Fishermen and Friends - General information

General information

The Fourni-archipelago lies in a triangle formed by Ikaria, Samos and Patmos. The cliffs of the islands, overgrown with macchia, split up into fiord-like bays, providing picture postcard views that we invite you to enjoy here. Visitors take time to get their bearings in the maze of rocks and water, soon realising why Fourni was a pirates' residence. Excepting the main island only Thimena is, in fact, inhabited. There are three settlements on Fourni, or Korseon, as it was called in the past.

One of them is the main port sheltering the island's fishing fleet and the landing-place of ferries. Furthermore behind the mountain ridge in the south-west of the island extend the twin bays of Kampi, easily recognizable by its windmills. The first bay has one sporting sandy beach, while the other beach is shared with fishing boats. After walking a short way to the south of Kampi you will find a lot of small unspoilt bays, where the city folks stretch their feet and indeed let their souls touch the spirits of the water.

In the north you will find the small village named Chrisomilia. Go by boat or follow the gravel road. The tarmac ends a couple of miles behind Fourni town, just behind the large radio tower. Most of Fourni's 2000 inhabitants are fishermen by birth and occupation, but the over-fished Aegean offers a declining livelihood. Nevertheless, they hang in there with a passion.

Fourni actually is a vibrant village with rather an amazing shopping "couple of a hundred feet" on the Agora and a sleepy and secluded platia. The shops cater for the islanders' daily needs, you will be hard put to find a souvenir shop.

But life pulsates at the harbour front. Mercifully, not every islander owns a car, but there is not one without a fishing boat. You can check the shipyard at the back of the harbour.

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