As your hydrofoil boat arrives in Alonnisos you will typically disembark at one of two points directly in the harbor area. The picture at the left is one view of the Patitiri harbor that I took when arriving on a Flying Dolphin many years ago.
If your voyage was on a Flying Cat, you will exit the boat at the rear, if it’s a Dolphin it will be near the front of the boat. Note that the large ferries do not disembark here but further away to the south east.
Getting to Your Hotel/Pension
If you are staying somewhere near Patitiri harbor, depending upon how much luggage you have it may be practical for you to walk to your hotel. If, on the other hand, you are staying at a hotel or pension which is on the upper level of the town, you will probably want to take a taxi. When making your room reservations it’s of course a good idea to ask the hotel staff member for directions to the hotel from the port, and to inquire as to the best way to get there.
If you are staying at a hotel, pension, or private residence in the upper village of Alonnisos (the Old Village, or “Hora”), you have the option of hiring a taxi or taking the city bus from the port up to the village. One thing is certain, you will need some form of transportation because there’s no way you can walk to the village unless the only bag you have is a backpack! Please note that this bus only runs during the tourist season from early June until the end of September.
If your accommodations are anywhere else on the island other than the Old Village (e.g., Votsi, Milia Bay, Steni Vala), unless you have a friend to drive you, or are part of a tour group handled by one of the travel agencies on the island, there will be no other option but to take a taxi or rent a car.
Relaxing at the Port
Once you’re off the boat if you would prefer to sit down for a spell to relax and have a meal and/or a beverage, there are several tavernas, restaurants, and cafes within walking distance of the quay. We typically stop at the Ostria Cafe. If you look at the photo with me in it above on the right, the Ostria Cafe is the second restaurant to the left of where the boat docks.
If you opt to stop by the Ostria Cafe, you’ll find a very diverse menu for both food and beverages. The owner is Eleni along with her husband Victor and her mother Maria, and Eleni has been a dear friend of ours for nearly 18 years. She speaks excellent English by the way. Please feel free to tell her that Jeff and Andrea from the USA sent you.
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