Before the Festival
Prepare your Visit
Benefits from your registration
TRANSPORTATION
Hellenic Seaways kindly offers to the participants of Thalassa Festival a 30% discount for the period 3-10/ 6/2020. The offer stands for return trips from Volos, Skiathos and Skopelos to Alonissos. The beneficiaries will get the discount by use of their Unique ID number when booking their tickets and exclusively from the following travel agencies:
Alonissos – VLAIKOS TRAVEL, tel. 24240-65220
Skiathos – SKIATHOS SA, tel. 24270-22276
Skopelos – Skopelos Marine Agency, tel. 24240-22767 &
Glossa Skopelou, TRIANTAFYLLOU NIKOLAOS, tel. 24240-33435
Volos – SPORADES SHIPPING & TRAVEL AGENCY, tel. 24210-23400
HOTELS
The following hotels offer to the participants of Thalassa Festival a 20% discount. Use your Unique ID number to make your reservation through the hotel’s website or by phone – do not use booking, tripadvisor or other intermediary booking websites.
DIVING CENTERS
Discover the magic underworld of the National Marine park of Alonissos through an unforgettable diving experience.
Especially for the duration of the Thalassa festival, the three diving centers on the island offer their services with a discount of 20%, of which 15% discount to all festival participants and 5% to the Management Body for the Protection of the Marine Park. Our way of giving back to the sea!
The Marine Park
The National Marine Park of Alonissos – Northern Sporades was established by Presidential Decree in 1992 and it is one of the largest marine protected areas in Europe with an area of 2.315 km². The area is a rare sanctuary for one of the most important populations of the Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) and other protected species of flora and fauna. The Park also features important archaeological and historical monuments. The objectives of establishing this internationally important protected area are:
- the protection, preservation and management of nature and the landscape, as a natural heritage and a valuable national natural resource.
- the protection of one of the most important biotopes of the Monk Seal Monachus monachus, which is one of the most endangered mammals worldwide.
- the effective protection of Northern Sporades’ ecosystem, unique for its multifaceted value (biological, ecological, aesthetic, scientific, geomorphological, educational).
The Marine Park is not a “closed” protected area, but an extensive marine area of 2.315 km², where visitors can navigate freely, always abiding by the restrictions established to protect this unique ecosystem. To ensure effective protection, the area is patrolled by high-speed boats of the Port police and by two vessels donated by THALASSA Foundation, KIMOLOS and NIRIIS, as well as by the pilot operation of new 3G technology cameras for the remote surveillance of the the Piperi island, the Parks core. The patrolling and awareness raising project is being carried out by the Management Body of the National Marine Park of Alonissos Northern Sporades in cooperation with the Alonissos’ Port Police and MOm/ Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal and it is being funded by THALASSA Foundation; the active involvement and support of the local community has also played a crucial role in this effort. These factors combined with the ecosystem research implemented in the Marine Park, constitute a holistic, replicable approach to best manage Marine Protected areas.
Map/Regulations
The main protection regulations are the following:
- it is prohibited to approach Piperi Island, the core of the Marine Park, in a radius less than 3 nautical miles from its shores.
- it is prohibited to approach the island of Gioura in a radius of 0.5 nautical miles from its shores.
- overnight stay of vessels in A zone of the NMPANS is allowed only in the picturesque bays of Planitis and Agios Petros of Kyra Panagia island, which are the safest anchorages in the area.
- approaching, mooring and overnight stay are allowed throughout Zone B.
- the use of fire is not allowed in the whole terrestrial area of the NMPANS.
- sport fishing in zone A is only permitted in the A9 area, and only 1.5 miles off the Psathoura Island (rest of the marine area A with the exception of areas A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8) and only by trolling and with fishing lines. Sport fishing is allowed throughout Zone B of NMPANS only by trolling and with fishing lines, while fishing with spear gun is allowed only in certain areas of Zone B.
- scuba diving is only allowed in specific areas of Zone B.
- swimming and free diving is permitted throughout Zone B while in Zone A such activities are allowed: a) in Psathoura (at Mandraki Beach), b) in Kyra Panagia (at the bays of Agios Petros and Planitis), c) in Skatzoura (at the port of Limani) and d) in all the islands and rocky islands of Zone A, with the exception of the areas A1 (Piperi), A3 (Gioura), A6 (Korakas, Skandili, Polemika) and A8 (Pagos area, 39ο 26΄43΄΄ Β 24ο 12΄36΄΄ Α).
Auspices
Donors
Supporters
Sponsors
Intro
Aenaos Thalassa (Perpetual Sea in Greek) in a non-profit company established in Greece to promote the safeguarding and the preservation of marine life of the Mediterranean. Among others, it is being supported by the Swiss based Thalassa Foundation founded in 2013 more..
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