Even today, travelers to Greece can still find many hidden destinations that retain their almost unspoiled beauty, such as Trizonia, the small island that Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis almost bought.
As hard as it may be to believe due to Greece’s extensive coastline and countless islands, there remain a multitude of locations where one gets the feeling of being off the grid.
One such island is, without a doubt, Trizonia, located in the Corinthian Gulf just 400 meters (1,312 feet) off the southwestern coast of the region of Fokida.
Onassis’ attempt to purchase the Greek island of Trizonia
The island is said to have been named for the sound of its crickets, which can always be heard singing away.
This is the famed island which, after visiting it in the 1960s, Greek shipping tycoon 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.
The locals refused, famously saying that this specific paradise was not for sale. Minas, a local restaurateur, shared with Greek Reporter that occasionally, the thought that “it would have been good if Onassis had bought the island” does cross his mind.
The islanders’ refusal is what later led Onassis to the purchase of the island of Skorpios in the Ionian Sea, which he transformed into his own personal Eden.
No cars or motorbikes on the island
The island of Trizonia has been called a miracle of nature by many. While on the island, which is less than a square mile long, travelers can withdraw from the outside world for a little bit and get away from all the noise, including the cars and motorbikes, as well as all the stress of modern life.
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 simply too many delights on this island to list but among these is the fact that everyone gets around on bicycles, making the environment extremely quiet and peaceful.
The sea surrounding it is quite 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 Onassis once received from them!
The restaurateur Minas explained to Greek Reporter why he had chosen to live his life on Trizonia. “I was born and raised here, my father is from here, and the past few years he has been living here permanently,” he said.
He adds that he doesn’t want to live in Athens due to the noise pollution there since a peaceful environment is important to him. “I prefer my peace and quiet,” he explains, while adding that “in the summer, there are at least 600 to 1000 people on the island, and we have a marina for 650 boats.” According to Minas, four restaurants that serve plenty of fresh fish, and two cafeterias, are located on the island, besides the bar that Minas himself owns.
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 tourists, its lacework of interconnected, continuous beaches, and its sapphire waters, Trizonia and its singing crickets beckon to discerning visitors who need a break from the modern world.
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