I first saw the Fourni Islands during a visit to Ikaria, the island where Icarus allegedly crashed into the sea. I was standing on a cape near the Drakono Tower, built more than two thousand years ago by the Athenians and the Delian League to protect the Aegean waters from the Persian threat.
The tower was tall, honey-colored, and a massive lookout looking east toward the rising sun. Below me, on a small ledge, I could see the small Orthodox Greek chapel of Agios Giorgiou, and below that the completely empty beach of the same name, with clear turquoise and translucent waters.
But the view in the distance was even more attractive. A line of sight had been opened to the much smaller and wilder islands of the Fourni, a scattered archipelago used by pirates for centuries; It’s a place I’ve heard of but, like many Greek islands, I’ve never been able to reach. I could now see the little port of Fourni Korseon in their centre, whose white houses glittered in the sun.
I knew a little of the terrible history of these islands; How over the centuries a marauding band of French pirates, Maltese adventurers and fast Arab boats used them as a base to raid the more settled neighboring islands.
So much so that in Ikaria, villages were built high above the coast, with caves to take shelter in case the Fourni pirates raided. There was even a rule that no Ikarians were allowed to own dogs, in case passing pirates heard them while sailing and came to investigate.
When I finally got the chance to visit them, I found them to be much more impressive than I expected. This entire region, at the northern tip of the Dodecanese, not far from the Turkish coast, is much less visited than Rhodes or Kos to the south, or even Patmos, whose population, with the help of celebrities, is now increasing tenfold every summer. Visitors such as Julia Roberts and William Dalrymple.
The Fourni archipelago consists of three large islands: Fourni itself, where most visitors stay, Agios Minas and Thymaina, and 10 other beautiful smaller islets. One of these is stated to have a population of only three shepherds and an undetermined number of goats. The main island became electrified in 1969, and today the population of the entire archipelago is around 1,200.
While there are tales of 70-Euro sun loungers on Mykonos, there aren’t even a single one to rent here – although there are a few for free if you buy a drink at the beachside bars – and instead find the rare and happy experience that the local population still outnumbers summer visitors. feeling . It’s the epitome of everything you could want from a Greek island experience, but few people come here for what’s called “Fourni-cation,” according to an old joke among English-speaking visitors (they’ll hate me for promoting this place).
The small seaport of Fourni Korseon has it all: a baker, a post office and a candlestick maker or equivalent, a small store selling beeswax and honey, and delicious homemade pesto. For those who prepare their own meals, they have some of the cheapest fruit and vegetables I’ve found in Greece (most rental rooms have simple two-pan stoves).
This can be supported by enjoyable foraging: wild thyme and fennel to flavor orzottos; and plenty of ripe prickly pears to be picked from cacti, delicious chilled and peeled. Just be careful not to touch your skin; The tingles have an annoying habit of being persistent and too small to be easily removed. Yes, I speak from experience.
A few cafes line the beach (crayfish are a local specialty) and a pleasant tree-lined street leads to a small square. Walk towards it and many cats will keep an eye on you while the locals greet you with “kalimera”. A beautiful marble sarcophagus from classical times stands next to one of the more ostentatious bars.
The Greeks have a fascinatingly indifferent attitude towards their own past, partly because they are so possessive of it. The church above the harbor was built on the foundations of what was once the classical acropolis; If you visit, no signs will tell you this.
Prices are noticeably lower than on fancier islands. The perfect way to get around, renting a scooter costs half as much as Kos or Zante. And if you have a scooter or a family car, it’s ideal for exploring the island because there is only one taxi and its driver, George, is a busy man.
It may also be necessary. There’s a reason why Odysseus and his Greek friends were blown to bits when they tried to cross the Dodecanese Islands on their way back from Troy. There is a lot of wind. But Fourni’s advantage over some of the islands is that there is beach on all sides and there is always shelter: from Kamari (the center of shipwreck research) with its excellent little tavern, to Vlyhada in the south, which is generally empty except for a few goats. There is a perfect strip of sand and a few tamarisk trees for shade.
The same strong winds may have caused all sailing accidents for thousands of years. Because shipwreck research has accelerated in recent years with the understanding that there is a higher density of shipwrecks around Fournis than almost anywhere else in the Aegean.
A staggering 23 ancient shipwrecks were found by diving archaeologists when they explored these waters in 2016, nearly one a day; It is estimated that many more are still on the seabed. The earliest dates date back to roughly 525 BC, while others date from the classical period to the medieval period.
Tensions arose when Greek authorities in the wonderfully named “Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities” declared a large archaeological zone around the coast, meaning local fishermen could not go there. This proved unpopular as almost every family had a boat and the islanders defined themselves by their relationship with the sea.
That doesn’t mean the locals aren’t proud of their pirates. In fact, some might say they’re obsessed with them. In almost every house or restaurant, you will see ancient amphorae displayed that local fishermen caught in their nets.
Archaeologists have been able to use amphoras recovered from shipwrecks to analyze what was traded or traded: Garum, the fermented fish sauce beloved by the Romans, along with olive oil and wine, the pirates must have mostly gotten rich. spoiled.
An old man in the cafe told me that he and his friends often went to look for pirate gold that was supposed to be hidden somewhere on the island. He was also proud of their cosmopolitan nature: “We didn’t just have Greek pirates. We had pirates from France, Turkey, Malta, Africa; They were all based here! “There was also a strange pirate, probably from England.”
The islands are known for wild thyme, which gives their honey a very strong flavor. One of the beauties of walking in the hills is that wild thyme and thyme release their scent when rubbed against them.
On my last day in Fournis, I smelled so good when I walked by. maquis I could just make out the seductive silhouette of the double-backed Agathonisi in the evening sun through the myrtle and laurel trees as far as a cape to the south. I’d heard it was even less visited, with only one tavern and a handful of “sugar-cube” guesthouses; Only one ferry went there a week. There’s always another island to discover in Greece.
Fundamentals
Fly from the UK to Kos or Mykonos with Easyjet and catch the ferry via Ikaria using Ferryhopper (ferryhopper.com).
If you want to combine a visit to the Greek capital, fast ferries from Athens to Ikaria are available, as well as direct flights from Athens to Icaria with Olympic Air (olympicair.com) or Sky Express (skyexpress.gr).
Accommodation in the various quayside hotels averages around 40 euros per room per night, and scooters can be rented for 12-15 euros per day.