Fournoi
Chora and the southern peninsula on Day 1, Chrysomilia and Thymaina on Day 2.
Fournoi (full name Fournoi Korseon, the 'Korassioi islands' of antiquity) is an archipelago of two inhabited islands and over twenty barren islets between Samos and Ikaria. Deserted in the Middle Ages because pirates used it as a base — Barbarossa anchored here — it was resettled in the 19th century by Dodecanese refugees. Today around 1,400 people live mostly in Chora (Kambos), with smaller settlements at Kampi and the corkscrew-road harbour of Chrysomilia in the north. The marble quarries at Petrokopio supplied ancient Miletus and Ephesus, and recent underwater archaeology has discovered one of the densest concentrations of shipwrecks in the world. Two days lets you do both peninsulas; bring scooter or car, since there's no bus.
Getting there
No airport. Small archipelago between Ikaria and Samos — daily summer ferries from both, ~30–45 min. Direct from Piraeus exists but slow (10–13h).
Read full route
Tip: Combine with Ikaria — same line, totally different feel.
When to Visit
Fournoi is a small archipelago between Samos and Ikaria — fishing-village cluster with maybe the freshest seafood you'll eat in Greece. Tiny scene. Open May-October. June and September best. Most beaches reachable only by boat; the Petrokopio quarry-beach (ancient marble columns abandoned in the sea) is the postcard.
2-day itinerary for Fournoi
Day 1: Chora, Kampi & the Southern Beaches
- · Chora (Kambos)
The main settlement and port — whitewashed houses on tiers above the harbour, mulberry trees in the central square, a soft-drink bottling workshop that makes the local 'Lagou' orange juice everyone drinks here. Cafés, bakeries (fournoi means 'ovens' in Greek), and the largest fishing fleet in the Aegean tied up at the quay. - · Agios Georgios Acropolis
On the hill above Chora — sections of a Cyclopean wall from a prehistoric castle, with a classical-era acropolis built on top. Inscriptions reference the gods of Samothrace and Hermes. Free, no fence, panoramic views over the harbour and Ikaria across the strait. - · Kampi Village & the Three Windmills
1km south of Chora — small settlement with the island's signature trio of stone windmills on the ridge above. The Kampi Beach Bar is the only proper organised beach service on Fournoi. Sandy beach, salt cedars for shade, an easy first swim. - · Petrokopio Beach & Ancient Quarry
4km southwest, on the western coast. White marble pebbles cover the beach — debris from the ancient quarries that supplied Miletus and Ephesus. Intact columns and pedestals still lying around. Reach by trail or boat. Tamarisk shade, no facilities, often nudist. - · Kasidi Beach
Southwestern coast, accessible only by boat or rough track. Fine white sand, turquoise water, complete seclusion. Common nudist beach. Bring water, food, shade. - · Dinner — Almyra Taverna
Beach-rustic taverna on the Chora harbour serving fish and seafood straight from the boats moored ten metres away. Order whatever was caught that morning — and the lobster, if it's listed. Fratzesca's next door is the alternative.
Day 2: Chrysomilia & Thymaina
- · Drive to Chrysomilia
15km north on a road that climbs and dives along the spine of the northern peninsula. Views over the entire archipelago. The road ends with a 'corkscrew' descent to the village — or you can park up top and take the 600-step walkway down. - · Chrysomilia Harbour
The most picturesque fishing harbour in the Aegean — that's not a brochure claim, multiple Greek travel writers say it. Traditional caïques moored against a tiny stone harbour, a handful of houses behind, the Tower of Agia Triada with the ancient sanctuary to Poseidon on the hill above. - · Chrysomilia Beach
Long sandy north-coast beach next to the harbour. Shallow, calm, family-friendly because the water is sheltered from the meltemi. The taverna at the seaside (the one at the bottom of the steps) is the lunch reward for the descent. - · Boat to Thymaina
Daily small ferry from Chora to the second inhabited island of the archipelago — 30 minutes. Single fishing village, one or two tavernas, the long sandy Keramidou Beach. O Kottaras Taverna at the far end of Keramidou is one of the most genuinely good lunch spots in the eastern Aegean.
Top beaches of Fournoi
Petrokopio Beach
The most distinctive beach on Fournoi — the entire shoreline is white marble debris from the ancient quarry above, where the columns of Miletus and Ephesus were cut and shipped. Intact column pieces still lie on the sand. Turquoise water, complete isolation, the rare beach where you swim in literal history.
- Type
- White marble pebble
- Length
- 200 m
- Depth
- Medium — exceptionally clear
- Wind protection
- West-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm most summer days, sometimes choppy on rare westerly winds
- Facilities
- None. Tamarisk shade, ancient quarry behind. Reached on foot or by boat. Often nudist.
Kasidi Beach
The hidden gem of the southern peninsula — fine white sand and turquoise water, completely undeveloped, almost always empty. Bring water and an umbrella. The remoteness is the appeal: you'll have it to yourself even in August.
- Type
- Fine white sand
- Length
- 150 m
- Depth
- Shallow to medium — turquoise, clear
- Wind protection
- South-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm in summer, exposed only to rare southern winds
- Facilities
- None. Reached by boat or 4WD-friendly track. Common nudist beach.
Chrysomilia Beach
The northern beach — sandy, sheltered, with the most picturesque fishing harbour in the Aegean as backdrop. Family-friendly. The 600-step walkway down (and back up) keeps the casual visitor away. The taverna at the seaside makes the climb back up worth it.
- Type
- Sand
- Length
- 300 m
- Depth
- Shallow — gradual
- Wind protection
- North-facing — fully exposed to the meltemi (the dominant summer N/NE wind); often choppy June–September
- Facilities
- Light: a seasonal taverna at the bottom of the steps. 15km drive from Chora plus 600-step descent (or by boat).
Kampi Beach
The default convenience beach — close to Chora, the only one with proper sunbeds and a bar serving snacks and cocktails. The view back to the three windmills on the ridge above is the photograph everyone takes home.
- Type
- Sand and pebble
- Length
- 150 m
- Depth
- Shallow
- Wind protection
- South-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm in summer, exposed only to rare southern winds
- Facilities
- Light: Kampi Beach Bar (the only properly organised beach service on Fournoi). Salt-cedar shade. 1km south of Chora.