Folegandros is one of those Cycladic islands that is still somewhat pristine. It is a small island, located halfway between Milos and Santorini, that isn’t overrun by international tourists… at least not yet. Most foreigners don’t have it on their radar.
This charming island has a relaxing atmosphere, beautiful beaches, amazing hiking trails, and great food. It is the perfect destination for those looking for an unforgettable Greek vacation surrounded by natural beauty.
The entire island only has three main villages – Chora, Karavostasis and Ano Meria. Its terrain is hilly and rugged, with breathtaking views along the Aegean Sea. Chora, the capital, is built on the edge of a cliff. The villages have the traditional Cycladic architecture, with white-washed buildings and colorful doors and windows. There are Instagram moments all over the island. Distances are short, making it easy to get around. We thought Folegandros was the perfect destination for an authentic Greek island experience.
Things to Do in Folegandros
This remote island turned out to be our favorite one among the 6 islands we visited this past summer. We adored the stunning landscapes, the quiet beaches, and simple restaurants and tavernas. Even though beaches are the main attraction in Folegandros, there are a few places that were worth a visit.
Hike to the Church of Panagia
We couldn’t help but be impressed with our first glimpse of the church during the ride to our hotel upon our arrival. It is probably the most iconic structure on the island and is considered its “trademark”. It is on top of a mountain overlooking Chora – the main village – at the end of a stone path that zig-zags its way uphill. The building has a traditional Cycladic architecture with a white-washed exterior. We loved the breathtaking views from the Panagia’s courtyard. It is a fantastic spot to watch the sunset.
Stroll Around Chora
Chora (pronounced Hor-ah) is the largest village in Folegandros, located 3.5 km from the Karavostasis Port. This is a charming small village where cars are not allowed to enter. We cherished the time we spent exploring the narrow alleyways, piazzas, and shops. The village tends to be quiet during the day but comes to life in the evenings. Chora has four main squares with plenty of options for wining and dining. Make sure to stop at Pounta Square for the magnificent view of the cliffs rising from the ocean below – an Instagram moment. A stroll around Chora is the perfect way to spend the evening after a day at the beach, or to enjoy a quiet meal during the day.
Stop at Kastro
Located at the very top of the steep mountain in Chora, Kastro feels like a small village within a village. Built in the 13th century on a cliff 200 meters above the sea, it protected the village from pirates. Kastro is the oldest part of Chora. You can access this fully enclosed area through two gateways which can be easily missed. This settlement has charming houses with unique architectural details, colorful wood trim and many potted plants.
Visit Ano Meria
Ano Meria is the second largest village in Folegandros. Buildings are scarcely located throughout the area, giving you a feel for the Cycladic countryside. It is rural and rustic and is a beautiful area for a stroll or a hike. The road weaves along the coast dotted with small private homes, tavernas and the main church. Our highlight there was a stop at the Panificio Bakery. This is a bakery, operated out of a private home, that sells delicious home-baked goods. Look carefully for the easy-to-miss sign along the main road.
Beaches in Folegandros
There are many beautiful beaches in Folegandros. Most of them are quiet, surrounded by stunning landscapes and crystal-clear blue waters. And exploring the many existing beaches is one of the best things to do on the island. Here are the beaches we enjoyed during our visit.
Agali Beach
This is one of the most popular beaches on the island. But even so, it was fairly quiet when we visited it during weekdays. The beach is surrounded by impressive rocky cliffs and has a separate, more private cove. There are a couple of tavernas by the beach but no other services at this location. Hence, you must bring your own towels, beach chairs and umbrellas. The beach can be reached by car, bus, or water taxi from the Karavostasis Port area.
Agios Nikolaos Beach
This secluded beach was by far our favorite. It can only be reached by foot or by boat. We walked about 20 minutes on the dirt narrow path from Agali to Agios Nikolaos. Its setting was spectacular, surrounded by hills and lined with tamarisk trees. There are a couple of traditional tavernas on the beach and a seafood restaurant on the hill. The Agios Nikolaos chapel towers over the south end of the beach. No services are available here, so you need to bring towels, chairs, and umbrellas. This beach is clothing optional. The boat ride from Agali costs €3 each way.
Galifos Beach
This very small pebbly beach is located halfway between Agali and Agios Nikolaos Beaches. The beach is in a protected cove, making it a pleasant spot for a dip in the ocean. The clear blue water was hard to resist. Galifos is a nudist friendly beach even though the few people we saw there were in their bathing suits. There are no services or places to get food and drinks at this beach.
Vardia Beach
Vardia Beach is in the Karavostasis village, near the port. This beach is surrounded by cliffs and is accessible by stairs. We drove to the village, parked near the port, and walked to the beach area. Karavostasis is also accessible by scooters and buses. No chairs and umbrellas are available here. Although there are no restaurants at the beach, there are some in the nearby village center and port area.
Best Places for Drinks in Folegandros
There is nothing like a cold refreshing drink after a day of frolicking in the sun. This is also a good way to watch sunsets or do some people watching. Here are our favorite libation spots.
Anemomilos Hotel
This family run hotel is the best bar for drinks during the sunset. Built on the edge of a cliff in Chora, it has a magnificent view of the Aegean Sea and the surrounding area. The cliffside pool bar offers cocktails, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. Not only did we enjoy the spectacular sunset, we had an unobstructed view of the Church of Panagia. It is hard to beat this spectacular setting.
Aquarius
Aquarius is located on a charming narrow stone paved street resembling an alley, just past Piatsa Square. It is a small bar with outdoor tables along both sides of the street, surrounded by shops and restaurants. This is a great spot to have a good Greek coffee or a favorite drink, and watch people passing by. Because Chora can be a bit cold and windy even during the summer, Aquarius provides blankets to keep you warm while sipping your cocktail. We loved their Mastiha with lemon and basil.
Astarte
Located right by Kontarini Square, across from the Church of St. Antonios, this traditional Greek bar is in the heart of Chora. This is a good choice for cocktails before or after dinner. In addition to serving all kinds of drinks, the bar is known for its rakomelo (raki and honey). We had drinks here before going to dinner at one of the restaurants just a few steps away.
Where to Eat in Folegandros
The Greek cuisine on the island is simple, fresh and delicious. There are a lot of restaurants to choose from, all reasonably priced. The local specialty dish is the Matsata – a home-made pasta in red sauce with chicken, rabbit, or goat. Here is a list of restaurants we enjoyed during our visit.
To Spitiko
We asked a local about his favorite authentic restaurant in town, and he told us about “To Spitiko”. This is a traditional family-run restaurant serving homemade food. Tables are located at the end of a street that looks more like a small quiet courtyard tucked away from the main square. We started with a simple, delicious tomato salad topped with a local cheese. Next, we had light and airy zucchini balls with a yogurt sauce. Snails in onion soup were tasty but not easy to pull from the shells. And, of course, we had to try the most local typical dish – Matsata (Greek version of fettuccine) with local rooster in tomato sauce. We finished dinner with complementary Halva, which was exquisite.
Taverna Agali
As indicated by the name, this taverna is located steps away from its namesake beach. Don’t be surprised if you have to wait for an available table. It is a popular taverna, serving great seafood, and super convenient for those hanging out on the beach. We opted for a light lunch and ordered the Greek salad, topped with a local cheese (instead of the typical Feta), fresh beets in olive oil, fried calamari, and hand-picked grilled mullets. It was a wonderful meal accompanied by a cold and refreshing Mythos beer.
To Barbounaki
Our hotel owner recommended this seafood restaurant, which turned out to be our most upscale meal in Folegandros. It is located slightly off the busy center of Chora, in a charming and serene area. Chef Konstantinos Dalianis, who participated in MasterChef Greece, is at the helm in the kitchen while his girlfriend runs the front of the house. Due to such a creative and appealing menu, we had a hard time narrowing down our selections.
As a starter, the Sea Bream ceviche was fresh, tangy and luscious. The delicious Salicornia greens (a succulent bush that grows by the sea) were crunchy and served with a local Doutoro cheese and grapes. The burned anchovies with Ashi greens in a dressing had a wonderful balance of salt and acid. The seabream fillet was well-seasoned, flaky, and came with zucchini in an exquisite egg-lemon broth. The heavenly Moussaka was expertly layered with fresh tuna and cooked in a clay pot. For dessert, we ordered the panna cotta with caramel sauce, a perfect end to an extraordinary meal. The food and service were exceptional.
Papalagi Seafood Restaurant
Papalagi is perched on a hill overlooking Agios Nikolaos Beach. And given its location, the restaurant has unmatched views of the beach and the ocean. This was a great place for a midday meal at the beach. They have a nice, varied menu that includes Greek pies, salads, carpaccios, tartares, and grilled seafood.
For starters, we ordered the Dolmades Papalagi (stuffed with rice, shrimp, parsley, and dill) with a yogurt sauce, along with a fresh Greek salad. We followed that with the Papalagi octopus, cooked in a tomato sauce and served with saffron rice. A very cold Alpha beer was an ideal choice to complement the meal on a hot summer day. Try to get a table by the railing for unobstructed views.
Restaurant Melissa
Situated in the heart of Chora, on Kontarini Square, this taverna has been around since 1958. Its dining area, under large trees, is in the center of the square which is shared with adjacent restaurants. The area is buzzing with people in the evenings, making you feel like you are in the middle of the action in this tiny village. We had a fairly traditional Greek meal here. It included a Moussaka with beef and bechamel sauce, a nicely seasoned Greek Briam (marinated and roasted vegetables), juicy and delicious grilled lamb chops, and a chicken Kontosouvli – grilled on a skewer over charcoal and served with roasted potatoes. The food was simple and tasty.
Tip
We typically opted to order the Greek house wine in all the restaurants and tavernas where we ate. A carafe is the equivalent of approximately 3 glasses of wine, and it typically cost €4.50. We found this to be one of the best values all over Greece. And we thought all the wines were great.
Getting to Folegandros
This small island does not have an airport. Therefore, the only way to get to it is by ferry. Even though there is a great network of ferries in the Cyclades, there are fewer options to go to Folegandros. Depending on your point of origin, the trip can be long and have multiple stops along the way. We were traveling from Syros, so we had to take a ferry to Mykonos first. After a 2-hour layover, we took the ferry to Folegandros. That ferry took about 5 hours and made stops at Naxos, Koufonisia, Amorgos and Santorini. Check all your options at the ferryhopper website.
Moving Around Folegandros
Typically, most hotels on the island will have a free shuttle service to pick you up upon arrival at the port. But the whole point of coming to Folegandros is to have the freedom to explore the island and go beach hopping. So, even though bus service is available, we preferred to rent a car. That made it easy and flexible to get around. Luckily for us, the owner of our hotel gave us a great package deal that included a car rental in the cost of our stay. Therefore, we didn’t have to shop around for a car. Another good option is to rent a scooter or an ATV. Keep in mind that you must have an EU or an international driver’s license to rent a car, scooter, or ATV. American driver’s licenses are not accepted in Greece, and they will not make an exception.
Our Lodging in Folegandros
Even though the island is not as crowded as many other Cycladic islands, there are fewer hotel options here. As a result, we recommend making reservations way in advance especially if you are visiting during the high season (June – September). We visited in early July and waited too long to make our reservations. A lot of places were already fully booked by the time we started our search for lodging.
Luckily, we found availability at the Hotel Polikandia. It turned out to be a lovely and quiet place, with a nice swimming pool, and a nice buffet breakfast. The location was perfect, making it easy for us to walk around Chora at any time of the day. We loved the fact that we didn’t have to drive anywhere for dinner since there were so many restaurants nearby. Because we rented the car from the hotel, we also had an assigned parking spot conveniently located next to the hotel entrance.
The owner was extremely pleasant and went out of his way to ensure we enjoyed our stay. He briefed us about the island, told us about the best beaches, and recommended his favorite restaurants. We had a great experience and would certainly return in the future.
Cycladic Paradise
We were so happy to spend time in Folegandros. Its rustic beauty is unlike any other island we visited. It is the perfect destination to enjoy its surroundings without feeling overwhelmed by tourists. Without a doubt, we will return again and again.
