Chora Alonnisos-Megalos Mourtias

Around Chora Alonnisos

Chora Alonnisos-Megalos Mourtias

Megalos Mourtias has been the emergency harbour of Chora, a discreet port that allowed the immediate supply of the fortified settlement, but also the escape of the inhabitants. A good but not paved path crossed the pine forest between the lower neighborhoods of Chora and the hidden cove.

This path is still followed today by those who want to walk from Chora to the nearest beach. Short, easy and well-trodden, the path from Chora to Megalos Mourtias is, along with the cobbled path to Patitiri, the two most popular hikes in Alonissos.

Alonnissos
Going to Megalos Mourtias
Πατήστε για μεγέθυνση

The hike starts from Chora main square and goes through the village alleys to the church of Evagelistria (there is an old communal cistern nearby). Continue on paved alleys and meet and follow the tarmac road to Megalos Mourtias.

Chora Alonnisos-Megalos Mourtias: Crossing the tarmac road

After a section of earth path, in a pleasant field of scrubby vegetation and sparse pines, cross the road and continue straight ahead and meet the tarmac road. In a few tens of meters, reach the coast, right in the center of the beach and between the summer bars.

Text and photos by T. Adamakopoulos

Signage

Marking and signposting

Alonnisos topoguide: Chora Alonnisos-Megalos Mourtias

There are no more signposts along this trail.

Throughout the hike, there are a few red marks. Take care of the route: if following the path is safe, however crossing the settlement, through the labyrinth of cobbled streets, is not obvious.

Notifications

Megalos Mourtias beach

The beach of Megalos Mourtias is covered with medium-sized pebbles and fine gravel. The bottom is smooth, partly covered with fine gravel, while in the center of the bay it is sandy.

In the summer, almost the entire beach is occupied by the sunbeds of the 3-4 bars that surround the coast. There is no natural shade, drinking water, showers or other shared infrastructure on the beach.

From Megalos Mourtias one can continue along the rocky coastline to the nearby cove. The connection to Mikros Mourtias is not possible.

At the end of the beach there is a concrete pier, where the passengers of the tourist boats that circumnavigate the island disembark. Finally the island's underwater power cable comes out in in Megalos Mourtias, and therefore anchoring is prohibited.

Nature

The European copper skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii)

The European copper skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii) is a small, very descrete member of the group of skinks (lizards with atrophic legs). It lives all over mainland Greece and on most of the islands, from sea level up to about 1000 m, in places with shade and some moisture.
Although it is a diurnal reptile, we see it very rarely, as it avoids the high temperatures of summer and spends most of the day looking for small arthropods in the leaves or pine needles, under which it crawls in undulating movements, using its legs only for balance. The genus name indicates that it does not have eyelids, like common lizards, but transparent protective skin (a + blepharus = no eyelids in Greek).

topoguide Greece

ALONNISOS TOPOGUIDE

A detailed description of the Chora Alonnisos-Megalos Mourtias trail, along with interactive maps, photos and POIs, is included in the digital field guide Alonnisos topoguide.

The digital field guide Alonnisos topoguide is available for Android devices as an in-app purchase within the application topoguide Greece. Alonnisos topoguide is a member of the Greek Islands group.

The digital field guide Alonnisos topoguide is also available for iOS (iPhone and iPad) devices as an in-app purchase within the application Topoguide Greece. There also, Alonnisos topoguide is a member of the Greek Islands group.