The seven islets of the Krissaios Gulf: refuges, ruins, and swim stops

Where they are

The seven islets sit in the Krissaios Bay (Gulf of Itea), the inner bay of the Gulf of Corinth, between the ports of Itea and Galaxidi. From land they look like a scatter of small rocks. From a boat they open into a small archipelago you can loop around in a half day.

They are uninhabited today, part of the protected coastal landscape of Phocis, and best reached by sea.

A refuge in the early Byzantine period

The islets are historically important. During the 6th and 7th-century Slavic raids on mainland Greece, coastal populations retreated to small offshore rocks they could defend. The Krissaios islets were part of this network - 'isles of refuge' that let inhabitants stay close to maritime routes while escaping land-based raids.

Archaeological surveys (notably the work of Lerat and Chamoux, and references in the Chronicle of Galaxidi) found house walls, cisterns, and pottery from the late Roman and early Byzantine period. The settlements were short-lived, likely abandoned in the early 7th century when the sea itself became unsafe.

Agios Dimitrios - the most remote

The furthest islet, sometimes nicknamed 'the hat of Venizelos' for its shape. The richest in finds: house walls, cisterns, and plentiful sherds of amphorae and fine red dishes from the early Byzantine refuge settlement.

On its southern side, a partially submerged trench has been interpreted as either an ancient ship-shed or a fortified landing - a reminder that these were not just hiding places but small functioning ports.

Apsifia (Panagia)

Also yielded clear traces of late occupation: 6th-7th century AD pottery, fragments of amphorae, and imported fine red dishes. A small island, big in evidence.

Agios Konstantinos

Known for its small chapel, said to have served as a hospital for wounded fighters during the Greek War of Independence in the 1820s. The same network of refuge islets used in the Byzantine period was reactivated, more than a thousand years later, for the same reason: safety just offshore.

Agios Athanasios, Molimenos, Agios Georgios

Agios Athanasios is the closest to the Itea shore, recognizable by its olive trees. Molimenos and Agios Georgios (Ayios Yeoryios), with smaller surrounding rocks, complete the seven. Together they form a natural maritime network - shelter, lookout, and stopping points along the coastal route between Itea and Galaxidi.

Visiting the islets by boat

The islets are not served by ferries or roads. The simplest way to see them is on a half-day or full-day boat trip from Itea port (15 minutes from Delphi) or from Galaxidi old harbour, with a skipper who knows where to anchor.

We loop around the archipelago, point out the chapels and the visible ruins from the water, and stop at the calmer side of one of the islets for a swim. The water around them is clear, deep blue, and usually empty - even in August.

What to bring

Swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, a light layer for the wind, and decent shoes if you want to step ashore on the rockier islets. We provide water, snacks, snorkeling gear, and shade on board.

Out of respect for the archaeology, we do not collect or move anything on the islets - look, photograph, swim.