Wild, authentic and almost completely off the radar of international tourism, Anafi is perhaps the last remaining true Cycladic island. Long beaches of fine sand, a sea of an almost incredible turquoise, and a silence that is almost no longer found in the Mediterranean: those who reach it do so knowing that they will have to give up some comforts, but what they find in exchange is something increasingly rare – a still intact nature, a living community, a human rhythm. It’s not an island for everyone. And this is exactly its greatest charm.
Getting to Anafi is already part of the journey
The island lies a few kilometers from Santorini, yet it seems to belong to another time and another world. There is no airport, there are no direct flights, there are no convenient connections. Ferries travel at night, with irregular schedules that change depending on the season, and reach the port in the early hours of dawn. The light that accompanies the arrival – the sun rising over the sea while the outline of the island becomes increasingly clear – is in itself a reward for those who have had the patience to be there.
The most practical way to get there is to fly to Santorini and take a ferry from there: the crossing takes about an hour and a half. In summer there are more connections, but not every day, and you need to check the timetables carefully because they change often. Alternatively you can fly to Athens and take a night ferry from the capital, a longer but equally evocative crossing. From Rome or other Italian cities, the most convenient combination is still the one that passes through Santorini.
Precisely this difficulty of access has preserved the soul of Anafi. You don’t end up here by chance, you don’t end up in Anafi for a night passing between one island and another. You come there because you looked for it, because someone told you about it with that light in their eyes that people have when they talk about the places that have changed them.
Chora, the village that seems frozen in time
The only real inhabited center on the island is called Chora and can be reached in about ten minutes on foot from the port. It is perched on a hill with classic Cycladic style: narrow streets that intertwine like in a labyrinth, whitewashed houses, blue windows and doors, tiny courtyards where the laundry hanging out in the sun moves with the breeze.
No cars pass. You can hear the sound of footsteps, some conversation in a low voice, the sound of a cat on the wall.
Morning is the best time to wander around the Chora. The village bakery opens early and bakes traditional local cakes and breads — called Anafiotika — which alone is worth the early wake-up call. The elderly sit outside the bars with coffee or raki, children play in the alleys, and you can breathe an authentic daily life that in many Greek islands is now just a memory. Walking through the Chora has no specific purpose: you get lost, you sit down, you look around.
The Kalamos and the monastery on the rock
Upon arrival by ferry, the first thing you notice is it: the Kalamos, a rock monolith that rises 463 meters above sea level. It is the second largest monolith in Europe after that of Gibraltar, and on its top stands the small monastery of Kalamiotissa, white against the sky, clinging to the rock as if defying gravity.
Climbing to the top requires about an hour and a half of walking on a steep but well-marked path. You need solid sneakers and a bit of training, but the view that opens up at the top repays every effort. In summer, many travelers go up at sunset with a sleeping bag, sleep on the terrace of the monastery and wake up at dawn in an atmosphere that is difficult to describe in words — mystical, silent, almost unreal. Before tackling the climb it is worth stopping at the Zoodochou Pigi Monastery, where the path starts from. If the gate is closed, just ring the bell: a nun will open and you can visit the courtyard, buy honey and local products in the internal shop.
Trekking and trails in the wild hinterland
Anafi is an island designed for those who love walking. The paths are numerous, often little frequented, and cross landscapes that range from Mediterranean scrub to cliffs overlooking the sea, from arid plains to hidden valleys. These are not tame routes for tourism: some are challenging, without precise signage, and require a minimum of orientation and adequate equipment.
Among the most beautiful routes is the one that connects Klisidi to Katsouni along the sea, and the one that goes up from Zoodochou Pigi to the top of Viglia, from where you can see the whole island at once. Each trail has its own personality: some are a peaceful walk, others are a real adventure. In all cases, the reward is the same — a silence broken only by the wind and sea, and the feeling of having the island all to yourself.
The beaches of Anafi
Anafi’s beaches are why many travelers return year after year. There are no umbrellas, there are no sunbeds for rent, there are no beach bars with loud music. There is only sand, water and rock. Some can be reached on foot following steep paths, others are only accessible by boat. They all have in common crystal clear water and absolute tranquility.
Megalos Roukounas is the best known and largest: a wide, open stretch of sand, frequented by backpackers and those who practice naturism.
It has a free and slightly alternative energy that makes it different from any other beach in the Cyclades. Near Roukounas there is Flamourou, a more intimate and intimate strip of sand, reachable on foot, perfect for those seeking absolute peace.
Klisidi is a few minutes walk from the Chora: white sand, a few trees for shade, open sea views. It is the most accessible beach on the island and the most suitable for those who do not want to venture too far. Katsouni, on the other hand, is a small, almost deserted cove, close to the port but isolated from the rest of the world, the kind of place where you lose all sense of time.
Agioi Anargyri is perhaps the most spectacular: reddish sand, transparent water and a white chapel set in the rock which during the day projects its shadow on the beach differently depending on the time. It takes a little effort to get there — on foot or by boat — but it’s one of those places that sticks with you. Local legend has it that couples who visit together get married soon: believable or not, the atmosphere is certainly romantic.
For the more adventurous there is Livoskopo, in the north of the island, reachable along a path overlooking the sea which is an experience in itself. And then Katalimatsa, with its red sand and an almost Martian landscape, barren and powerful. Megalos Potamos is the largest beach of all: golden sand, space for everyone, never really crowded.
Those who want to see the most hidden coves on the perimeter of the island can rent a boat or take part in an organized trip: the Koursaro, the so-called pirate, is the historic boat that takes visitors to discover the otherwise unreachable inlets.
Kastelli and the archaeological sites in the hinterland
Anafi has an ancient and layered history that is often overshadowed by its natural beauty. Inland there are the remains of Kastelli, the ancient city of the island: surrounding walls, tombs, cisterns and structures that tell of centuries of human settlement. There is no ticket to buy, there is no guide waiting for the tourists: you arrive, you look, you listen to the wind among the ancient stones.
Near Roukounas Beach there are also community ovens, large circular structures that were once used to bake bread for the entire island community. Not far away there is a small artificial dam built to collect rainwater, a very precious resource on an island without perennial springs. These are details that tell the daily life of a community that has learned to survive with what the territory offers.
Culture, bookstores and summer festivals
Anafi has always attracted artists, writers and intellectuals. There is something in its slowness and isolation that encourages creativity, reflection, concentration. It is no coincidence that over the years international writers have also chosen to stop on the island, attracted by the same atmosphere that fascinates the most attentive travellers.
In the summer of 2024, the Arsenale opened in the port, a refined and refined bookshop where you can find contemporary fiction, art and culture magazines and rare books. It’s worth the visit just for the atmosphere – the beautiful marble table, the careful selection, the light coming in from the windows overlooking the port. It’s one of those places you don’t expect to find on such a small island, and that’s why it hits double.
In summer Anafi also hosts cultural festivals that liven up the evenings and bring music, art and meetings to the island. The program changes from year to year, but the quality is generally high and the context — outdoor evenings, few people, starry skies — makes each event memorable.
What to eat and local products
Anafi cuisine is simple, linked to the territory and the rhythms of the season. There are not many taverns, but each has its own personality and serves local products that are difficult to find elsewhere. The island is famous for its honey, produced with a quality that reflects the richness of wild aromatic herbs that grow inland. Saffron is another excellent product, used in local cuisine in surprising ways.
The wine of Anafi deserves a chapter of its own: Ktima Flamourou is produced with a variety of grape that only exists on the island, called gaidourià. It is a natural wine, raw in a good way, with a strong personality that reflects the island that produces it. Drinking a glass in a tavern on the port, looking at the sea, is one of those simple pleasures that remain.
Why go to Anafi now
There is a window of time in which a place like Anafi can still be experienced this way — authentic, slow, not yet transformed by tourist pressure. It won’t last forever. The smaller Greek islands are slowly emerging on the international radar, and with them the prices, the services, the atmosphere are changing. Anafi is still herself for now. You have to be willing to adapt, to accept night ferries and unstable internet connections, to give up the comforts of an equipped destination. But for those who are willing to take this step, what they find is something that has now become rare: a place that you didn’t expect, that takes you by surprise, and that you are unlikely to forget.
