Five large islands scattered about the north-eastern
Aegean are Europe's sea border with the East. Five large islands
and dozens of smaller ones, precious stones woven into the deep
blue silk of the Aegean, are a valuable inheritance with a long
and rich history. Built on the ruins of the ancient city of
the same name, Myrina, the capital of Limnos
with the delightful houses of the seacaptains with their wooden
balconies, with pebbled streets, and kind people. Picturesque
villages dot the island.
Nea Koutali is an enchanting pine-forested
area with wonderful water. Moudros, the island's
second major town has pretty houses and nice beaches. Poliochni
has ruins dating from Neolithic times and a
few remnants from a bronze age settlement. Between Limnos, Mytilini,
and Skyros, is a virgin island with only one village and great
beaches: Agios Efstratios. The third largest
Greek island is Lesvos. Olive groves that go
on forever, thick pine forests, sandy beaches, monasteries,
pretty traditional houses and old mansions. The truly ancient
history of the island is visible everywhere on Lesvos.
Starting out from the capital Mytilini, which is
built on top of the ruins of the old town, one begins to get acquainted
with the unending beauties of the island. Northeast of town is the
Roman aqueduct, further north Pyrgoi Thermis with
traditional old houses, and Loutra Thermon. Scenic
seaside villages with wonderful beaches, like Plomari,
known for its ouzo, are everywhere. The mountain
village of Agiasos, on the foothills of Mt. Olympus,
has charming houses and little streets. Sandy beaches at Vaters,
Kalloni, Mithymna, and famous Molyvos:
a picturesque place with special colour, a long tradition in folk
art, intense night life in the summer it is a meeting point for artists.
A Byzantine castle looks down on the village and the lacy beaches
of Eftalous to the north and Petra
to the south. The sights continue to be impressive, from the fossil
forest at Sigrl to the antiquities at Eresos.
South of Lesvos lies one of the most beautiful islands of the Aegean:
Chios, where the green of the trees and the aquamarine
of the sea are within kissing distance. Here the verdant valleys embrace
the pretty towns redolent with mastic from the countless chewing gum
trees (actually, mastic-trees). The millennia-old history of the island
disappears into the recesses of mythology.
Multi-coloured houses, fishing boats, and nets spread out in the old
harbour. Modern houses and busy shops in the new harbour, opposite
the castle. Large old stone houses decorate the plain with the lush
gardens and orange groves. Charming little fishing villages such as
Vrontados, Pantoukios, and Lagadas.
Good beaches at Kardamyla. Alpine scenery with rare
beauty at Volissos, such at the Venetian
fort and the historic monastery of Agios Georgios.
Enchanting scenery just before Nea Moni. Villages unchanged since
the middle ages at Anavato and Mesta. Pottery workshops at Armolia
and painting compositions at Pyrgi.
Pretty pebble beaches and sandy shores and then by caique to Psara,
the small but historic island.
A rocky island with fine sandy beaches and only one village, with
a strong Cycladic flavour, oinousses, lies to the east of Chios.
Samos, the easternmost island of the Aegean,
is within swimming distance of Asia Minor. Images of the island
are framed by bunches of Samian grapes, vine leaves and vineyards.
The capital, Samos, is built like an amphitheatre at the end
of a deep bay, next to the harbour of Vathy.
Plane trees, springs, and neoclassical buildings coexist harmoniously
with modern elements at Karlovassi.
Gorgeous beaches at Kokari, pebbled
ones at Potami, busy ones at Tsamadou
and the best one on the island at Chrysi. Fishing
villages with sandy beaches, mountain villages with picturesque
alleyways and houses in the charming local style. There are
many monasteries on Samos, such as Megali Panagia, Agia Zoni,
Vronta, Panagia Spiliani, Zoodochos Pigi. Finally, to the south
is the Pythagoreio or Tigani with the ruins
of the ancient acropolis and Evpalineio
aqueduct, and further south still is the Heraio,
dedicated to the worship of Hera.
Southwest of Samos is Ikaria, which boasts an incredible
range of scenery. Steep and naked rocks to the south, a calm and serene
landscape to the north, where one encounters fabulous beaches. The
island's capital, Agios Kirykos, is decorated with
several old two-storey captains houses. The radioactive springs at
Therma have been used as a spa since antiquity. At
Karavostamo, on the north coast, the white washed
houses peek through the vegetation reaching almost to the water's
edge. The small, pretty harbour of Evdilos is next
to some fine beaches with charming tavernas on them. A dense pine
forest is host to several streams that flow onto a spectacular beach
at Armenistis. Many villages scattered amid the verdant
countryside. To the north, Fanari is of special archaeological
interest in surroundings of great natural beauty.
