Where To Stay In Folegandros

Chora Resort Hotel & Spa Chora

Where To Stay in Folegandros, Greece – Best Towns, Hotels, & Beaches

Hotel Phone: +30 22860 41590This upscale, family-friendly resort boasts the largest pool on the island, along with a jacuzzi and mini-golf. Guests are served throughout the day by a Greek restaurant, pool bar, and dessert cafe an American-style buffet breakfast is always included in the room rates. All rooms include a private patio or terrace. Deluxe Rooms and all suites add jacuzzi bathtubs, while two-bedroom suites have an additional private balcony. Located across from the islands only winery, amazing restaurants, and just a short walk from the villages pedestrian core.

The Folegandros 3 Day Itinerary

I’ll be the first to tell you that when I started planning this epic 14 day Greek island hopping trip, I had never heard of Folegandros. In many ways, that was exactly what I was looking for. How could I put together a trip that included some of the best hits but also a couple of potential hidden gems and we certainly found it in Folegandros.

There wasn’t a lot of information about Folegandros and so I combed through a ton of resources to put something together. At the same time, much of what you see here is the result of talking to locals and serendipitously discovering things and places as we went along the best kind of travel right?

The goals of this Greek Island itinerary is to supplement the high level breakdown of how we did our trip Greek island hopping across 14 days. Use the full itinerary as the larger guide for how we went about going from island to island. Also, don’t miss the comprehensive Greek Island travel guide which will have an incredible amount of detail on everything you won’t find in a guide book or top things to do type of blog post.

Let’s jump into how plan a Folegandros itinerary in 3 day including Folegandros hotels, restaurants, sights, beaches, ATV rentals and more!

How To Get To Folegandros

Folegandros is well connected by the Greek ferry system. There are numerous ferry companies in the Cyclades that service all the islands. As Folegandros is one of the smallest islands in the Cyclades, there are no airports in sight.

Seajets has regular ferries to Folegandros from Naxos, Milos, and Santorini. Ferries are not as common as larger islands as youd expect so make sure to book your tickets in advance if traveling during the high season.

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From Piraeus To Folegandros By Ferry

The second way to reach Folegandros is by the regular ferry. However, the tired ferry operating the line stops on many islands, and the journey takes much longer. You will need approximately 9 1/2 hours to step foot in Folegandros. However, the ferry is a much better option because it wont make you feel nauseous.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Folegandros

Visit Folegandros: 2021 Travel Guide for Folegandros, South Aegean ...

So what is the best time to Visit Folegandros? It really depends on what youre after. If you want non stop hot sun, then you will need to visit in the summer. These are the best months to swim in the ocean as the water temperatures will be a pleasant 24 to 25 degrees. However, this is also when all of Greece and the rest of Europe also choose to visit Greece so the crowds will be at their peak.

Prices will be the highest between June and Sep . I visited the Cyclades during Coronavirus times so even during the peak months it was not overwhelming but there were still a good amount of people. Folegandros even in the peak summer months never felt overwhelming. The Chora was busy at night but largely empty throughout the day.

I think because of how remote Folegandros is, I would not come in the winter months because apparently there are only two restaurants open on the entire island!

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Avaton Hotel Facilities & Guest Services

All Suites hotel. Suites size from 42 to 54 square meters
Each Suite feature private balcony with panoramic sea view
Fresh water swimming pool
Sun beds, pool beds umbrellas and pool towels
Hydromassage in the pool
Reception open between 07:00 24:00
Parking area, free to all guests, located in the hotel premises
Breakfast area
In room breakfast upon request
Porter service
Free transportation from/to the port or heliport upon your arrival/departure

Santorini Day Trip To Folegandros

While I stayed here before visiting Santorini, Folegandros is becoming a popular day trip from Santorini. If youre visiting Santorini, Id highly consider a day trip to Folegandros because it will really give you a totally different taste of what the Cyclades are like. Santorini, while incredibly beautiful and picture perfect, is a bit too overdone in my opinion. Folegandros offers the same cliff drop views but with much more authenticity.

There are day tours you can book from Santorini or you can just DIY by taking the ferry in the morning.

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Fata Morgana Studios Chora

Hotel Phone: +30 22860 41237Boutique hotel built amphitheatrically on the cliffside with breathtaking sunset sea views from every studio. No two rooms are alike, though all include a kitchenette, open-style shower, and a private terrace overlooking the sea many have sea views from the beds. At the center of the hotel is a deep swimming pool served by a pool bar throughout the day in the evening the poolside terrace is incredibly popular for sunset cocktails. Convenient location in Chora, less than a 5-minute walk to the restaurants, shops, and attractions in the heart of the village.

Final Thoughts On Folegandros

Visiting Folegandros (Greek Island) Staying in the BEST Airbnb

Whether youre a nature lover, adventurer or just enjoy a quiet holiday, there are plenty of things to do in Folegandros. Its an island that just keeps giving.

Folegandros has a wildness about it, perhaps because of its jagged terrain, towering cliffs and rocky coastline but dont let that put you off! Within this wildness is an electrifying atmosphere brimming with life and raw beauty.

It feels untouched, frozen in time, unlike its other busier neighbors in the Cyclades. In 2004, Conde Nast Traveller called it Greeces best-kept secret, and its well worth a visit before the rest of the world catches on.

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Visit The Chora Of Folegandros

If youre visiting Folegandros, its inevitable that you either stay or visit the main Chora of the island. Like the Choras in all the other islands, expect to see cute white-washed streets, blue painted door frames, white-lined cobblestone streets, restaurants, shops and more.

The Chora of Folegandros is particularly attractive just because of how small and accessible it is. While its not overly picture perfect like Mykonos, it was so charming due to its size and lack of tourists that I couldnt help but walk through it multiple times. No cars are allowed at all making walking a pleasure.

The whole Chora takes maybe 10 minutes to walk from one end to the other. Its not as big and grand in Mykonos but I guarantee youll want to walk it over and over again!

How Many Days Should I Stay In Folegandros

This largely depends on your traveling style. If you are on a Greek island hopping tour and want to see as much as possible, you should stay at least 3 days. In three days, you can wander through the Chora of Folegandros, and youll have the possibility to see a couple of Folegandros beaches.

On the other hand, if you have a more relaxed vacation, Id suggest a one-week stay in Folegandros. Seven days on the island will allow you to see most beaches, enjoy the landscape, and visit -at least- twice your favorite places. I also stayed a whole week in Folegandros, and to be honest, I wish Id stayed longer.

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The Ultimate Folegandros Travel Guide

Folegandros is, without any doubt, one of the most beautiful Greek islands. As you will see in the photos, Folegandros enjoys one of the most stunning landscapes youll find in the Mediterranean and probably the prettiest Chora in the Cyclades. But apart from these, there are actually more things to do in Folegandros: from walking the paths to enjoying the majestic beaches, Folegandros is a must for your Greek summer vacation.

I spent a wonderful week in Folegandros , and I cant wait to be back. In this comprehensive travel guide to Folegandros, Ill share everything you need to know for a great stay on this beautiful island. Specifically, you will figure out how to reach Folegandros, where to stay and where to eat, an overview of the beaches, and several budgeting tips.

So, lets start with the best things to do in Folegandros and the travel guide to one of the prettiest Greek islands.

*The text contains affiliate links. It means that if you buy something, I might earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Walk To Livadaki Beach

Livadaki Beach is another beautiful beach that requires a bit of work to get to, but its absolutely worth it for the sheltered cove, shade and gorgeous scenery.

You have about a half hour walk over rough terrain, along the islands characteristic jagged coastline. Luckily, there is a path to follow so you dont feel like youre wandering through the wilderness.

About three quarters of the way into your journey, the path will lead you straight through the terrace of a delightful taverna. Here, you can stop for refreshments, cool off or tuck into lunch and watch their deliveries come in by boat.

Once youre ready, you can wander along the last leg until you reach the beach and your afternoon of sunbathing.

Despite being secluded, the beach can get busy so its something to bear in mind, depending on the time of day and season you go.

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What Are Folegandros Best Local Dishes

Greek cuisine is famous for its tastefulness, being one of the top healthy diets in the world, usually made with fresh ingredients. There are well-known dishes that are served all over the country such as dolmadakia and tzatziki and Greek salad. Besides, the all-time-classic Greek dishes here are some of the only found on Folegandros dishes that you should try when you are on the island:

Matsata: local pasta, something between lasagne and noodles. Freshly made pasta accompanied with fresh tomato sauce, grated cheese, or chicken.
Souroto: local soft white cheese, used widely in Greek salads instead of feta
Kalasouna: Kalasouna is the local savoury pie, which is essentially an onion cheese pie to die for!
Biskotenia: Sweet choice of biscuits with chocolate and cream
Watermelon pie: Sweet choice with fresh watermelon, honey, and sesame, totally yummy! You can have it by itself or with a ton of ice cream on top

How I Feel About Folegandros

Hands down, Folegandros was our favourite island on the trip and here’s why.

It ultimately came down to a feeling. When you get to hop around to different islands in the Western Cyclades, each one gives you varying senses of Greek culture, Cycladic architecture, the food, the beaches, and overall the Greek island way of life. Some give you a hint of it, some feel a little diluted as was the case with Santorini, and some very strong in Folegandros’ case.

Folegandros was our favourite island

We loved the authenticity of this island. Real people live here. While many of them serve the tourism industry, we loved that we could walk around Chora and see the kids of the parents running the shops hanging out after school and practicing their K-Pop dance moves or playing video games on their phone. I had one kid come up to me and ask if I played Fortnite. Those interactions made me realize that these are all humble families that have made Folegandros their home and are making ends meet. We loved that it wasn’t polished or glam’ed up. All of it was real.

Being the outdoor lovers that we are, it was refreshing that you needed to work a few muscles to get to where you wanted to go which was the case for Vorina Beach and also some of those beaches located down dirt road paths.

Folegandros is compact, simple, rugged, and the way the Greek Islands should be.

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Day 2 Folegandros Atv Beach Hopping

Remember when I said that it was probably not the best idea to rent an ATV in Santorini? Well now that you’re on an extremely small island with many hard-to-get-to beaches, there’s really no better place to hop on a quad.

To start your morning off right, walk over to the best breakfast spot in all the Greek Islands called Pounda. Located right in Pounta Square, this can only be described as a chilled out restaurant where they have an absolutely gorgeous back courtyard and smaller tables for two in the front if you’d like to people watch. Owned by a Danish family for 20 years, fresh breakfast creations are served to you on ceramic plates designed by the owners. My favourite has to be their Greek yogurt crepe. Before you go, also order a sandwich to go because you’ll need it later.

Walk over to Folegandros Rentals and pick up your ATV who are the closest rental shop with quads. Otherwise, there’s also Evo Rent a Car you can consider but they only do cars.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Price: These are the prices we were offered in early June which is still considered to be low season.

ATV 170CC 26 EUR

Do they accept credit card?: Yes but lower prices are for cash payment.

FAQ:

Tips:

This is that perfect combination of tranquil solitude with a moderate hike that is what makes Folegandros so special.

Spend a few hours here and have your packed lunch before making the hike back up which will be much more tiring than the way down.

Stroll Around Chora The Picturesque Main Town

Exploring Folegandros, Greece – Travel guide and best beaches

Many people consider Chora Folegandros to be the prettiest main town in the Cyclades. Now I have to say, many islands claim that their main town is the prettiest! But its true that Chora in Folegandros, sitting at an altitude of 200 metres, has something special.

The oldest part of Chora is called Kastro, the word used in Greek for Castle. Rather than a proper castle, it is a medieval defensive settlement built around the 13th century AD.

It was originally constructed to protect the residents from pirate attacks, and it has been continuously inhabited since then. There are similar settlements on most other Cyclades islands, like Milos or Kimolos.

The northern side of the Castle is built right on the edge of a cliff, and the setting is pretty insane the words really impressive dont really cut it!

The main settlement is full of streets with white washed buildings, pretty squares, quaint Cycladic-style houses and picturesque Greek churches.

In addition, theres a nice mix of charming little cafes, tavernas, bars and a handful of shops. Stroll around, and you will discover cute corners largely untouched by mass tourism.

With that said, do not expect Chora to be 100% authentic. You will immediately notice that much of the infrastructure is strictly for visitors.

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Best Time To Go To Folegandros

When is the best time to go to Folegandros? We visited in September 2020, and compared to other islands I visited on the same trip, like Ios or Sikinos, Folegandros seemed very busy!

For better or for worse, its popularity has increased massively over the past decade, so it may be more crowded than what you had expected.

With that said, I would personally choose to visit either over Easter, to see the unique customs, around early June, or in late September / early October. I would definitely avoid July and August, as the island is quite small, and we were told that it can get really busy.

If this is your style, by all means go during peak season but wouldnt you prefer to have these beaches to yourself?

Day 3 Folegandros Katergo Beach

From the most obscure beaches on the island, we go to one of the most popular in Folegandros.

There’s no reason not to start your day any different from the last so head to Pounda first. Try something new here or stick to old favourites.

Since you’ll be spending most of your day at the beach, do the same thing and grab takeaway from something in town. This time, go to Souvlaki Club for gyros to go. 6 EUR for two wraps is a pretty sweet deal.

When you do research of Folegandros, some places will tell you that it’s not possible to get to the famed Katergo Beach by land. Our hotel even said that it’s recommended to take a boat there but I looked it up and it’s entirely possible.