By on 21-03-2016
On the western side of Cyclades, there is a fantastic island with wild atmosphere: Folegandros. Although surrounded by popular Greek islands, this is a place off the beaten track that remains away from mass tourism. Getting there is easy as the ferry to Folegandros departs daily in summer from the port of Piraeus, the main port of Athens. This ferry also connects Folegandros with other islands.
# Villages
The main village in Folegandros island is Chora. Constructed on top of a hill, Chora is a small place with paved paths, white houses and fantastic view to the Aegean Sea. Visitors can even see the neighboring island of Santorini from Chora. On the highest spot of the hill is the small church of Panagia where visitors can go through an uphill hiking path. Two other smaller villages in Folegandros is Ano Meria and Karavostasi, the port of the island.
# Beaches
The beaches of Folegandros distinguish for their crystal waters. The island does not have large sandy beaches but mostly small coves with pebbles. These coves are great places to relax and unwind from daily stress. This relaxing atmosphere of Folegandros is what makes the island favorite in the heart of visitors. Beaches can be accessed with private means or by bus and boat from the port.
# Island hopping
Folegandros has a convenient ferry connection with close islands. It can be easily combined for holidays with Milos and Santorini, two neighboring islands with a volcanic landscapes that get more popular than Folegandros in summer. A ferry connection is also available from Naxos, the beloved family island. Nice island-hopping trips are also from Folegandros to Serifos and Sifnos, two other islands of western Cyclades with traditional architecture.
# Ferry to Folegandros
The ferry to Folegandros from Athens lasts from 3 to 8 hours, depending on the vessel and the intermediate stops. There are both high speed and normal ferries that make stops to other islands in between, such as Santorini, Milos, Serifos, Sifnos, Ios, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros and more. Occasionally in summer, there are ferries to Folegandros from the port of Lavrion, on the southern side of Attica.
