Agios Efstratios

Agios Efstratios is a small island in the North Aegean, ideal for  calm holidays amid unspoiled nature.

The landscape consists of beautiful beaches, sea caves, rare geological formations (due to the volcanic rock) and oak forests. For this reason, the island along with the surrounding coastal region has been included in the European Natura 2000 network. The island has an area of 44km², a coastline of 30km and a population of 400 people.

Agios Efstratios was named after St Efstratios the miracle-worker, who came to the island in the 9th century.

Agios Efstratios village is the only one on the island. The small harbour has a wonderful view of the sunset and is the departure point for trips to the island’s beaches.

Points of interest
• Maraslios School operated as a primary school until 1968, having been built in the years 1906-1909, at the expense of the expatriate community in Egypt. Today, it houses the Museum of Democracy with photographs, hand-written newspapers and video projections from the lives of people who were exiled on the island after the Greek civil war 1947-1949.

• The churches of Christ, Agios Nikolaos and Agios Vassilios. The latter was built in 1727.

• The rural Agios Minas chapel was built on a hill where ancient relics have been discovered. In the same area, there is the Cenotaph of the Exiled and the grave of a German officer who died during the Second World War.

Source: GNTO