Alonissos lies surrounded by 25 uninhabited larger and smaller islands which all together forms the only National Marine Park in Greece(NMPANS).




This park was first established in 1992 in order to protect the endangered Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus Monachus) and other marine wildlife like birds, dolphins and turtles.



The Monk seal has the unfortunate distinction of being one of Europe's most endangered species with only around 800 surviving world-wide. It uses the island of Piperi for its breeding ground and hence the island is protected by an exclusion zone of 3 nautical miles.



Various species of fish, birds and mammals are sheltering in the National Marine Park. To be more precise, in the Park more than 300 kinds of fish and 80 species of birds, among which the Audouin's Gulls, Bonelli's Eagles, Eleonora's Falcons and Shags, can be found. Isolated reptile populations of great interest also live on the deserted islands of the Marine Park.



Summer excursion boats and charter craft visit the sheltered bays and sandy beaches of Kyra Panagia, Peristera, Psathoura and Skantzoura.  Visits to Gioura have now been stopped since the impostition of a 400 metre exclusion zone around the island.  The islands are covered with vegetation and have steep rocky coastlines with mountainous interiors.  The exception is Psathoura which is the only volcanic island and where you will find one of the brightest lighthouses in the Aegean.


Here are the most important islands of the Marine Park with their characteristics:



KIRA-PANAGIA, which is the largest of the deserted islands. It is known because of its restored monastery and because of its two safe natural harbors, Planitis to the North-East and Agios Petros to the South-West.

PERISTERA, it is the nearest to Alonissos deserted island, known because of its two safe natural harbors Vasiliko and Peristeri.



PSATHOURA is a small, flat island where there is an ancient sunk city. French engineers built a lighthouse at the northern part back in 1895.



SKANTZOURA is a small, flat island with low hills and a white marble quarry. A ruined monastery, belonging to the Agia Lavra Monastery of the Agio Oros, is located at the centre of the island. On the steep cliffs of Skantzoura the Eleonora's falcon finds refuge along with the rare  Audouin's seagull



GIOURA is a rocky, volcanic island. Sea caves, such as the famous Cyclopes cave at the west part of the island, where according to the myth, the Cyclops Polyphemus was blinded by Odysseus, await the visitor. The island of Gioura is a botanical paradise for rare plants and has a unique species of wild goat.



PIPERI is a small island where the largest number of seals lives. It is the central point of the supervised and protected Marine Park. Access is strictly forbidden and is restricted to a distance of 3 miles from the central point. The rich flora and fauna on this deserted island is ideal for the dietary demands of the seal and provide the proper conditions for their reproduction.