Chora Alonnisos to Megalos Mourtias Out and Back

This easy out-and-back links the island’s historic hilltop settlement with one of its best-known south-coast beaches, giving you a short walk of about 7 km / 4.3 miles with only around 100 m / 330 ft of total ascent. The route begins in Chora, also signposted as the Old Village of Alonnisos, and heads down toward Megalos Mourtias Beach, a well-known landmark roughly 1.6 km south of Chora by road. Chora itself sits at about 180 m above sea level, so although the overall elevation gain is modest, expect a noticeable descent on the way out and a steady climb on the return. (visitthessaly.gr)

The start is best understood as being near the Old Village of Alonnisos (Palio Chorio/Chora), the island’s former capital above Patitiri rather than at an unnamed trailhead. If you are arriving by car, the practical access point is the parking area on the edge of Chora, then continue on foot through the village lanes toward the signed route for Megalos Mourtias. If you are using public transport, the island’s municipal bus network serves Patitiri, the main port settlement, and from there you can connect upward toward the Old Village area depending on the seasonal service in operation; if buses are limited, a taxi from Patitiri is short. Patitiri is the island’s transport hub and the main place to check current bus timings. (bus.alonissos.gov.gr)

The first part of the walk is as much about atmosphere as distance. Chora is a traditional stone-built settlement of narrow lanes, steps, flowered courtyards, and restored houses, and it was the island’s capital until the destructive earthquake of 1965 led many residents to relocate to Patitiri. That history gives the opening section real character: you are walking out from a place that is both scenic and historically important, with layers of Byzantine, Venetian, and later island history tied to the fortified upper part of the village. (visitgreece.gr)

What the route feels like

From Chora, the route trends downhill toward the coast. Surfaces can vary between village paving, old stone paths, and short road sections, so lightweight walking shoes are often enough in dry weather, but grippier footwear is better if the stones are polished, dusty, or damp. Because this is an out-and-back, the easier outward leg can make people underestimate the return: save a little energy and water for the climb back up to Chora, especially in warm weather when exposed sections can feel hotter than the distance suggests. The total distance is short, but the return ascent is the part most walkers notice. General wayfinding is straightforward if you follow signs toward Megalos Mourtias and check the route in HiiKER before setting out. (topoguide.gr)

Megalos Mourtias is the main landmark at the turnaround point. It is one of the island’s better-known southern beaches and is often described as among the most photogenic on Alonnisos. Expect a pebbly or coarse-shingle shoreline, clear water, and a more open coastal setting than the enclosed feel of Chora’s lanes. This makes the walk a good choice for hikers who want a half-day outing with a swim stop or a relaxed beach break before retracing their steps. (visitgreece.gr)

Landmarks, nature, and wildlife

Although this is a short coastal walk, it sits within a wider landscape of high ecological value. Alonissos is the only inhabited island within the National Marine Park of Alonissos Northern Sporades, the first marine park established in Greece and one of the Mediterranean’s key protected areas. The park is especially important for the Mediterranean monk seal, and the broader area also supports many birds of prey. While you are unlikely to see monk seals from this trail itself, the protected status of the island adds to the sense that this is a walk through a landscape where sea, cliffs, pine-covered slopes, and traditional settlement all remain closely connected. (alonissos.gr)

On land, expect typical Alonissos vegetation: pine in the southern part of the island, mixed Mediterranean scrub, kermes oak, mastic, strawberry tree, and low aromatic plants in drier patches. Around the island’s walking routes, hikers may also notice insects such as large bumblebees and, overhead, the chance of seeing kestrels or other raptors using the thermals and scanning the slopes and valleys for prey. Spring and