The small island of Agathonisi is the northernmost island in the Dodecanese archipelago and one of the smallest inhabited islands in the archipelago. It lies south of Samos and quite close to the Turkish mainland. The island has an area of 13.5 km2 and is quite barren. Agathonisi is relatively unknown, although it is a short distance from the larger known islands of Samos, Kos and Rhodes. There are about 180 permanent inhibitans on Agathonisi and they live a quiet life with fishing and a little income from the relatively few tourists who find their way to the island. The majority of the island’s tourists are sailors who anchor in the beautiful bay for a few days and enjoy the local hospitality.
Eating places: Agathonisi is an island for people who appreciate an authentic island and do not want the island set up for tourist life, with bars, sunbeds etc. You just have to enjoy the calm pace, the clear sea water that is everywhere around the island and, of course, delicious Greek food. There are not many places to eat on the island. We were not impressed by a single tavern in the harbor town (George’s tavern). On the ferry dock you can find a cafe and on the way up into town trere are an other little cafe. The small cafe was actually a cozy place, but with very limited selection. We quickly found the mountain behind the harbor where the real Greek tavern was to be found. Here, quality and service were top notch and the prices rock bottom, which is often the case on these non-touristy islands.
Amazing taverne in the mauntains behind the harbour
Towns: The port town, named Agios Georgios, after the church in the area, is located in a deep small bay with turquoise waters on the south side of Agathonisi. Here there are little whitewashed houses along the road that runs along the bay, and houses in shades of yellow that climb up the hillside. Small fishing boats lie and rock on the clear water. In the town there is one of the island’s two mini markets. There are two other villages on the island and they are within walking distance of the harbor town. Mikro Chorio is located approx. 750 m along the road northwest of the harbour. Here are a few houses around a small square. 900 m along the road from the harbor upwards to the east lies the slightly larger town of Megalo Chorio, which is the island’s main town. Here there are a few more houses and here is the island’s second small mini market. Not much happens here and you get the feeling that everything is as it was a hundred years ago.
Beaches: There are two beaches in the harbor town and the water is clear and inviting. If you walk/drive further along the coast to the west you will come to the beach Spilia with coarse sand and good bathing conditions. There is also Tsankari beach, which is located in a small bay approximately 1 km southeast of the port city. Sights: Like most Greek islands, Agathonisi does not have remains from ancient times, so there is not much to look at, apart from enjoying the silence and the beautiful wild nature.
Accommodation: There are limited accommodation options on Agathonisi, as there are relatively few tourists who find their way to the island. We lived in a nice place right down to one of the harbor city’s beaches. We can safely recommend Voulas rooms. It’s a nice clean place in a perfect location. Voula also has a small shop on site, with clothes and local productions.
Scooter rental: The distances on Agathonisi are limited and perhaps that is why it’s not possible to rent a means of transport. If you want to drive around on the excellent roads on the island, you must bring a scooter from Samos, Kos or wherever you come from. Remember to get permission from the rental compagny to take the scooter to Aghatonisi. You must also remember to fill the tank completely before sailing to the island. There are very few opportunities to get petrol on the island, as the only tank (at the port) was permanently closed when we visited the island in 2024.
Vaiting to board the old ferry Nissos Kalymnos in Pythagorion Samos.
Ferry connections: We combined Aghatonisi with Samos and Lipsi and the ferry connections between the islands are quite efficient. Agathonisi was a really nice experience and can only be recommended if, like us, you like to visit these small authentic islands where tourism is relatively unknown. If you love Agthonisi, the small neighboring island Arki is probably something you will also like (-: