Tourists swim with Greece’s famous black pigs on Atokos island
Greece's tiny Atokos island attracts tourists who swim with its Mediterranean black pigs, feed them fruit and share the unusual encounter online.
Updated: 11/09/2026 - 14:33 GMT+2
Greece's tiny Atokos island attracts tourists who swim with its Mediterranean black pigs, feed them fruit and share the unusual encounter online.
Atokos, a tiny private island in Greece's Ionian Sea, has become a popular stop for visitors drawn by its unusual residents. Tourists arrive by boat to swim alongside Mediterranean black pigs, feed them fruit and watch them roam the beach.
The island, sometimes called 'Piggie Island', has gained attention through viral social media videos. Visitors can be seen sitting on the beach with the pigs, taking selfies and entering the water as the animals swim around them. Underwater footage shows the pigs swimming alongside boats, sometimes following them in search of food.
The island has become a destination for day trips from nearby islands such as Ithaca. For many visitors, the chance to get so close to swimming pigs makes the short boat journey worthwhile.