The Myth of Alkioni

The name of the hotel Alkioni was inspired by the homonymous impressive seabird with the beautiful feathers – halcyone. According to the mythology, Alkioni was daughter of Aeolus the god of winds, and goddess Aigiali. Alkioni was married to Kyika, the son of Eosforos, who was the king of Trachina.

They lived together so happily that they dared to compare themselves with the divine couple of Olympus and even called themselves Zeus and Era. Zeus was so angry by their arrogance, that he transformed them into the birds Alkioni and Kyika (known as seagull), respectively and condemned them to live separately.

Since then, Alkioni laid her eggs at the sea shore and her nestlings were taken away and lost by the waves. One day, Zeus, feeling compassionate for her, changed his mind.

He decided to send 14 sunny days in the midst of winter for her to hatches her eggs, while he ordered Aeolus to withhold his winds for that period. These sunny and serene days are usually in the second half of January and are known as the Alkyone days.