Trizonia, a small island located in the Corinthian Gulf, was once on the wish-list of Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis.
Even today, travelers to Greece can still find many destinations which are literally hidden treasures that retain their almost unspoiled beauty. As hard as it may be to believe, because Greece has such a long coastline, as well as almost innumerable islands, there are a wealth of locations which would make one think that these places are off the map.
One such island without a doubt is Trizonia, located just 400 meters (1,312 feet) off the southwestern coast of the region of Fokida. The island is said to have been named for the sound of its cicadas, which you can always hear singing away while you are there.
This is the famed island which, after visiting it in the 1960’s, Aristotle Onassis attempted to buy—lock, stock, and barrel—from the local people who lived there by offering them an enormous lump sum of money.
Trizonia island locals defied Onassis
The locals refused, famously saying that this specific paradise was not for sale. Minas, a local restaurateur, shared with the Greek Reporter that occasionally the thought does cross his mind, however, that “it would have been good if Onassis had bought it.” The islanders’ refusal is what led Onassis to later purchase the island of Skorpios in the Ionian Sea, which he made into his own personal Eden.
The island of Trizonia has been called a miracle of nature by many. While staying on the island, which is just 2.4 square kilometers (barely one square mile), travelers can forget everything from the outside world, including cars, motorbikes, noise—and stress.
Trizonia is also an island garden of sorts, boasting almond, prickly pear, eucalyptus, holly, plum, and olive trees, as well as pine and cedar trees throughout. There are too many delights on this island to list. First of all, everyone gets around on bicycles, making the environment extremely quiet and peaceful.
The sea surrounding it is very calm, with deep blue crystal-clear waters, almost demanding that you take a boat ride of some kind to explore its shores. On top of these attractions, island residents are very welcoming to tourists, despite the cold shoulder they once gave to Onassis!
The restaurateur Minas revealed to Greek Reporter why he has chosen to live his life on Trizonia. “I was born and raised here, my father is from here, and the past two years he has been living here permanently,” he said.
“I don’t think there is a reason for me to live in Athens. I can’t live there [because[ there is too much noise. I prefer my peace and quiet,” he explains, while adding that “in the summer there are at least six hundred to one thousand people on the island, we have a marina for 650 boats, we have four restaurants that serve plenty of fresh fish and two cafes. I own the island’s after bar.”
The island only has forty to fifty residents in the winter. However, Minas maintains that “in the winter, it’s a bit difficult. It gets a bit cold, but if you have good company, good wine and good food, everything is fine.”
With a natural, unspoiled landscape that amazes visitors, its lacework of interconnected, continuous beaches, and sapphire waters, Trizonia and its singing cicadas beckon to the discerning visitor who needs a break from the stress of the modern world.