Southern Sporades Attractions

The Foúrni islands are a group of rocky islets with much-indented coasts lying between Sámos, Ikaría and Pátmos. In addition to the main island of Foúrni (area 30 sq. km/11.5 sq. mi; alt. 486m/1,595ft), with the village of Foúrni on its west side, the group includes the smaller islands of Thimena (12 sq. km/4.5 sq. mi; 483m/1,585ft) to the west and Áyios Minás (5 sq. km/2 sq. mi;250m/820ft) to the east, together with the isolated rocks of Andro, Makronísi and Diapori. In the Middle Ages the islands were the haunt of pirates, who were able from commanding viewpoints on the hills to keep a lookout for shipping passing between Sámos and Ikaría. The inhabitants now live by farming and fishing.Motorboats run from and to Ikaría and Sámos.

Area of island: 7 sq. km/2.75 sq. miThe barren and forlorn island of Arkí, known in antiquity as Akrite, lies 12km/7.5mi northeast of Pátmos in the Southern Sporades. The island's few inhabitants live very modestly, with no modern infrastructure. They earn their livelihood mainly from fishing, with some stock-farming. Arkí is surrounded by numbers of smaller islets and isolated rocks, some of which provide grazing for goats.Occasional boat connections with Pátmos and Lipsí.

Area of island: 18 sq. km/7 sq. miChief place: LipsíLipsí, formerly called Lepsia, is a small island in the Southern Sporades, 12km/7.5mi east of Pátmos, which was resettled in the 19th century. On the south coast is the modest little village of Lipsí, the chief place on the island and its principal port. It was a Greek naval base during the war of liberation from the Turks. The few inhabitants live by farming and fishing.Local boat connections with Pátmos and Léros.