Nikia: Volcano Museum and the Route to Avlaki

When traveling to Nikia, it is worth distinguishing between the village itself and the regional destinations along the route to Avlaki. The Volcanological Museum of Nisyros is in the village; Avlaki is outside Nikia. Other points of interest include the stops along the old stone-paved path. This allows you to treat an interest in the museum and route planning as separate priorities for your stay.

Volcanological Museum in Nikia

The Volcanological Museum of Nisyros offers an introduction to the mysteries of the Earth. This makes it a distinct point of interest in Nikia. If you are interested in volcanology, you can make the museum a focus of your stay. This differs from the stops along the path to Avlaki, which is marked by a church at the beginning and a hill with a windmill at the end. Before planning a specific visit, you can check the latest visitor information on the museum’s website.

The route to Avlaki and its stops

The path from Nikia to Avlaki leads to Avlaki, where there are hot baths associated with a hot spring near the coast. Avlaki is outside Nikia and is therefore a destination in the surrounding area. A paved road leads from Nikia to the Avlaki area. If you plan to use this road, check its current condition in advance.

At the beginning of the old stone-paved Nikia–Avlaki route stands the Church of Agia Triada, with 15th-century wall paintings. This gives the route a cultural and historical point of interest from the outset, in addition to its destination at Avlaki. The wall paintings give the church a different thematic emphasis from the Volcanological Museum: here, the focus is on the paintings and the period in which they were created; there, on an introduction to the mysteries of the Earth. You can therefore include these two interests separately in your travel plans.

At the end of the path is Kokkinos Mylos, a rhyolitic hill with a windmill on its summit. This endpoint is in the wider area around Nikia. While Agia Triada is noted for its 15th-century wall paintings, at Kokkinos Mylos the focus is on the hill’s geological character and the windmill on its summit. The two stops thus represent different themes along the route: historical wall paintings at the beginning and a rhyolitic hill with a windmill at the destination.

Nikia as a starting point for your hotel search

When searching for a hotel in Nikia, the location itself is a useful starting point. The museum is in the village; Avlaki is outside it, and the route leads to other stops in the surrounding area. If the museum is your main priority, focus your search on Nikia. If you also want to include the Church of Agia Triada, Kokkinos Mylos, or Avlaki in your travel plans, consider them additional regional destinations. This allows you to distinguish your preferred accommodation location from the places and interests you want to include during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Antimachia, Asfendiou, Marmari, Mandrákion, Kardámaina, Mastichari, Kos, Kefalos

Go to the main travel overview: Kos.