For those of you eager to explore every inch of the island or if you are avid hikers, there are a few beautiful but remote beaches towards the north of the island that might interest you. Make sure to check wind conditions before heading towards any north facing beach; prevalent meltemi (northern) wind will make the experience a bit too wild by anyone’s standards.

Personally, I am all for off the beaten track experiences but I much prefer relaxing on the beach than fighting waves and rocky footpaths in the midday sun! Hence, I will talk about some of the beautiful beaches towards the south side of the island that we visited.

BEACHES NEAR KARAVOSTASIS

Near Karavostasis, the port of the island, you will find Chochlidia and Vardia. Chochlidia beach is situated right next to the pier but don’t let that discourage you; the water is crystal clear. Furthermore, the beach is very easy to access and there are lots of tavernas and amenities nearby that makes it ideal for families and those who like… options! Vardia beach is right on the next bay, yet the rocky slopes that separate it from the village gives it a much wilder and remote vibe which I much prefer (despite the staircase that you have to go down, and then up!).

From Karavostasis, you can also take the caique to Katergo beach, the most impressive and wild beach of the island. The otherworldly scenery and beautiful water will compensate for the lack of shade, water and any natural or man-made amenities and make it worth your while!

BEACHES NEAR AGKALI BAY

A 10min drive or bus ride from Chora will get you to pretty Agkali bay. The beach of Agkali is nice, especially if it is amenities you are after, since there are plenty of tavernas, shops and a few hotels nearby (including our hotel, Blue Sand whose terrace I would definitely recommend visiting for a smoothie -more on that, later).

While in Agkali bay, I would suggest hopping on one of the caiques that take you to the beaches of Agios Nikolaos and Livadaki. Sandy Agios Nikolaos beach and the adjacent taverna can also be reached via a coastal path, and you can even find some pretty trees here for some rare natural shade. However, my favourite beach was Livadaki. The small cove felt so intimate and playful; you can stay on the small beach or go around the corner to the smooth rocky area and sunbathe there, hippie style!

While on the boat from/to Livadaki beach, keep your eyes peeled for pretty Aspropountas Lighthouse, built in 1919. While it makes for excellent photographs from the water (especially if you have a good zoom lens), you can also admire it up close, via a hiking path from Livadaki beach (which looked too steep for flip flops…).

GO HIKING

Folegandros’ well-preserved network of old paved streets and footpaths creates a network of selected hiking routes with a total length of 20 kilometres. Some of these paths can be traced back to ancient times providing magnificent views of the rugged cliffs of the island and the endless blue… If you are into hiking, it is definitely worth allowing some time for that.

I am not much of a hiker, so I will not go into detail about Folegandros’ hiking routes. However, the very useful webpage of the Municipality of Folegandros covers the various routes and provides necessary details. Needless to say, be mindful to avoid the hottest part of the day. Also, make sure to take wind conditions into consideration as well. Very windy days may create a more stressful experience than you would have thought! Wind is no joke in the Cycladic islands!

HOW TO GET AROUND FOLEGANDROS?

Chora, the capital town of Folegandros, is built on top of some very tall cliffs, so the boat will leave you in Karavostasis, the island’s port which is a 10min drive away. Getting from Chora to the pretty bay of Agkali also requires a 10min drive. Alternatively, you could cover these routes on foot (40-50mins), though that would either be in the form of a precarious walk along the road or an awesome hike (see ‘GO HIKING’ section above).

There is a good bus network covering most points of interest on the island lovingly operated by a local family; Folegandros’ buses website is very helpful and comprehensive.

There are also a couple of taxis in Folegandros, though in high season (July-August) they are quite busy. Even though you will see them lurking around the port when a boat arrives, it is worth checking with your accommodation to see if they offer / arrange port transfers themselves.

Once in Agkali or Karavostasis, most beaches can be accessed on foot or via the local caiques.

DO I NEED TO RENT A CAR IN FOLEGANDROS?

Depending on where your accommodation is located, if you don’t have a car, you will need to rely on public transport in order to get to the beach or Chora. Is that such a bad thing?

Distances are quite short and, as I mentioned previously, alternative means of transportation do exist. When I visited Folegandros with my fiancé, we did not have a car, and we got on ok. However, I have to admit that the shuttle that our hotel in Agkali had to / from Chora removed some of the hassle of ordering taxis every evening. When we did take taxis, we had to pre-book or be a bit patient.

Long story short, for total flexibility, hire a car / motorbike. However, if you are willing to go with the flow and get into the island rhythm, you can manage without one.

WHERE TO STAY IN FOLEGANDROS?

STAYING AT BLUE SAND BOUTIQUE HOTEL & SUITES

During our six day visit to Folegandros, we stayed in Blue Sand Boutique Hotel & Suites located in the impressive bay of Agkali. A combination of Cycladic inspired architecture and clean modern lines, this little hotel is a understated lux kind of place, a perfect holiday hideaway.

While in Blue Sand, we stayed in one of the standard rooms with sea view. The simple but elegant decor was very much appreciated but what we particularly loved was the small balcony overlooking the electric blue water and the dark, jagged hills that hugged the small sandy beach. We also enjoyed having (very tasty) Greek breakfast as well as smoothies and cocktails on the stylish terrace while gazing at the boats bobbing up and down gently on the water.

Service was not only excellent but also very friendly; we really enjoyed chatting to everyone who eagerly shared their wealth of knowledge about the island. Last but not least, the shuttle service to / from Chora was super handy, since we did not hire a car while on the island.

All in all, definitely check out Blue Sand Boutique Hotel & Suites if you are planning a trip to Folegandros. The friendly atmosphere, gorgeous views and elegant design made for an amazing stay and made us love Folegandros even more.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACCOMMODATION IN FOLEGANDROS

While researching accommodation for our trip to Folegandros, the stunning views of Anemonylos in Chora and the sleek design of Anemi in Karavostasis also caught my eye. Check them out!

WHERE & WHAT TO EAT & DRINK IN FOLEGANDROS?

Walking around the pretty streets and alleys of Chora will enable you to browse the plethora of restaurants, tavernas, cafés and bars that this little village offers.

We particularly enjoyed our meal in Piatsa which offers a small selection of Greek dishes right in the middle of Kontarini square. We also really liked our romantic dinner in Eva’s Garden (Greek modern cuisine) located in a cute patio in the edge of Chora. In the outskirts of Chora (but still very close), Blue Cuisine is another great choice for dinner; Greek cuisine (what else would it be?) but this time with a beautiful view of the Church of Panagia.

For breakfast or a meal (and a cocktail) at any time of day, Pounta‘s shaded back garden is delightful as are their dishes. For drinks, Astarti in Kontarini square is an all time classic with people spilling out onto the church courtyard, drinks in hand, till fairly late at night. Baraki and Beez are also great choices; they are located next to each other in a cute little street creating a nice hub of merriment.

HOW MANY DAYS SHOULD I STAY IN FOLEGANDROS?

Folegandros is quite a small island so you can see the highlights in a weekend. However, you can also spend an entire summer holiday here, and I say this knowing that this means a different amount of time for different people.

Folegandros is a peaceful, laid-back island and all the excitement comes from the dramatic scenery and the simple pleasures of (Greek) summer. That is one of the reasons why it is traditionally considered a couple’s destination. Staying for a week or more means that you will spend your days relaxing, going to the beach or hiking and your evenings in a charming village people watching and eating scrumptious food.

If that is not exciting enough for you, Folegandros is a perfect stop on any island hopping trip in the southern Cyclades. There are many stunning islands within an hour or two by boat, check out the next section of this blog post for my suggestions!

HOW TO GET TO FOLEGANDROS? ISLAND HOPPING TIPS & ITINERARIES

Folegandros feels remote, and, historically, it was quite isolated from the mainland. From Piraeus, the main port of Athens, the journey to the island takes more than 9h with the conventional ferry. Luckily, modern high speed catamarans make the route in less than 4h! Even better, though, Folegandros can be reached from Santorini’s international airport and Milos’ domestic airport within an hour by high speed boat.

In other words, if you are travelling from abroad, the easiest way to get to Folegandros is by flying to Santorini and then taking one of the high speed boats that reach Folegandros in one hour. If you are travelling from Athens, you can either travel by boat to Folegandros or you can take the 45min flight to Milos. From there, get to Folegandros in an hour, by high speed boat.

Therefore, a trip to Folegandros can be very easily combined with a stay in Santorini or Milos (and from there a visit to Kimolos). If you have enough time and you are eager to see more of Greece, combining all of these islands will be simply EPIC! It will also probably be the most romantic island hopping trip ever (since all of these islands are ideal for couples). Check out my suggested ‘Honeymooners’ Itinerary’, below.

TOP TIP -GETTING TO FOLEGANDROS FROM PIRAEUS & SANTORINI ISLAND HOPPING

When we travelled to Folegandros, we took the catamaran (high speed boat) from Athens. This would have been fine if it weren’t for high winds; not only did this increase our journey by more than an hour but also made for a fairly bumpy ride. From what I hear from other people travelling to Folegandros, this is not a rare event for this route. So, if you get sea sick easily, don’t forget to take your pills!

Nevertheless, after our stay in Folegandros we moved on to Santorini (from where we eventually flew back home) so the next boat ride was short and sweet! Most importantly, arriving in Santorini by boat granted us with one of the most majestic views on earth; priceless…

FINAL THOUGHTS -WHY VISIT FOLEGANDROS?

What a unique island Folegandros is! Small in scale and immense in atmosphere, Folegandros is definitely worth a quick stop in your Greek island hopping trip. Or you can just plan your whole summer holiday around it; we certainly did and loved every minute of it! Folegandros’ charming architecture, dramatic landscapes, crystal clear waters and hospitable locals will relax and rejuvenate you whether on a whirlwind trip or travelling slow.

I promised the most romantic Greek island in the title of this blog post. In my humble opinion, this little island is not just romantic. Folegandros is powerfully evocative of all things pure, simple and beautiful.