Welcome to the “Alonnisos Insider” Site

Welcome to the Alonnisos Insider Site! As a frequent visitor to Greece (i.e., 18 trips between 1997 and 2024) I’ve learned many things about traveling there, and am particularly knowledgeable about Alonnisos island. My primary intention with this site is to provide readers with valuable insights into the island itself, including guidance with respect to:

  • The primary methods of getting to/from Alonnisos
  • Information about what to see and do when visiting there
  • Courtesy listings for rooms, studios and homes available for rent on the island

In addition, I share “insider information” through my opinions regarding restaurants and other service providers in Alonnisos. In this regard, please note that any recommendations I make here regarding specific businesses are simply my experiences and suggestions, and of course, they should not preclude you from visiting and experiencing other establishments or using other service providers during your stay on the island.

If you are using a PC or laptop, the best way to use the site is to refer to the Category Archives box to your right, as it provides a summary of all topics covered.

NOTE: For those visiting this site using a smartphone or other mobile device, please look to the right of the screen to see the nav-bar content, which includes links to specific categories of posts (e.g., “Alonnisos-Restaurants”, “Getting to Alonnisos from Volos,” and many, many more).

If you have any questions regarding anything on this site, or have specific questions about Alonnisos, contact me via email by clicking here.

If you have found value in this website and are a member of Facebook, please click on this link to be taken to the Alonnisos Insider page on Facebook, where you can choose to “Like” the site. This will help us to spread the word about the Alonnisos Insider. Thanks! Also please note that I regularly share new photos on that page.

Important Notice: The date and time stamp at the bottom of every post is not  reflective of the “newness” of the information shared. Note that as of August 2024 I have made several updates to posts that required update. I also make it a practice to update older posts when necessary whenever I make another trip to Alonnisos. Also, please note that to keep this site “pure,” none of the links on this site provide compensation to me or this website for any click-throughs.

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An Additional Recommended Taxi Driver in Athens

In an earlier post, I highly recommended a taxi driver in Athens named Spiros Halkides, whose services we have used many times over the past 15 or more years. We have always been pleased with the quality of those services, and with those of other drivers he has occasionally sent to pick us up when we travel through Athens. With that said, because there are times when Spiros is very busy with conducting tours, it is wise to have a back-up taxi resource that can be trusted to provide quality service.

In this regard, we also highly recommend an associate of Spiros named Kostas Markouslis (pictured with us to the right). This year when we arrived at the Athens airport, he was waiting for us with a big smile and then drove us in his very comfortable Mercedes taxi to our hotel in the city center. The next day, he took us to Mantoudi to catch our ferry to Alonnisos. The service was excellent as usual! Just like Spiros, Kostas is a genuinely nice man and an excellent driver as well.

The business card to the right includes all of Kostas’ contact information. When you do contact him, please tell him Jeff and Andrea from the U.S. say hello.

To contact me via email with any questions regarding this post click here.

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Astrofegia Restaurant & Bar – Old Village

The Astrofegia Restaurant & Bar is an excellent dining option in the Old Village of Alonnisos. It has been in business for decades, and continues to be run efficiently and successfully by the same family. Currently, it is being managed by Marianne Toundas, daughter of the founders Yiannis and Emma; she is supported by a great staff of people who clearly enjoy their work and quite obviously appreciate their customers.

For whatever reason, until this summer this restaurant has not been a part of our usual circle of places to eat, so I hadn’t written a post about it. After two dinners at Astrofegia this year, I must admit that it truly is an absolutely wonderful place to eat! The food and the service were both impeccable during each of our recent visits, so we’ll now be including it as one of our go-to places for dinners out going forward.

The menu includes excellent starters and salads, and a solid assortment of main dishes. We ordered the beet root salad twice and really enjoyed it, and found the artichoke entrée to be divine on our first visit. On the second visit we ordered a penne pasta dish with Parmesan cheese that was delicious. While it’s not our practice to order a bottle of wine, I noticed that the menu also includes a wide selection of high-quality wines across all customary categories for those who fancy fine wines.

Astrofegia is located on a footpath that rises to the east from just to the left of the grocery store in the Old Village. For any questions or to make a reservation, telephone the restaurant at either 2424-0-65182 or 6973 955 001.

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Al Diavolo – Pizza Restaurant in the Old Village

After all our trips to Greece we surely do love Greek food. And, there are simply times when we have a taste for an alternative cuisine. Fortunately, there is a very nice pizza restaurant open in the Old Village, Al Diavolo, that makes very tasty pizzas.

This restaurant has a number of varieties of pizza on the menu (e.g., margherita, veggie, ham & bacon, and many more), plus salads and other foods as well. We also have found the service to be solid too. They also sell pizzas on a carry-out basis if you’re wanting to eat at home or in your rental room.

To get to Al Diavolo, from where the city bus stops walk up the main road into the Old Village and veer to your left when you get to the little church up there. Follow the path/road up and turn right at the first path you encounter. Al Diavolo is about 15 meters from there.

Bon Appetit!

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Το Στεκι (“The Joint”) – Souvaki and Gyros Shop in Patitiri

One sure way to know if a restaurant is a great place to eat is when you see every table filled, and also many people waiting for carry-out orders. Το Στεκι is clearly that type of place. This small but very popular souvlaki and gyros shop has excellent food and solid service as well.

The restaurant is operated by Maria, a very experienced food service pro who we originally met in 2000 when she was working at a restaurant right on the Patirii waterfront. When you visit Το Στεκι, it’s really obvious that Maria is the boss (afendikoh!) who keeps things moving and makes sure that orders are filled quickly and precisely!

Το Στεκι is located about 50 meters from the Patitiri waterfront where the Flying Dolphin comes into port. It’s on the left side of the road across from a small bakery that Maria also runs. We highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for high quality, affordable fast food and solid service.

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Demi’s Restaurant in the Old Village

During our last visit to Alonnisos in 2019 we ate at Demi’s Restaurant a couple of times late in the season. We found both the food and the service to be solid. For whatever reason, I never got around to writing a post about our experiences here on the blog. So, now that I’m finally back on the island again after a nearly four year absence, I felt inspired to finally write this post and share our views about this restaurant.

Since we arrived in Alonnisos in early June, we have eaten dinner at Demi’s three times and have really enjoyed each of those experiences. Each and every menu item we’ve purchased has been delicious, including a hearty lemon chicken entrée and a very tasty meatballs in tomato sauce dish. All the salads we’ve ordered included produce that was obviously fresh and the portions were generous as well. As for the prices, we’ve found that they are in line with what we’ve seen in other full-service restaurants in both the Old Village and in the port town of Patitiri.

I likewise want to point out that in all of our visits the service provided by the very professional waiter, Nikolas, and his assistant Thodoris, has been excellent. And, Demi himself is not just an experienced chef, but also a really friendly man who makes a point of regularly visiting patrons’ tables personally to check on their satisfaction with the meals.

Bottom Line – we really like Demi’s Restaurnt and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quality place to eat in the Old Village.

Demi’s is located on the right side of main walkway of the Old Village, just about 75 meters from where the Alonnisos city bus stops to drop off passengers.

 

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Private Health Clinic in Alonnisos – Cosmohealth

For many years on Alonnisos, the only medical facility that was available to both local residents and visitors was a basic clinic that had limited diagnostic capabilities and staffing. In many instances, while the resident doctor and staff always did their very best to be of service, the reality was that anyone who experienced a serious medical issue or had an accident of some type and really needed medical care, typically had to take the next available boat to Volos to receive assistance.

While that clinic still exists today, in 2019 a new private healthcare clinic called Cosmoshealth began operations in the port town of Patitiri, one which offers a wide range of diagnostic and treatment options, as well as access to a large assortment of medical doctors. Today the Cosmoshealth private medical facility operates throughout the year, and during the summer tourist season its operation is extended over a 24/7 basis with medical staff that can support emergencies as well. In addition, during the rest of the year Cosmoshealth offers a wide variety of medical specialties, following monthly issued programs that are adjusted according to ferry schedules and weather conditions too.

The medical specialties covered in this outpatient healthcare facility are Ultrasonography and Angiological Triplex exams performed by a Doctor of Radiology, Gynecology/Obstetrics, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Endocrinology/Diabetes care, Neurology, Urology, Pulmonology, Rheumatology, Dermatology, and General pathology. Faithful to its vision, Cosmoshealth continuously develops its services, aspiring to ensure improved health and a better life for all.

Cosmohealth is located on the north portion of the Patitiri ring road. Examinations must be pre-scheduled by phone (+302424065555, +306942467768). Payments are private and all major credit cards are accepted. Patients with private insurance coverage are welcome as well, since after the completion of the examinations and the medical services, Cosmohealth provides a detailed Medical Report along with a financial receipt for the patient to submit the claim for payment to their private health care insurance company.

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The Alonissos App from Zesti.gr

For an additional information resource about Alonnisos beyond this blog, anyone who visits the island with a smartphone really should download and use the Alonissos App prior to your trip (see screen shot to your right). This advanced, user-friendly application was created by a team of people who truly know Alonnisos, and who had the requisite technical expertise to design this top-flight information resource.

The Alonissos App is a dynamic guide for those visiting the island, as well as anyone who is interested in doing so. To ensure it remains up to date, information is added continuously to assist users in effortlessly navigating to find the best the island has to offer. With this powerful app, users can easily identify where to stay, what places to visit, where to swim, where to dine, and much more (see sample screen shot to your left).

In addition, users can personalize the guide by adding favorites, ratings, and comments about the places they visit so others can benefit from the knowledge of their experiences. When a user locates a place they want to visit, they simply need to tap below the map to navigate there. The screen shot below shows a sample page about the Old Village of Alonnisos.

The Alonissos App is powered by the Zesti platform, and because the company works closely with the people of the Alonissos and the local Municipality, the content is constantly updated. Users also can click on the feedback button within the app to make suggestions for additions or improvements to it.

The Alonissos App is free for smartphone users, and is available for both the iOS and Android operating systems. Local island businesses interested in advertising through the app pay an annual fee. To download the app for use on an iPhone, visit the Apple AppStore using this link; Android OS users can get the app through the Google PlayStore by clicking here.

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Getting to Alonnisos from Athens via the port of Mantoudi in Evia

People on their way to Alonnisos who arrive in Athens, and who do not want to fly to Skiathos (for an ensuing boat transfer to Alonnisos), or who are unable to book a flight to Skiathos, can travel to the port of Mantoudi on the island of Evia in order to get to the island using the following options:

Option 1: is to take a coach bus to the port of Mantoudi on the island of Evia, followed by a ferry to Alonnisos. To book reservations for the ferry click here.

To reach Mantoudi by bus from the Athens airport you will first need to take the X93 city bus to the Bus Terminus B bus station in Athens. To see a long-distance bus schedule for buses departing from Bus Terminus B click here. The total time it will take you to get to Mantoudi from the airport via Bus Terminus B will be perhaps as much as 3.5 hours, but could be more based on traffic conditions. The estimated time for the bus ride itself from Athens to Mantoudi is approximately 2.5 hours. To book reservations on this bus click here. Choose the departure point as Athens and the arrival point as Kymasi.

One other note, in addition to bus X93 from the airport, you also can reach Athens City Centre via the Metro Train line. Ask the information desk at the airport for directions to the on-site Metro station (it’s on the lower level). If you do take the Metro, you’ll want to take it to the Attiki Station in Athens, as it’s the closest station to Bus Terminus B for your next travel segment to Mantoudi. Note that travel via train instead of bus gets you to the city center in perhaps half the time. Please likewise note that based on advice from a friend in Athens, for safety sake it’s best to take a taxi from the Athens Attiki Metro Station to the main bus terminal.

Option 2: To Mantoudi via Taxi/Limo

If you aren’t as much concerned about cost as you are about comfort and speed, you also have the option of taking a taxi/limo from the Athens Airport directly to Mantoudi. While this would obviously be more expensive than bus travel, if two or more people are traveling together the price is much more reasonable and it’s clearly more convenient.
If you are interested in taking a taxi/limo, I highly recommend the services of a driver in Athens named Spiros Halkides. Not only is he a great guy, but he also speaks fluent English from his experience in living in New York for many years. Here is his contact information: Telephone: 30-2109944771 (H) & (30)-6944285686(MOBILE). To visit Spiros’ website click here. To contact Spiros via email, click here.

If Spiros happens to be unavailable for whatever reason, I also highly recommend the taxi services of an associate of his named Kostas Markouslis. Click here to learn about Kostas’ services and to access his contact information.

(As an alternative to the above information, there is a website called RometoRio that has a bookings page dedicated to the Athens – Mantoudi segment. Click here to visit it.)

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Insurance Services in Alonnisos

A trusted friend of ours, George Tsoukanas, is now offering top-quality insurance services for Alonnisos residents as well as homeowners on the island who are from the EU and other countries too. He can provide access to coverage for homes, businesses, autos, and motorbikes from an assortment of well-respected insurance suppliers.

To contact George via email about the various types of insurance coverage he has available, please click here.

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ElectroNet Alonnisos – Wide Selection of Electronic Products, Excellent Service

Back in 2018 the 20-year old refrigerator in our family home in Alonnisos began to fail, so we had to face the fact that it was time to replace it. While some folks on the island suggested that we shop for it on the Internet, I really felt it was better to deal face-to-face with local people for a purchase such as this.

So, I visited the ElectroNet store in Patitiri several times that year to do research in order to make a decision as to which fridge to buy. We eventually bought one from the store and and it was delivered just three hours later by one of the owners, Panayiotis, and two other men who clearly knew what they were doing.  They not only brought the new fridge, they also took the old one away for only 20 Euros.

That very positive experience left me feeling very happy with ElectroNet. Ever since that initial experience I’ve chosen to purchase other products from there as well  (e.g., coffee grinder, LED monitor, new portable phone for the landline in the house).

All of my experiences at ElectroNet have been very positive, as Nikos the manager is always very helpful and very knowledgeable about the products he sells. Because of this, I highly recommend ElectroNet as a source in Alonnisos for just about any electronic product.

ElectroNet is located across from the car park across near the big bakery on the main street heading up to the port. The store’s telephone number is 2424-0-66069; to contact the store via email, click here.

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