Wildlife· Gioura· Greece — Dodecanese, Sporades & North Aegean
Gioura — Cyclops Cave & wild goats
39° 22.5′ N · 24° 9.2′ E
A high, rugged reserve island (Mt Vouni, 177 m) home to about 500 wild goats (Capra aegagrus dorcas) and the Cyclops Cave — the largest cave in the Sporades, used by people from the Mesolithic to the Late Neolithic.
Practical
Position is the Cyclops Cave (Sailing Issues). Zone A3: no activities within 0.5 nm of the island except the cave visit — yachts may anchor between sunrise and sunset only at Megali Vala and Sykies, and passengers may only visit the cave. No overnight, no camping or fires; hunting only by special permit. Sport fishing banned within 0.5 nm (official rules). MarinaTips lists a small cove with emerald water under steep cliffs (39.3692, 24.1550), exposed and calm conditions only. Bone fish-hooks from the cave are in the Volos Archaeological Museum. Rare endemic plants include Fritillaria sporadum and Campanula reiseri.
Best for
Daytime cave visit and goat spotting in calm weather
Season
Calm days only; daylight hours
Nearby
- Kyra Panagia Monastery4.1 NM away
- Monastery Cove (Monastiri, Kyra Panagia)4.1 NM away
- Planitis (Kyra Panagia)4.1 NM away
- Gioura Reef (Pagos) fishing exclusion (park zone A8)5 NM away
- Agios Petros submerged Neolithic settlement (Kyra Panagia)5.4 NM away
- Agios Petros Bay (Kyra Panagia)5.5 NM away
- Psathoura Mandraki & lighthouse7.2 NM away
- Alonissos Marine Park Zone A ticket7.3 NM away