Travel Guide Apeiranthos

27 kilometers east of Chora, Apeiranthos is neither lacking in nicknames nor charm. Sometimes referred to as the "village of museums" or the "village of marble", it has retained its traditional appearance: beautiful rough stone mansions, two defensive towers, small squares and marble-paved alleyways. It's the island's second-largest village after Filoti. Renowned for their artistic talent and revolutionary spirit, the 1,000 or so inhabitants are proud of their origins. Their ancestors are said to have been displaced from Crete after a 10th-century revolt against the Arab occupiers. They retain certain customs (songs, weaving) and have their own dialect derived from ancient Greek, called aperathitiko. This village has given the country many artists, scientists, politicians and resistance fighters. Among them was Manolis Glezos, a true national hero who became the village's simple mayor in the 1980s. Born in Apiranthos in 1922, Manolis Glezos was a politician, writer and leftist who was involved in all the struggles that shook Greece over the past eight decades. His death in 2020 caused a national stir. Indeed, this popular and historic figure is particularly well known for his participation in the resistance during the Second World War. He endowed Apeiranthos with the largest municipal library in the Cyclades and five museums. And yet, while there's no shortage of attractions - including some of the island's best tavernas - tourists don't stay here long enough for hotels to spring up. The nearest beach, Moutsouna, is 12 kilometers away. There are a few rooms for rent and a fish tavern. Further on, at Psili Ammos and Panormos, it's even more deserted.