Among Greece’s vast collection of islands, Amouliani – otherwise spelt without the "u" – has a certain uniqueness.

A trip on one of the regular ferry rides from Ouranoupolis takes about 10 minutes, offering, like the shores of the island itself, spectacular views of Mount Athos across the bay.

The island, about 4.5km in length, has a history interesting even by the standards of the region. Until 1925, it was held by Vatopedi monastery and had a population of just two or three monks and a handful of agricultural workers. That year, the church passed it to the state, who made it a refuge for people displaced by the previous years of war between Greece and Turkey.

To these people and to their descendants, the island owes special kinds of cuisine and traditions that set it apart from mainland Greece and even other islands. During a visit arranged by the Greek National Tourism Office, we were treated to a demonstration of the making of sweetmeats hand-woven and baked for weddings, a tasty treat hardly to be found anywhere else in Greece.

The show-and-taste took place at a museum, displaying photographs and artifacts reflecting the island’s special history, to be found just a few steps across from the 19th century Agios Nikolaos church.

The island, however, is anything but a living museum. Ordinarily home to just 600 people, in summer season it swells to about 5000, as visitors take advantage of the hotels, pristine state of the waters at the island’s range of beaches, and the beauties of an eco system undisturbed for many decades by any form of cultivation.

A popular pastime is to hike from one beach to another, although most are easily reachable on the island’s short six km of roads. While the hotels are well-stocked, there are several small supermarkets, butchers’ and bakers’, and even – should cash run low as revellers enjoy the nightlife – ATMs.

The staple diet is fish, of which we were offered many delicious variations at the island’s oldest tavern, overlooking a cosy beach a short walk from the centre of the town.