Pali

If you are in Rhodes or Coo, don’t miss the chance to visit the small island of Nisyros, a “square” of land 8 km in diameter, no less than 4 of which are occupied by a volcano. That’s right, Nisyros is a volcanic island part of the Dodecanese archipelago in the Aegean Sea; volcanic activity today is represented by smoke and sulfur springs, but in the past it was eruptions and lava flows that shaped the island as we see it today.

After all, this is also evident from the fact that the volcano occupies almost half of the entire island, which is characterized by black stone pebbles and very dark gravel, contrasting with the snow-white of the typical low houses with flat roofs. There are many craters present, some dating back almost 50,000 years; they can all be visited, and we strongly recommend that you do not miss the chance to admire such a unique natural landscape.

However, there is not much else to do on Nisiro: fortunately, although there is no shortage of tourists, the place has remained virtually untouched, offering the (rare) opportunity to visit an authentic environment, where typical traditions are still alive, where one eats wholesome food mostly sourced from the island, and where, if one is lucky, one can see performances of traditional culture.

To see all this is not even required much effort; the few roads that allow you to get around all of Nisiro you can travel with a car or, better yet, a scooter of those that can be rented directly outside the ports of Pali, which is precisely your destination if you choose to arrive in Nisiro by boat.

In years past, the port of Pali (which is not the only one on the island, there is also Mandraki, but it is used almost exclusively by ferries and very exposed to the prevailing winds) enjoyed a bad reputation indeed, due to the fact that it was open to the north and therefore “prey” to the meltemi practically throughout the good season. Depths in ports were minimal and this, combined with the high waves that meltemi is capable of creating, kept many boaters away by then.

Recently, however, the orientation of the port of Pali has been changed, and now thanks to a new breakwater the port opens to the east and offers excellent shelter from all northerly winds. There remained the problem of depths, especially at the entrance, where they hardly exceeded 3 meters, but very recently dredging works have made it possible to increase the depths. And so now Pali really presents itself as a nice “little place” for those who want to make a stop in Nisiro.

Reaching the volcanic island presents no particular problems; if you get there from the north, be careful only to turn far enough offshore from the islet of Giali to avoid shallow reefs located near the coast. Entrance to Pali harbor is best done from the north, as there are extensive shoals in the bay east of the harbor that it is best not to run into. Since the entrance is located to the east, you will find yourself tacking right into the wind; if a strong meltemi blows, pay close attention to the currents that will make the entrance unpleasant. The entrance itself is narrow and inside maneuvering space does not abound.

Within the port there are two options: mooring at the north breakwater (about ten places) or at the village quay (about 35 places). Depths range from just over two meters in parts of the south quay to 2.75 m at the breakwater to 3.50 m at the eastern part of the village quay. All berths have water and electricity (fixed fee of 5 euros or a little more). Fuel can be recovered at a gas station about 2 km from the ports.

There is no shortage of taverns, bars and restaurants in the village of Pali; they cook fish and excellent sheep meat from the island’s hinterland. There is a well-stocked nautical store whose manager also does minor repairs, if you need ask there. Also in the village, car and motorcycle rentals for visiting the island and its quaint villages.