A unique ecosystem-refuge for flora and fauna
The National Marine Park of Alonnisos – Northern Sporades is the first marine park in Greece and the largest in Europe, with a total area exceeding 2,200 sq. km. It was established in 1992 as a model of environmental protection and constitutes a unique ecosystem, combining natural beauty, scientific importance, and rich biodiversity.
At its heart, Alonnisos functions as its natural and administrative centre, with modern infrastructure for public information and awareness. It also includes six uninhabited islets: Kyra-Panagia, Psathoura, Gioura, Piperi, Skantzoura, and Peristera, as well as dozens of smaller rocky islets.
The park is a paradise for nature lovers, featuring sea caves, coral formations, dolphins, seabirds, Caretta caretta turtles, and the famous Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), one of the most endangered mammals on the planet. Observation of these species is carried out with absolute respect for the environment.
On the coasts, aromatic plants and pine trees thrive, reaching the sea and creating a landscape of rare natural beauty.
Kyra-Panagia impresses with the monastery of the same name and its two natural bays. Psathoura stands out for its black volcanic sand and one of the tallest lighthouses in the Aegean Sea, dating back to 1895. Gioura hosts the impressive Cave of the Cyclops, a geological monument with finds from the Neolithic and Mesolithic periods, associated to the Homeric Cyclops Polyphemus. Piperi is fully protected and inaccessible, ensuring tranquillity for the seals and seabirds that find refuge there.
The Marine Park can be visited only via organised sea excursions from Alonnisos, carried out by specially licensed operators. Swim in secluded bays, see dolphins accompanying you on the boat trip, and experience the tranquillity of a pristine marine landscape where humans and nature coexist harmoniously.
At its heart, Alonnisos functions as its natural and administrative centre, with modern infrastructure for public information and awareness. It also includes six uninhabited islets: Kyra-Panagia, Psathoura, Gioura, Piperi, Skantzoura, and Peristera, as well as dozens of smaller rocky islets.
The park is a paradise for nature lovers, featuring sea caves, coral formations, dolphins, seabirds, Caretta caretta turtles, and the famous Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), one of the most endangered mammals on the planet. Observation of these species is carried out with absolute respect for the environment.
On the coasts, aromatic plants and pine trees thrive, reaching the sea and creating a landscape of rare natural beauty.
Kyra-Panagia impresses with the monastery of the same name and its two natural bays. Psathoura stands out for its black volcanic sand and one of the tallest lighthouses in the Aegean Sea, dating back to 1895. Gioura hosts the impressive Cave of the Cyclops, a geological monument with finds from the Neolithic and Mesolithic periods, associated to the Homeric Cyclops Polyphemus. Piperi is fully protected and inaccessible, ensuring tranquillity for the seals and seabirds that find refuge there.
The Marine Park can be visited only via organised sea excursions from Alonnisos, carried out by specially licensed operators. Swim in secluded bays, see dolphins accompanying you on the boat trip, and experience the tranquillity of a pristine marine landscape where humans and nature coexist harmoniously.
