Yali: A unique island in the Aegean

An island, just six miles from Turkey, between Kos and Nisyros brings together all these features. The island of Yali is a truly special place.

Its inhabitants are but few. Only around 20. But those who come to work on the island are many more. And what could bring people for work on this island from elsewhere? Fish? FOf course there are fish, but people come for another reason, the open mines of the island that produce pumice and perlite!

The mines are also the ones that make the Yali landscape unique: The beautiful forests with the killarney trees and the pines alternate with the open mines and this is one reason why the island has been declared a Landscape of Natural Beauty.

Apart from all this, however, the island of Yali also has a rich history. A cemetery was found there, the remains of a settlement of the Final Neolithic Period (4000 BC) and two crucibles with copper smelting slag dating to 6000 BC. proving the early practice of metallurgy.

Definitely a strange place, which however hides a remarkable history and breathtaking beauty, inviting coves with turquoise waters. Swimming there is a truly fantastic experience, while excursion boats make day trips on the southwest coast, to sea caves and inaccessible beaches.