The island and its only village were almost completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1968. Agios Efstratios is very barren, but has beautiful sandy beaches and impressive cliffs. There are no cars here, you can reach the beaches by boat or on foot. The museum is a reminder of the island's years as an exile during the military dictatorship of 1967-1974. The island's only village lies in a valley formed by two dried-up riverbeds. Ai Stratis, with its 250 permanent residents, fascinates many tourists as it moves at its own pace and is cut off from the rest of the world by chance or temperament.
