Fourni

Fourni is the largest of the three island complex, including Thimaina and Agios Minas. It is an ideal destination for those who are not interested in the cosmopolitan resorts and the organized beaches. Fourni architecture is very interesting from the very beginning. The first houses on Fourni island were small and similar to each other, made of wood, seaweed, and mud from Thimaina. The first house was built in 1885 on the village square with two floors, windows, and stairs outside the door leading to the second floor.

Today, many of the houses in Fourni Greece are built with wooden roofs and stone stairs. They have a quite simple structure with wooden balconies and nice decoration. During the last years, the island has adopted the typical Aegean architecture including tower replicas. Chora of Fourni remains almost untouched by time with its narrow streets and traditional windmills that create the island's magical atmosphere. The peaceful island is ideal for a trekking experience where you will come across many small chapels with round domes at the most unlikely spots.

Visitors can enjoy their stay in many of the traditional hotels that have respected the traditional architecture.

Traditional products can be found all around Fourni, an island with virgin nature and a great climate. Among them is thyme honey, a local product with supreme quality that reflects the local climate and sunshine periods. Also, goat cheese is one of their local products of Fourni as well as mizithra cheese. Cattle-breeding is limited in Fourni, but enough for the locals.

Among all that, fresh fish is an abundant product of the island that you can find in all taverns and houses, cooked in a variety of ways. In fact, the locals have one of the largest fishing fleets in the Greek islands and their economy is mainly based on fishing and tourism.

The history of Fourni begins from ancient times, yet there is small evidence from that time. The island was known by the name Korsaioi islands and according to the historians, it was first inhabited in the 1st century BC from the Korsets. Archeological findings prove that the island had been inhabited during the Hellenistic times.

These findings include the sarcophagus that was found south of the church of Agios Nikolaos in 1927 and today decorates the square of the village. Also, marble columns of Dorian order have been found in the area of Kamari and lastly remains of a temple of Poseidon has been excavated in Chrysomilia. Throughout the Byzantine Times and the Turkish domination, Fourni was deserted as it became the pirate base of operations. According to some urban legends, many pirates have hidden their treasures in several spots of the island and secluded caves.

In the 19th century, piracy was confronted by the Greek Navy and people could again inhabit the remote islands of the Aegean. Therefore, by the end of the 19th century, the island had been inhabited again. During World War II, Fourni fell under Italian occupation. At that time, many people fled with boats to Cyprus and Egypt.

In the 1950s and 1960s, most parts of the local population migrated to large towns in Greece or abroad in search of a better life. Today, the island has about 1,500 permanent residents. The main occupation of the locals is tourism and fishing and in fact, they have one of the best fishing fleets in Greece. The history of Fournoi has been marked by many events throughout the ages.