It's a beautiful small island that has resisted touristic transformations that have altered the face of many other islands (Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Kos). Expect strong winds (windsurfer's paradise) and it is best to check the wind direction at the cafes in Chora before going to certain beaches. There are 3 main villages: Karavostasis (port), Chora (pronounced "Hora" - capital) and Ano Meria. Accomodation is limited and booking should be made in advance (especially during high season: 15 July - 20 August). There is one camping next to the port in Livadi. Although it is a small and rather out-of-the-way island room prices are not so cheap as it is regarded as a high-class destination. There are 2 caves on the island, Faraggi and Chryssospilia (Golden Cave). According to the locals they are interconnected. They can be both visited on foot although Chryssospilia is easier to access by small boat. Folegandros is situated in the Southern Cyclades bertween Sikinos and Milos in a distance of 105 nautical miles from the port of Piraeus. The island has an area of 32sq miles and a coastline of 40km. Folegandros can be reached by ferry boats departing from Piraeus, while the summer period there is connection between Folegandros and other Cycladic isalnds like Santorini, Ios, Naxos and Milos.Karavostasis is the litlle port of the island. Here you will find accommodation, some taverns and coffe shops. The numerous beaches of the island can be reached by car or local bus service as well as by little fishing boats departing daily from Karavostasi. In a distance of 1km from Chora there is the beach of Livadi which offers a camping. Chora, the main village, is 4km away from Karavostasis. It is one of the most picturesque and attractive traditional villages you will find in Cyclades. The houses at the old part of Chora are built on the edge of a sheer cliff offering magnificent views of the Aegean sea. Here you will also see the Venetian fortress, built at the beggining of the 13th century. Chora offers accommodation in small, traditionally built, comfortable hotels and rooms to rent. On a flat expanse above the pretty harbour of Karavostassis is Hora or Folegandros, which consists of two sections. In the old settlement in the Kastro area, the outer walls of the houses form the sort of defensive precinct to be found elsewhere in the Cyclades. The new quarter is just as pretty, with narrow alleys, stepped walls, courtyards, wooden balconies and typically Aegean churches. The finest church on the island, that of Our Lady, stands above a section of the ancient wall. Chrissospilia, nearby to the north, with stalactites, stalagmites and traces of ancient occupation, and the small settlements in the Ano Meria district are the sights to be seen around the island's main village. Ano Meria also has the Ecological and Folklore Museum, with exhibits which reconstruct the farming practices of the islanders. Among the beaches for swimming are Karavostassis, Livadi and Agios Georgios bay. Although Folegandros has little in the way of tourist amenities or roads, it attracts more and more visitors each year - chiefly those in search of solitude close to nature. |
