Chora in Alonissos

Chora (or Palia Alonissos) is an extremely cosy village with high charm factor about 3 kilometres west of Patitiri. The Sporades was hit by an earthquake in 1965, Alonissos did not get away, and large parts of Chora was destroyed. Clear traces of the earthquake are visible even today, several houses are still in ruins. (For those who wonder, only one person died, an old lady who suffered a heart attack.)

View of Chora.

Chora and Megalos Mourtias beach.

Renovated houses in Chora.

Foreigners (mainly Germans and British) started to buy houses in Chora for about 20 years ago. Since the houses in most cases were in ruins, the prices were low. Many of the houses have been restored today and Chora has slowly started to revive.

In the winter it is rather quiet and deserted in Chora, in general the foreigners only spend the summer on Alonissos. Nevertheless there is some hustle and bustle in the village during the summer months. More and more tavernas, cafes and bars have opened, and there is also some hotels and pensions.

In the main square of Chora there are several taverns and cafes.

The square also houses the Church of the Birth of Christ from the 12th century.

The nicest way to approach Chora is on foot (see link at the bottom), you get a nice hike and you have plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful painting that Chora is part of: snow-white houses with brick-red roofs that climbs uphill on a verdant mountain ridge that goes all the way down to the blue-green sea, in the distant you get a glimpse of the pine tree covered mountains of Skopelos.

Chora in a nutshell.

Of course the scenery is the same if you go by bus or by car or scooter, but to slowly, slowly approach the village in silence is just a cut above. The hike is easy and goes along the old donkey path, expect 30-40 minutes. The footpath starts a bit further up on the left inland street leading from Patitiri. It is signposted.

If you drive car or scooter you may park outside the village, Chora is mostly car-free. Just like a real Chora should be. Follow the main street into the village, you will soon see the old Church of the Birth of Christ, there is a cosy square with a couple of inviting cafes to the right of the church. Turn left after the church to get into the actual "centre".

Cosy The Sweet Home Hayiati in Chora.

Soon you will reach a maze of narrow alleys with tavernas and cafes - both chic and typically Greek - and a fairly large number of souvenir shops. Parts of Chora is quite touristy, but not so annoying. At the top of the village is an old Kastro, from here it was easy to discover potential intruders at the time when pirates were common.

One of several beautiful alleys in Chora.

Kastro in Chora.

One of the abandoned houses in Kastro.

If you long to buy toy donkeys and toy octopuses, you will love Chora.

The nearest beaches from Chora are Vithisma, and Ghialia Megalos and Mourtias which you can read about here »

ACCOMMODATION IN CHORA

When I came to Alonissos for the first time, it is many years ago, there were only a few pensions in Chora. Today there are many more, some of the new hotels are really luxurious, as Althea Armonia Suites is a good example of. If you want to live less luxuriously, but still very well, you book Asteri Apartments.

Book Asteri Apartments here »

Book Althea Armonia Suites here »

Book oter hotels in Chora here »

Don't miss the walk between Chora and Patitiri, which you can read about here »