Is Anafi Worth Visiting?

A limestone monolith rivaling Gibraltar, a monastery perched at its summit, and beaches that stay empty even in peak season give Anafi a case few islands this small can match.

Anafi sits at the eastern edge of the Cyclades, just under two hours by ferry from Santorini yet feels decades removed from it. Kalamos rock rises 460 meters from the island's eastern tip, the second largest monolith in Europe after Gibraltar, and reaching the Monastery of Panagia Kalamiotissa at its summit means a demanding two hour hike, paid off by views across open water in every direction.

Chora, the island's only real village, sits above the port on a hillside, car-free, whitewashed, and built around the ruins of a Venetian castle where the church of Agios Georgios now stands. In Greek myth, Anafi was said to have risen from the sea at Apollo's command to shelter the storm-battered Argonauts, which gives the island its name, roughly translating to "the one that appeared." That connection to Athens runs deeper than legend: in the 19th century, islanders from Anafi were brought to the capital to help build King Otto's palace, and the small neighborhood they settled beneath the Acropolis, Anafiotika, still carries the island's building style today.

Roukounas, a long stretch of sand backed by cedar trees, ranks among the more striking beaches in the Cyclades and still allows camping for anyone wanting to stay close to it. Klisidi and Agios Nikolaos sit nearer the port for those who'd rather skip the walk. Ferries from Piraeus run only a few times a week and take anywhere from 7 to 11 hours, so most visitors build in time on Santorini or another nearby island on the way.

Anafi suits travelers looking for real remoteness, serious hiking, and beaches without crowds or nightlife attached, and the ferry journey alone tends to filter for exactly that kind of visitor.