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Sun-baked, wind-swept, and seemingly untouched by time, Folegandros is an ode to the bygone lifestyle of the Cycladic Islands. This small Greek island is home to a tight-knit yet welcoming population of just 400 permanent residents, which swells gently over the summer months. Most of the island is uninhabited — a rocky, herb-strewn terrain criss-crossed by traditional, hand-built stone walls that enclose fields of grain and curtail the grazing of numerous sheep and mules.

Roughly a one-hour ferry ride from both Santorini and Milos, Folegandros is a serene antidote to overcrowding on the better-known islands in the southern Aegean Sea. Instead, you’ll find a peaceful retreat, surrounded by wild natural beauty and offering alluring glimpses into traditional island life. Secluded farmsteads abound here and taxi boats will carry you to outlying remote beaches inaccessible by car.

Chora

The main villages of Folegandros are linked by one central road that winds through the island like a backbone. The capital, Chora, is a striking splash of whitewashed buildings sitting on top of a barren cliffside. Wandering the village’s cobblestoned alleyways, you’ll stumble across artisanal boutiques and sun-dappled restaurants that spill into tiny squares shaded by trailing vines and fragrant bougainvillea.

As the light wanes, visitors and locals alike walk the steep, zigzagging pathway up to the domed church of Saint Panagea, built on the clifftop high above the town, to see the sunset silhouetting the foreground against a glowing crimson sea.

Remote beaches

The island’s only beach that is accessible by car is in the village of Agali, where the sandy shoreline encircling Vathi Bay is a popular destination for families. Agali boasts some of the island’s best seafood restaurants, offering traditional fresh-from-the-boat dishes. From here, you can take footpaths along the coast to Fira Beach or Galyfos Beach (both ten minutes on foot), or hop aboard a taxi boat to the nearby beaches of Agio Nikolaos or Livadaki.

Most of the beaches on the island are pebbled, lapped with crystal-clear waters and free of sunbeds or beach umbrellas, preserving the coastline’s untouched and remote feel. We can also arrange a longer boat trip, where you can dip in and out of some of the wilder and least accessible bays.

Best time to visit Folegandros

The small number of hotels on Folegandros open from May until the end of September with visitor numbers and the heat both peaking in the summer months of July and August. May, June, or September are therefore the best options for exploring, when the island is quieter and the temperatures more comfortable. It’s worth noting that Folegandros can be buffeted by wind year-round.