Patmos island
Patmos Island
Levitha Island
Patmos island
Patmos Island
Levitha Island
By Thomas P.

Before dusk, we entered the large bay which is on the southern part of Lipsi. However, we did not head towards the eastern side where the port is, but we turned our bow towards the west side of the bay.

We slowly approached the small dock which is in front of the church of Christ and we spent the night there. The cool breeze that constantly blows in this place, eliminating any trace of humidity made us take off the tents so that we could have a direct contact with the clear starry sky. Along with the beautiful songs on the radio, taking now and then a few sips of our icy ouzo, we were lulled by the sound of the sea and the light swaying of the inflatable on the waves. Everything was so beautiful in this remote dock that none of us felt like sleeping. It was already late but we insisted in keeping our eyes open, trying to extend as much as possible this wonderful night.

At the port

The next morning, we decided to walk to the port. We took the road starting from the church of Christ, and walking along the coast we found the first houses of the harbour in less than twenty minutes. We had not visited Lipsi for several years, and we were very impressed by the beautiful and thoughtful development.

Many new houses have been built following faithfully the local architecture, while the seaside taverns which are in a row alongside the harbour, add with their special features to the beauty of the island. It is no coincidence that every year an increasing number of visitors come to Lipsi. After reaching the large pier, which actually divides the harbour in two parts, we stopped at the first few metres to have a coffee in the old traditional cafe. Here spreads the large park of the island, where summer festivals and events take place.

This the central point of the port and in the afternoon it is full of people. The end of the park is where the wide cobblestone steps start which lead to the impressive church of Agios Ioannis Theologos. It is big with the blue dome and two bell towers hovering over the port.

From the courtyard, the view over the harbour and the entrance of the large bay is magnificent. Behind the church there is the small square of the village. One of the most picturesque spots of Lipsi with two coffee shops in a row that attract quite a few visitors. This place is a starting point for a walk in the narrow alleys of the village, surrounded by white houses with blue shutters.

At Makronisi

At noon we took the rib and sailed towards the islets located on the south part of the port. It is a small complex of six islets, which are separated by narrow channels. Certainly Makronisi is stealing the show, since it is one of the most impressive parts of Lipsi. It is a rocky, low island, with a very smooth northern side, which after a few metres seems to collapse abruptly creating breathtaking vertical formations on the southern coasts. Large caves and rocks that emerge from the sea are surrounded by clear, green waters offering a beautiful sight.

The landscape is even more fascinating, if we climb for a while on the steep cliffs up to the ridge of the island. In the middle of the islet, next to the stone arch which is the most impressive formation of the southern side, there is a short underwater arc, which we can easily pass with a long dive. Coming to the surface, we will find ourselves on the north side, in a wonderful, natural, round pool, which is a beautiful natural creation.

At Platis Gialos and Aspronisia

We dedicated the next day to explore the southern and eastern shores of the island, our final destination being Plati Gialos on the northwest, where we intended to spend the night. Most of the beaches are on these shores and they are well protected from the north winds. Sailing to the east of the islet Lyra, located at the entrance of the island, we arrived at the beach of Katsadia, one of the most famous beaches of Lipsi. There is a small dock where we can tie and drink our coffee in the bar next to the sea, situated in magical surroundings. In the same bay there are the beaches Papandria and Chochlakoura where we can spend the night safely.

Sailing up the west coast, we find the most deserted and long beaches, Xirokampos and Tourkomnima, which are covered with pebbles. After that, there is Monodendri, which has been for many years the favourite beach of nudists.

From that point, we started sailing towards the neighbouring Aspronisia, just a step away from the northeastern part of the island. It is an amazing place that is as beautiful as Makronisi, and we should definitely visit it. If we are lucky and the sea is calm, we will enjoy a unique spectacle which reminds us of exotic places. The impressive white rocks of the two islets, the small beach with the white pebbles and the shallow passage between them, but mainly the amazing turquoise waters create a marvellous landscape of incomparable beauty. Anchored offshore, we enjoyed swimming for several hours in the beautiful waters and in the afternoon we sailed around the northern coast of Lipsi.

We slowly entered the large bay of Platis Gialos, where we planned our last overnight stay on the island. An astonishing natural pool stretches into the bay with crystal clear turquoise, shallow waters, which is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful parts of the entire Aegean Sea. The seaside in many places turns out to have an amazing pink shade and something similar can only be found in Elafonisi, on the island of Crete. We tied on the wooden floating dock and went to the tavern of Kostas, which is at the edge of this desert coast. We spent another wonderful evening with delicious food along with the excellent wine from Lipsi.

Having no desire to leave this beautiful place, we slowly lifted the anchor, still glancing greedily for the last time at the beautiful waters.

For travellers
The port of Lipsi is too big for the island’s standards, and we will certainly find free space to tie either on the floating dock which is on its outer part or on the inner part of the concrete pier. However, an excellent place to anchor, even for an overnight stay, is the bay of Katsadia on the southern part of the island.

We can get fuel supplies from the gas station on the southern part of the harbour which is open after midday, while we can have water supplies from the concrete pier.

On Lipsi there are three amazing places, which we must definitely visit. The incredible waters of Platis Gialos, Aspronisia and the sea caves on Makronisi.

We should pay special attention to the reefs around Aspronisia, between the islets Pilafi and Stavri and mainly to the whole sea area from the eastern side of the beach Xirokambos to the island Kouloura, because it hides very dangerous and shallow reefs that are not easily distinguishable.

...keep Ribbing!

Lipsi Island
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