The lovely little village of Nikia on Nisyros

The incredibly nice village of Nikia is located about 14 kilometres from Mandraki. Like Emborio, the village balances on the rim of the volcano and in this balancing act lives about sixty people. It is a very small village with a few houses, almost like a small dollhouse. In and around the square are some tavernas, shops and cafes.

Nikia - the village with the beautiful name.

Taste on the name Nikia for a while, certainly it sounds beautiful. When we first came here I fell in love with the village and the cute name. I sent a text message to a friend in Sweden and asked him to buy the domain name nikia.com, but it was unfortunately busy, and still is today. I do not remember what I would have the domain name for.

The Volcanological Museum in Nikia.

Where the village begins lies The Volcanological Museum, which is unique in its kind in Greece. The museum is located in the old primary school and is very interesting. Before visiting the volcano below Nikia, you should first visit this amazing museum. At the beginning of the village there is a small path leading to the Church of Agios Ioannis Theologos. It does not take many minutes to go there and your reward will be a moment of total silence, shadow and view across the volcano.

The taverna Andriotis Meating is also located at the beginning of the village.

At first glance, it is easy to believe that Nikia consists of a single lane, but if you follow the winding alleys downwards, you will discover more houses and small alleys. Some houses are abandoned, others are for sale and many are renovated. The first time we were on Nisyros, Nikia was pretty run-down. We talked to the mayor (who also rented cars and mopeds) and he did not think that Nikia would survive as a village. Fortunately, he was wrong.

One of the cosy alleys in Nikia.

The nice square in Nikia.

The same cosy square. The island in the background is Tilos.

A hiking trail descends from Nikia to the caldera floor and then on to Mandraki. You can see the entire volcanic area from the lookout point at the far end of the village. It is an enchanting view.

View across the volcano from Nikia. The village of Emborio is located below the arrow.

After looking at the spectacular view, you can gather your thoughts here.

The crater Stefanos in the volcano. Nikia is in the upper right of the picture, but is not visible.

The main street in Nikia. Isn't it beautiful!

ACCOMMODATION IN NIKIA

We have never stayed overnight in Nikia, but we would very much like to do so. I can imagine how amazing it must be in the evenings, and in the mornings. Places to stay are severely limited. If we were going to stay a few nights in Nikia, we would happily have stayed at the Traditional Sea View House.

Book Traditional sea view house here »

Read more about Nisyros here »