Koufonissia

Norsk utgave (Norwegian edition)

Here is the port, and parts of Chora seen from the deck of Skopelites.

In one of the first additions of www.kalimera.nu (Swedish website about Greek islands) this island was described as fully dominated by Swedish (90%), mainly Swedish families. It wasn't "that bad" when we visited the island summer 2000. There where also several Norwegian families, plus some French, Greeks and other nationalities. The reason there are so many Swedish families here is mainly the Swedish travel-book "Greske Øer" by Willma Guides. This book has Koufonissi as the best family island in the entire Greece. It's not only the island and the beaches which get amazing positive mentioning. Also the sea, and the pureness – the clear water here. The book actually says they haven't seen the water this clear anywhere – even in Australia, as it is here around the small Cyclades.

The mentioned Swedish website also says:

Even the city-beach slopes very gradually, and it's nice with light fine-grained sand!

All settlement on the island is gathered in what off course is called Chora. There has been built several new hotels, apartments and "studios" here the last couple of years. These are spread around the original settlement, and mostly located isolated (in positive meaning). This again means that the settlement might seam a little "messy", and it makes you wonder where centre is.

As you can see, it is sparsely build up.

But – once you find main street (which is paved with large rough flagstones), and reached the highest part of town, you will see clearly from the church and further on that this is a typical cycladic village. The buildings here is placed "wall to wall", houses, a few tavernas and small shops all over. All the buildings are off course painted in white, with the windows and doors in strong contrast colours.

 

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Main-church !

Besides tourism, fishing is the most important way of making a living on this island. There is actually a small shipyard here which maintains the Greek fish-boats. Yannis from Aegeo Inn on Antiparos comes here once a year to repair/check out his fishing boat. There is also some people trying to do some farming, but how they do it is almost understandable. This because we have never seen the soil as bad as here. Actually – we didn't see any soil at all. Just small rocks all over. Anyway it was obvious that it had been collected some corn earlier this summer, since there where still some dry sticks left. These where eaten by some goats and donkeys.

Because this island is so small, the number of shops is not very large. Luckily there is 2 "supermarkets" here, however one of them are very small, but ok. This one is located all the way down in main street, where this starts. The other one is down with the roundabout next to the city beach. Here you will find (no doubt) the most messy supermarket you've ever been to. But if it's messy, it absolutely got charm, since this is the kind of shop that's got absolutely everything, such as food, stoneware, glass, pots, paint, glue, drawing materials and clothing. As you can understand, a real "general store" with assorted range.

Here is my breakfast most of the days we spent on the island the summer 2000 !

There is also a bakery on the island, which makes fantastic "pizzabreads" (as we called them). You'll find them all over, but they where extra tasty here. Bakeries on the islands of the small Cyclades has to be very good, because when we visited Schinoussa the summer 1999, we also tasted extremely good baking.

Advertising sign for an atelier in main street, selling a T-shirt with this motive!