It has three small villages, Chora, Karavostasis, and Ano Meria, which are connected by a paved road.

The island contained a polis (city-state) called Pholegandros, which was sited at the modern Chora and a member of the Delian League where it appears on Athenian tribute lists between 425/4 and 416/15 BCE.

[7] The island was conquered in 1207 by the Venetian Marco Sanudo and remained under the rule of Venice until 1566, when it was taken by the Ottoman Turks.

The Ano Meria village contains a small but interesting Ecological and Folklore Museum.

Among the notable beaches on Folegandros is Katergo, accessible only by foot or by boat from Karavostasis.