Koufonissi
Introduction
A mini-paradise, Koufonissi is a place hard to forget. One of the most
beautiful Greek islands, with a surprisingly cosmopolitan atmosphere
despite the fact that the island is only 4 sq. km.
It is a quiet island, since it practically has no traffic, but still
there are lovely beaches and an elegant nightlife for a mature audience.
The locals here have always lived off fishing, but the incomes from
tourism are slowly increasing, and for this reason they do their best to
renovate and freshen up the buildings and streets before every summer.
History :The island shares the same
background as the surrounding islands. We don't know when it was first
inhabited, and what happened on the island in antiquity. It was
conquered like the rest of the islands by the Romans in the 2nd century
BC, and fell into Venetian hands in the 13th century.
The Turks invaded in the 16th century, and the island was liberated in
1821.
What to See :Chora is the only
village on the island, and here there are pretty little churches, an art
gallery and a few shops. Apart from that, there is not much to see,
except the beautiful surroundings.
What to Do
:This is the perfect place for a beach holiday, so bring your
snorkelling equipment and enjoy.
Koufonissi Beaches :Koufonissi
has some of the best beaches of the Greek islands. The are sandy and
great for families with children, since they are shelving and calm. The
island is tiny, so just take a walk and find your own spot. Many thing
the lagoon Pori is the most beautiful place. Nudists go to the area
after Charokopou. There is also a boat that goes to some smaller islands
with excellent beaches outside Koufonissi.
Nightlife: There are a couple of
places in Chora, but don't expect any wild nights. Here, you just have a
cold drink, enjoy some good music and the surroundings.
Food :The taverns are in Chora, and
they all serve good traditional Greek food, plus pizza and pasta for
children.
Shopping :There are a few souvenir
shops in Chora, as well as an art gallery where you can get handpainted
t-shirts and paintings. There are also a few shops with antiques and
miscellaneous things, useful and not.
Getting Around: Walking!
There are no cars or mopeds for rent, and no local bus, but the island
is tiny and almost flat, so getting around by foot is no problem.
Getting There :For obvious
reasons, this small island has no airport, so the best thing to do is to
go to Naxos, Mykonos or Paros and get a ferryboat from there. Be careful
on your last day - to be on the safe side it is a good idea to leave the
island the day before the departure, since the ferryboat might be
canceled because of bad weather, leaving you stranded.
Facts about Koufonissi*
| Phone numbers*
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Size: 4 sq. km
Population: 280
Airport:: No
Cash machine: No
Internet cafe: Yes
Highest Mountain:
Price rate: Average |
International code: 0030
Local code: 22850
Doctor:
Police:
Port Police: 71735
Tourist Police:
Bus company:
Coast guard:
Post office:
Telephone company (OTE):
Taxi: |
*The info displayed may be inaccurate. If changes have been made, please let us know.
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