Alonissos Giala beach

General information

Gialia Beach Alonissos: The beach of Gialia is actually a small rocky cove with some sand, found at north of the old town of Alonissos, known as Old Alonissos. One of the distinctive facts about this beach is a windmill in disuse placed on a small rock on the left side, which also may be used as a watchtower. Gialia will surely be appreciated by those who enjoy wild nature, as it has some rough features, like its rocky terrain and sometimes, rough sea.

Although this is not the typical family beach, it is a lovely place to experience some nature on its wild state. The fact of being close to Old Alonissos, a great settlement with many positive facts, gives the chance of combining both destinations on the same excursion. The best features of Old Alonissos are related to its calm environment that looks almost liked it escaped from a fairy tale. Its houses are typically whitewashed, distributed along narrow streets, and with small colourful balconies with plenty of flowers.

The history about this settlement is pretty interesting, since it used to be the capital of the island until the 1965 earthquake provoked a disaster. Consequently, the total number of inhabitants abandoned the place and emigrated nearby the sea, where the new capital, Patitiri was built.

Currently, Old Alonissos is placed at 4 km from the capital, and although many of its features are already part of the past, its natural advantages remain untouched. For example, the great panoramic view of Skopelos island, apart from Alonissos itself and the Aegean Sea. This is guaranteed by its location on the top a hill.

On the other hand, although many houses have been seriously damaged, some of them were –and still are -restored by the locals in order to become bars, taverns or small shops. For example, one of them is found at the top of the hill, and can be reached qiote easily following some steps. This is a very traditional café, which serves local sweets, and counts on a stunning view, due to its location. In addition, some wealthy German and English visitors have also restored many of these houses with excellent results, after buying them at extremely low prices. Also some Byzantine churches have remain, such as the chapel of Agioi Anargyroi, which is worth a visit.

Regarding the different options in terms of transport, in order to get to Old Alonissos before reaching Gialia beach, it is possible to go by local bus from Patitiri, which has a very good frequency, especially during high season. However, it is also possible to go on foot, after taking a picturesque donkey path surrounded by trees and a very nice view. This takes approximately 45 minutes, also parts from Patitiri. Another option could be to take a taxi, as this usually does not result expensive.

Anyway, before planning the schedule take into account that this type of excursion is mostly advisable for those who do not have a walking impediment, since the mountainous relieve of Old Alonissos, combined to the rocky terrain of Gialia beach may cause some difficulties in these cases. On the other hand, those with good health and taste for adventure will sure enjoy combining their visit to Gialia beach to Old Alonissos and enjoying their unspoiled nature and tradition.