The Little Gems of the NE Aegean Sea

Blue and Green Dots on the Map

In the island complex of the NE Aegean Sea there are four tiny and precious gems that are worth discovering for their natural beauty, their strong tastes and aromas and, most of all, their unspoiled character conjuring up the old times.

Psara

Tiny and Historic
When the Greek revolution burst in 1821 the ship-owners from Psara offered all of their vessels - the island used to be the third nautical power in Greece, after Hydra and Spetses - to be transformed into fighting ships.
Find wonderful beaches and several islets on and around the island and enjoy the pleasure of swimming and the magic of underwater exploration. Taste fresh seafood, delicious cheese and fine thyme honey.

Psara is located 44 nautical miles NW of Chios with connections by boat from the town of Chios and from Volissos. Additionally, there are connections from the ports of Piraeus and Rafina.

Oinousses

A Seafarer's Island
The Oinousses island cluster, with only one inhabited island bearing that name, is located between Chios and the Erythraia Peninsula of Asia Minor. Many of the Greek ship-owners’ families come from Oinousses, since the island has an age-long nautical tradition. You may be sure you’ll notice the statue of Oinoussiotissa Mitera (=mother from Oinousses) at the entrance of the port, waving goodbye to the male seafarers of the family. Will she ever see them again…?

The picturesque town of Oinoussa or Egnoussa is built like an amphitheatre on a hill, on the South side of the island. It consists of tall traditional houses and narrow paved alleys, where the captains’ mansions coexist with the humble houses at the seafront.

When it comes to gastronomy, delicious seafood and aromatic greens provide the local cuisine with exquisite pies, including mushroom ones, made with the local rare species. As for beaches, many beautiful ones are easily accessible thanks to the asphalt road around the island. You can access Oinousses by boat from Chios town or by sea taxi from Lagada, Chios.

Peaceful Fournoi

Fournoi is an island cluster between Ikaria and Samos that includes three big islands (Fournoi, Thymena and Ag.Minas) and nine small ones. Fournoi has an area of 44.3sq. km, a coastline of 126km and a population of approximately 2,000 people.

The islands are also known as Fournoi Korseon for being a pirate base especially during the Byzantine years. Although the pirates do not exist anymore, you always run the risk of Fournoi stealing your heart!
Most of its residents are fishermen since the area is famous for its fresh fish. Taste it by travelling to the island by boat, either from Piraeus, or from Samos and Ikaria.

Historic Agios Efstratios

In the heart of the Northern Aegean Sea, there is Agios Efstratios, a small island (it has an area of 44sq. km, a coastline of 30km and a population of 400 people) ideal for a calm vacation amongst unspoiled nature. The landscape consists of beautiful beaches, sea caves, rare geological formations (due to the volcanic rock) and oak forests. A place of exile for political prisoners from 1928 until 1963, the tiny peaceful island is connected by boat to the ports of Lavrio, Limnos, and Lesvos.