Nisyros

Choose Nisyros if …

            ...you are interested in volcanoes, geology and gemology.

            ...you are keen to explore one of the small islands of Dodecanese. 

-         ACCOMMODATION 

Romantzo Rooms

   We chose Romantzo Rooms. It is a stone-covered three-floor smartly decorated hotel, the closest to the port (less than 100 m.). Make sure that your room is on the upper (second) floor so that you can enjoy sea view from the common terrace. The room was not spacious, but it had air condition, TV, refrigerator and warm water (even if you don’t want it to be so!). The wooden double bed was large but noisy. Breakfast is offered on the ground floor (where high-speed free internet connection is also provided) and includes toasted bread,  butter and jam, orange juice, coffee, yogurt with honey and walnuts. We were refunded 5 Euros on our last day when we left the hotel earlier than breakfast time (8:30 – 12:00 a.m.). The manager was trying to be polite but he was not very friendly and helpful. The hotel was reasonably priced (40 Euros per night, breakfast included) and ideally located.

The view from the terrace on the second floor

 3 Adelfia Hotel and the cheaper Municipal Hostel (Dimotikos Xenonas) are also near the port with sea view.

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MY TOP-3 BEACHES 

Yiali islet

Northern beach

  It can be reached only by boat, with daily cruises every Wednesday and Saturday, with a minimum number of passengers (20), 10 Euros per person (2012 price). The boat leaves at 11 and comes back at 3. You can choose between two beaches, the southern one, where most of the passengers swim, and the more private northern one, which you can reach by crossing the islet. The beach may be littered due to sea currents bringing garbage from the opposite coast of Kos Island. But the marvelous sea color and the rocks covered by obsidian stone pay off.  

Southern beach

Chochlaki beach

The only beach worth-mentioning which you can reach on foot from the port, by walking along the sea road in Mandraki (the main village of the island). Its big black (volcanic) pebbles both on the beach and in the sea make walking difficult but a rope stretched between a rock and the beach may help you getting in and out of the sea.

Avlaki beach

Avlaki's port and sea rocks

Avlaki beach

You can reach this wonderful beach only by car, after a 20-minute drive in a narrow, steep road starting near Nikia village. You can choose between the small beach covered with big black pebbles and “dominated” by a kitsch decorated house -probably illegally built on the sea shore- and a dock from which you can dive and then climb up by a stair. Ruined houses and buildings, a church as well as the abandoned port give evidence that the village must have been inhabited and flourished in the past.

A house ruining the ambiance and the natural environment

          

Two more beaches:

o   Pacheia Ammos 

A sandy beach, where campers use to pitch their tents and nudism is also frequent. The long and wide beach is spacious enough for all though. After leaving your car in the parking area, at the end of the road passing from Pali village, a 15-minute walk on a narrow path along the cliffs will lead you to the beach. While walking you can admire the volcanic rocks. 

o   Lies beach

Driving or walking past Pali village a narrow beach with small black pebbles extends on your left side. As the sea is usually rough, it is not transparent and the beach is not so clean.  

My top-4 sightseeing spots

The volcano 

   If you have your own means of transport (see Rent a car / a motor bike) and you don’t come to the island for a one-day visit, I advise you to visit the volcano after sunrise or at dawn. In that way you will enjoy privacy (by avoiding the full buses swarming to the volcano between 11 and 3 a.m.) and lower temperatures (especially in August). I am not sure whether the two Euro entrance fee is valid throughout the day as at 7 o’ clock in the morning there was no one in the kiosk to ask for tickets. At that time you may be lucky enough to encounter partridges, cows and goats on your way to the volcano. You may enter the crater through a path that goes around and then into the “caldera”. Smell the sulfur, feel the heat and see the steam coming out of the holes on the bottom. Don’t miss the boiling holes! 

Paleokastro 

A Hellenistic castle on the top of a hill. It can be reached only by car or motor bike. It is worth to visit it at sunset time and climb to the top of the walls to admire the sun diving into the sea behind the Yiali islet. You may encounter Capuera teams exercising in the ward of the castle. Don’t miss to observe a rare inscription on the southern side of the walls dated to 350 BC indicating the width of the zone around the walls that had to remain clear for defensive reasons.  

Inscription on the southern wall

 

Natural Sauna

 A chamber, private but open to the public, at the entrance of Emporio Village, which is turned into a sauna by the volcanic heat coming out of holes on the walls. You can also admire the colors of sulfur and other elements on the walls.

 

Panagia Spiliani Monastery

An old monastery (17^th century) on the hill dominating Mandraki village. You can reach it by climbing the steps, after passing in front of the Ecclesiastical Museum and the Folklore Museum. Avoid visiting it around noon as hundreds of tourists (mainly Russians) queuing to climb and enter the small church may ruin the experience. Don’t forget to observe the wooden altar and the Virgin Mary icon painted according to the Russian way.From the monastery you can enjoy spectacular views of Mandraki village. 

                                                                                       

My top-5 dining spots:

Panorama restaurant

A family restaurant at Mandraki, under vine, with no view but with traditional cuisine. Taste string bean salad, red shrimps, artichokes with peas, eggplant with tomato sauce and cheese, pitia (chickpea balls). It is very well priced.

Balkoni tou Emporiou

At Emporio village. It has a great view to the volcano. Try goat with rice and garlic paste with almond. Don’t miss to observe the broken mirror and learn its story. 

Volcano view from Emporio village

Astradeni 

Fish restaurant on the port of Pali. If you don’t afford fresh fish, you can try red shrimps, atherina (fried small fish), fried zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese. 

Andrikos

At Nikia village. It has a great view to Tilos island. Try their special salad and don’t miss the volcano chocolate soufflé with ice cream. 

Chochlaki 

Tavern at Mandraki managed by a dynamic lady. Try mezedes (small plates), and red shrimps cooked with spices. Mosaic pastry (chocolate with biscuits) is served at the end of the meal.

Extra tips:

-           Rent a car / a motor bike. Public transport on the island is insufficient and overpriced. If you like to explore the island you should rent a car or a motor bike. I would recommend “Manos K.”. The car can be delivered in either one of his two branches, in Mandraki or in Pali. Manos will indicate you on the map the itineraries and tours all around the island. The prices are more reasonable than the other companies.

-          If you like bitter almond, don’t miss to taste soumada, a traditional drink of Greek islands that you can also find in Nisyros. Try also soumada ice-cream at the patisserie on the main street of Mandraki. 

- Visit Profitis Ilias chapel on the highest point of the island to enjoy splendid panoramic view to the volcano, to Emporio, to Nikia and to the opposite Tilos. 

Volcano view from Profitis Ilias

Nikia village view from Profitis Ilias

Tilos view from Profitis Ilias