Anafi: A Greek Island Off the Beaten Path

The presumption of “Chora,” a Greek island’s main town. Anafi Island, Greece. Credit: Anafi.gr

Anafi is simply a tiny Cycladic land adjacent Santorini without the fame and glamor of its neighbor, but it rewards visitors with its earthy beauty, serenity, and lukewarm hospitality.

Despite the hours-long ferry travel to get there, Anafi is simply a apical destination for those successful request of a serene holiday.

It is perfect for relaxation for those who similar bid and quiet. You tin laic successful the aureate soil of Roukounas formation and bask the prima and the crystal-clear, bluish waters without the hustle and bustle of the much well-known islands successful the Cyclades.

Big Roukouna 1 of the astonishing beaches of Anafi island, Greece. Credit: Zde /Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0

Anafi’s architecture

The halfway of the island, Chora, is afloat of white, cubic houses and chapels and is built connected apical of a mountain, offering visitors a breathtaking presumption of the Aegean Sea. The architecture and colors of Anafi are emblematic of the Cyclades.

Chora. Credit: Zde /Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0

The presumption from Chora is overmuch similar the presumption from the Caldera successful Santorini. What is truly impressive, though, is the cleanliness of the constrictive streets, the freshly painted houses, the quiescent atmosphere, and the leisurely friendliness of the locals.

Going up the alleys, astir of them extremity up successful the ruins of the Venetian Castle, which was utilized arsenic an observatory to the Cretan Sea passim Antiquity while, today, determination lies the religion of Agios Georgios.

Chora. Credit: Zde /Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0

It is recommended that visitors instrumentality a locomotion astir the land oregon prosecute boats to sojourn the beaches, the astir celebrated being Roukounas. Anafi possesses respective bully restaurants and cafes wherever visitors tin relax, bask section delicacies, person a drink, and respect the idyllic view.

Roukounas beach, Anafi, Greece. Credit: Little Routh/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0

Anafi has some archaeological and mythological interest. At the monastery of Panagia Kalamiotisa, ruins of a temple built arsenic an offering to the deity Apollo Aegletus tin beryllium seen.

According to mythology, the land was named Anafi due to the fact that Apollo made it look to the Argonauts arsenic structure from a atrocious storm, utilizing his bow to shed airy upon it (i.e. the land name, which is Ἀνάφη successful Greek, is derived from the Greek connection ἀνέφηνεν, virtually meaning ’he made appear’).

Others accidental that the sanction is owed to the non-existence of snakes connected the island, namely “an Ophis” (“without snakes”). However, 1 student (Burkert 1992) links this epithet to a Sumerian goddess of healing and to Apollo’s son Asclepius.