ALONISSOS - Sixty-four square kilometers of surface and as many kilometers of coastline: it is Alonissos, the largest of the Sporades, surrounded by rocks and green islets and covered with soft hills. The air of the island smells of pine and thyme and the turquoise sea is a paradise: its depths, protected by a marine park, hide ancient remains of disappeared cities. It is a perfect destination for those who love to dive and for those looking for secluded beaches, often difficult to reach on foot.
From this summer, until October 2, divers have the opportunity to visit, accompanied by expert guides, the first underwater museum in Greece: it rises in the waters of the islet of Peristera, in front of the eastern coast of Alonissos, and is the fruit of a shipwreck of the 5th century BC which scattered a very high number of intact amphorae along the coast of the Greek island. The first to see them was in 1985 a fisherman who was near the rocky western coast of Peristera; at a depth of 28 meters he saw the remains of a large ship sunk in 425 BC It was an Athenian merchant ship loaded with amphorae of wine, coming from Mendi and Peparithos, today the island of Skopelos, areas known in antiquity for the their wine.
Archaeologists of the Ephorate of Marine Antiquities of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture took care of the excavations leaving the thousands of amphorae found on the seabed and arranged in an area of 25 meters in length, thus covering the same dimensions of the ship. The impressive number of remains, the excellent condition of the wreck and the beauty of the rich seabed, located within the protected area of the Alonissos-Northern Sporades National Park, make diving and visiting the museum an unforgettable experience.
It should also be remembered that on the eastern side of the island lives a colony of monk seals, an animal of which few specimens remain in the Mediterranean; it is for this reason that Alonissos has been subjected to environmental protection by the government.
Finally, for those who do not like to dive, there is the possibility to admire the underwater museum through the documents and images displayed in the information center of Chora Alonissos which from 5 to 9 pm offers a beautiful virtual dive to the museum.
For more information: visitgreece.gr (ANSA).
Visit to the first submarine museum in Greece
2020-08-12T09:16:46.446Z
In the depths of Alonissos, the largest island of the Sporades (ANSA)ALONISSOS - Sixty-four square kilometers of surface and as many kilometers of coastline: it is Alonissos, the largest of the Sporades, surrounded by rocks and green islets and covered with soft hills. The air of the island smells of pine and thyme and the turquoise sea is a paradise: its depths, protected by a marine park, hide ancient remains of disappeared cities. It is a perfect destination for...
