Greece: Travel Guide: Peloponnese: Lakonia: Elafonisos

Greece: Peloponnese: Lakonia: Elafonisos

Elafonissos (Greek: Ελαφόνησος) is a small Greek island between the Peloponnese (Greek: Πελοπόνησος) and Kythira (Greek: Κύθηρα). It lies off the coast of Cape Malea (Greek: Ακρ. Μαλέας) and Vatika (Greek: Βάτικα). The area of the island is 19 km².

The population which is between 300 and 350 during the winter, however, increases in the summer months. This is because the island is a popular tourist destination during the summer. The tourist season is in the months of July and August reaching 3,000 with 1,600 cars every day. Many people visit the island for its light coloured, sandy beaches of the island. The mains beaches of the island, Sarakiniko, Fragos (Simos) and Panagias Nissia, are filled with golden-green waters. Just across the island on similar patterns and only 570ft away from the mainland the Punta beach lies.

On the nearby mainland, approximately 6.5 km (3.7 nmi) east is Neapoli (Greek: Νεάπολη) of the municipality of Vatika. About 8.5 km (4.5 nmi) south is Cape Frangos (Greek: Φράγκο) in the island of Kythira.

3 km² of the community's land includes the a piece from the mainland which is consisted mainly by Punta beach. Nowadays it is by far the largest inhabited island of the Peloponnese, and the only one that is a separate community. There are also some archaeological discoveries on the island and in the surrounding waters.

Agios Spyridon (Greek: Άγιος Σπυρίδων), is the main church of the community and is built on a tiny piece of land which is connected by a bridge over shallow waters to the rest of the island.

Hotels in Elafonisos:

9 Musses
	Our hotel consists of eight (8) luxury apartments (studios) with all of the comforts including a swimming pool which you may take a quick dip in, before or after going to the beach. The hotel is located in the settlement of Elafonisos and the beaches, Simos and the Virgin Mary islands are found in the near distance. Even closer are the beautiful and graphic port and market.