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EXPERIENCE CULTURE, GASTRONOMY & MORE

ISLANDS

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ISSN: 2529-041X

ISSUE #42 | SUMMER 2020

04 - 62

67 - 124

125 - 160

161 - 189

Hop on for a tour of many islands in a few words: travel memories, summer habits, dreamy pictures, reasons to visit and tips for enjoying.

Used to counting their visitors by the millions, these worldrenowned destinations will slow down a bit this summer and bring out their hidden charms.

Some like their summer vacations lazy. Others prefer multifaceted destinations that allow them to make new discoveries every day.

Travel writers return to the islands they hold closest to their hearts and share cherished memories, favorite spots and amazing experiences.

ISL A N D H O P P I N G

STARS

EX PLORE

MY OWN

©GERASIMOS DOMENIKOS/FOSPHOTOS

WELCOME

AND THE SHIP SAILS ON A sun-drenched issue for an unpredictable summer B Y G I O R G O S T S I R O S / E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F, G R E E C E I S

All predictions on how this summer will unfold are fraught with risk, but I will hazard one nonetheless.

Our islands, even the most tourism-friendly ones, those geared for mass arrivals by charter flight or cruise ship, will move this summer at a more human, agreeable pace, and will have a chance to re-examine their tourism business models.

Those who open up – shops, hotels, tourist offices – will have no choice but to offer the highest quality services, to present their best selves. The stakes are high – for many, their very survival.

This is a dance that takes two – the tourism professionals on the one hand, and the travelers and vacationers on the other.

For their part, those vacationing this summer will be better informed and more demanding. No one has money to throw away in the present circumstances.

Greece kicks off the season aiming for a low bar – it is widely recognized that the previous years’ achievements in terms of arrivals and takings are out of reach – but with an enormous

comparative advantage: its global recognition as a country that met the moment and stayed safe against the pandemic. The trust that the country earned is the strongest foundation on which to rebuild its tourism.

In this issue, we have worked hard to convey our accumulated knowledge of many years – even decades – of summers, each writing about their own island, in stories that embody the state of mind of the Greek summer. In spite of the setbacks that are beyond our control – a festival canceled, a favorite restaurant closed – the bigger picture remains unchanged. The Greek islands – those we managed to squeeze into this 200-page issue and all the others, equally amazing and beloved, that we will continue to cover through our website, greece-is.com – remain irresistible, welcoming, enthralling: each a microcosm offering the visitor a small road map to summer joy.

A very good summer to all.

We all need and deserve it.

Playing with the waves at Myrtos Beach, Kefalonia ISL ANDS 2020

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CONTENTS GREECE IS - ISSUE#42 ISL ANDS SUMMER 2020

74

96

PUBLISHED BY:

EXPLORER SINGLE MEMBER SA Mass Media Ethnarchou Makariou & 2 Falireos, Athens, 18547, Greece Tel. (+30) 210.480.8000 Fax (+30) 210.480.8202 EXECUTIVE EDITOR

168

Alexis Papahelas

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Giorgos Tsiros (editor@greece-is.com) COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

Vassiliki Albani (valbani@kathimerini.gr)

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Kelly Lorentzou (klorentzou@kathimerini.gr) COMMERCIAL INQUIRIES

04. KNOWLEDGE TEST

48. LESS IS MORE

EXPLORE

14. STATE OF MIND

The art of doing nothing on the small Aegean islands

By Fotis Vallatos

08. SCATTERED MEMORIES

HASHTAGS

56. ONE WITH THE SEA

26. KYTHIRA #NATURE

Sailing around the National Marine Park of Alonissos and Northern Sporades

30. PATMOS #AMBIANCE

STARS

34. SAMOTHRAKI

By Dimitris Tsakoumis

24. SYMI #POSTCARD 28. KEA #WEEKEND

32. NISYROS #ENERGY #ADVENTURE

36. FOLEGANDROS #FUN 38. ASTYPALEA #ROMANCE 40. AMORGOS #VISTAS 42. ANDROS #TRAILS

44. KIMOLOS #TRANQUILITY 46. LEFKADA #BEACHES

68. MYKONOS 74. SANTORINI

By Nena Dimitriou & Alexandra Tzavella 82. CRETE

By Olga Charami & Nena Dimitriou 96. RHODES

By John Papadimitriou 104. KOS

By John Papadimitriou 112. CORFU

By Despina Trivoli 118. ZAKYNTHOS

By Vivi Konstantinidou

126. KEFALONIA 134. NAXOS

By John Papadimitriou 140. KARPATHOS

By Alexandra Tzavella 146. CHIOS

By Alexandra Mandrakou

welcome@greece-is.com

GREECE IS - ISLANDS

is a yearly edition distributed free of charge. It is illegal to reproduce any part of this publication without the written permission of the publisher.

By Yiannis Mantas 156. LIMNOS

By Nena Dimitriou

MY OWN 162. PAROS

By John Papadimitriou 168. MILOS

By Natasha Blatsiou 174. TINOS

By Maya Tsoclis 180. SAMOS

By Tassoula Eptakili 184. HYDRA

By Maya Tsoclis

By Vassilis Masselos

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PUBLIC RELATIONS:

152. LESVOS

186. SPETSES

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Eva Loudi Tel. (+30) 210.480.8227 Fax (+30) 210.480.8228 E-mails: sales@greece-is.com emporiko@kathimerini.gr

ISSN: 2529-041X ON THE COVER: “On the Boat” by Maria Filopoulou. Oil on canvas, 40x70cm,1999 (detail)

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ISL AND-HOPPING

D. Off Cape Akrathos on Mt Athos.

7.

Pair the traditional product to its island.

A. Skotyri B. Arseniko ©KATERINA KAMPITI

©SHUTTERSTOCK

©SHUTTERSTOCK

3.

Why did white become the trademark color of Cycladic

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE GREEK ISLANDS? Our fun quiz tests your knowledge of the Aegean and the Ionian islands. We hope it will also entice you to explore more destinations.

B Y VA S S I L I S M I N A K A K I S

1.

Which of the following was a custom in ancient times on the island of Kea? A. They would honor Zeus with ecstatic, drug-induced dancing.

B. Elderly residents would commit suicide when food was short.

C. Sailors painted their ships red to ward off sea demons.

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D. Wives and daughters were the main beneficiaries of the inheritance law.

2.

When Zeus transformed himself into a bull and abducted Europa, he took her off to…

A. Rhodes B. Lesvos C. Crete D. Kythira

houses?

A. To make them look more attractive to tourists B. Because the limestone whitewash used was considered an effective disinfectant C. It helped deflect the sunlight and keep homes cool.

4.

Which of the following is not a traditional dance?

A. Balos B. Antipatitis C. Pyrgousikos D. Kechagiadikos E. Pidichtos F. Katakefalos 5.

Which of the following was the last to become part of the modern Greek state?

A. Crete B. The Sporades C. The islands of the northeastern Aegean D. The Dodecanese 6.

Ancient mariners believed the most treacherous waters in the Aegean to be...

A. The Paros-Naxos Strait.

B. The sea east of Crete.

C. Off Cape Maleas (Cavo Malias) in the southeastern Peloponnese.

C. Spetseriko D. Chondros E. Kariki I. Crete II. Naxos III. Tinos IV. Ios V. Corfu 8.

The Venus de Milo was sculpted from marble quarried on which island?

A. Mykonos B. Tinos C. Milos D. Paros 9.

One of the most famous petrified forests of the world is in…

A. Sigri, Lesvos.

B. Volakas, Tinos.

C. Anavato, Chios.

D. The White Mountains of Crete.

10.

The Dodecanese island group takes its name from the number of major islands it contains – what number is that?

A. 67 B.12

Stores in Greece Athens, Santorini, Corfu, Kefalonia, Paxoi, Kythera, Hydra, Myconos, Paros, Antiparos, Naxos, Patmos, Chalkidiki, Syros, Crete, Rhodes, Skiathos, Skopelos, Ioannina, Parga, Katakolo, Ancient Olympia, Kardamili, Kavala, Larissa, Karditsa, Agrinio, Nafplio, kastro Monemvasia, Lesvos, Kalymnos, Milos, Kos, Koufonisia,Thessaloniki, Amorgos, Stemnitsa, Mytilini, Tripoli ďŹ nd a store near you

follow us on fb, instagram @gerochristojewelry visit our website www.gerochristojewelry.gr

©VISUALHELLAS.GR

ISL AND-HOPPING

CORRECT ANSWERS

B. Mykonos C. Patmos D. Kos 18.

How old is the famous statue of the Keros Harpist?

A. 6,000 years old B. Approx. 4,500 years old C. Approx. 3,000 years old D. 2,700 years old

11.

Which of these islands have waterfalls?

A. Samothraki B. Lefkada C. Milos D. Thasos E. Kythira 12.

Why is the group of islands known as the Cyclades?

A. Because they are located in the center of Greece B. Because most of the islands are round.

C. Because they form a circle around the ancient sanctuary of Delos.

D. They are named after the Cyclopes – the race of mythical monsters said to live in caves on the islands 13.

Which volcanoes in the Aegean are considered active?

A. Methana B. Santorini C. Nisyros D. All of the above 14.

Sarakiniko is…

A. A traditional recipe for lamb with onions.

B. A ritual associated with the 06

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Saracen pirates that sailed the Aegean.

C. A long love poem written in rhyming couplets.

D. A famous beach on Milos.

15.

True or False?

A. “The Guns of Navarone” was filmed on Rhodes.

B . “Mediterraneo” was filmed on Amorgos C. “Mamma Mia!” was filmed on Skiathos and Skopelos D. “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” was set on Zakynthos E. “The Big Blue” was filmed on Astypalaia F. “Boy on a Dolphin” was filmed on Aegina 16.

Philip II of Macedon and his wife Olympias – one of many – met during a Cabeiri initiation at…

A. The Sanctuary of Apollo on Delos B. The Sanctuary of the Great Gods on Samothraki C. The Sanctuary of Hera on Samos D. The Sanctuary of Asclepius on Kos 17.

Which of the following islands was famous as a “health tourism” destination in ancient times?

A. Chios

©VISUALHELLAS.GR

C. 10 D. 48

19.

On what island is the spot known as Daskalopetra (“Teacher’s Rock”) or Homer’s Rock, where legend says Homer taught students his epics?

A. Chios B. Ios C. Naxos D. Andros

20.

Which Greek island is furthest from the mainland?

A. Kastelorizo B. Gavdos C. Kythira D. Ereikousa 21.

The deepest point in the Mediterranean is located in Greek waters, and is…

A. Off Ithaca B. Off Chios C. Off Pylos D. Off Rhodes

1. A 2. C 3. B 4. F 5. D 6. C 7. Skotyri (cheese) – Ios; Chondros (fermented wheat) – Crete; Arseniko (cheese) – Naxos; Spetseriko (spice mix) – Corfu; Kariki (cheese) – Tinos 8. D 9. A 10. B 11. All of them 12. C 13. D 14. D 15. A. True B. False; it was Kastelorizo. C. True D. False; it was Kefalonia. E. False; it was Amorgos. F. False; it was Hydra.

16. B 17. D 18. B 19. A 20. A 21. C

ISL AND-HOPPING

YEARS IN THE ISLANDS An American who made Greece her second home looks back at treasured moments.

B Y D I A N A FA R R L OU I S I L LUST R AT ION S: A N NA T ZORT Z I

AEGINA WINTER 2015 – NOT QUITE ANTIQUITIES Aegina was always a favorite winter day trip. We’d pop over to visit the Temple of Aphaia or explore the neoclassical town, its fish market and delightful ouzeris (restaurants specializing in seafood meze and ouzo). However, not until a friend who lived there took us to the olive grove above Marathonas did we dip below the surface. Billed as “ancient,” the trees may be no more than 500 years old, but with their twisted trunks, some virtually hollowed out and others bulging grotesquely, they look truly mythical. A fishy lunch at a seaside taverna made us 08

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nostalgic for a more recent past, as we emptied countless liters of the taverna’s own barrel-aged retsina, a taste I hadn’t enjoyed for at least three decades.

ALONISSOS

SUMMER, EARLY ‘90S – JUST CALL ME “SWIMS WITH SEALS” I was in the water with an Italian film crew waiting for Thodoros, an orphaned seal who’d been released into the wild from the Monk Seal Refuge at Steni Vala but who seemed to shun solitude. He arrived on schedule around 15:00, happy to find playmates. We dove with him and stroked him for hours. Eventually, starting to shiv-

er, I swam towards shore. Thodoros followed. He was no longer a pup and I was a bit alarmed. As I climbed the few rungs to the dock, I felt a sharp nip on my right buttock. I whirled around and there was Thodoros, treading water and scolding me for leaving the party. He didn’t mean to hurt, just to show his disapproval.

ANDROS

MARCH 1993 – A WINTER’S TALE IN A SUMMER PLAYGROUND It started to snow as we climbed from Korthi Bay up to the wind-ravaged Venetian castle and down the watermill-lined gorge to Sineti. The next day, we took a

ISL AND-HOPPING

steep path to the Panachrantos Monastery, founded in 961. The abbot cooked us spaghetti with tomato sauce and entertained us with stories of visiting London with the Goulandris shipping family.

“Where are you from?” he asked me.

“New York.”

“Ah, I’ve heard there’s an American with a house at Ano Mermigies.”

“That’s me,” I said.

The next day we trudged through deep snow on the ridge of the mountain in our shirt sleeves, and having lost the path, slid down to the main coastal road by following the pylons.

CORFU

OCTOBER 2016 – SNIFFING AT THE HEM OF CELEBRITY I’d been invited to Corfu to advise a newly renovated hotel on attracting food tourism. At breakfast, an older woman asked, “Are you British?”

I replied, “No, American.” I positioned myself closer to her, hoping we could talk.

It was Leslie Caron, in Corfu to film “The Durrells,” and she invited me to join her at every meal. She told me about being “discovered” by Gene Kelly, braving Hollywood as a shy teenager, and how, even after she became a star, she still had to deal with a mother who told her, “Yeah, you’ve done pretty well, but you’re not as good as Audrey Hepburn!”

FOLEGANDROS

JULY 2007 – TIME-TRAVELING BACK TO THE SIXTIES So many images linger in the memory: the view, from inland, of ridge-hugging Hora stabbing the sky like a scimitar blade, and, from the Church of Panaghia above, of its white houses poised on the brink of the cliff like lemmings; lemon trees enclosed by high stone walls for protection against the wind; turquoise coves with jade rocks; Hora’s connecting squares graced with gleaming churches and empty by day but a party scene at night. Most of all, I remember the people: Mitsos offering free 10

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rakomelo (raki pomace brandy laced with honey) the second time we went to his kafeneio; strangers stopping to chat with us on the street; making friends over breakfast in our hotel. We had, it seemed, returned to the Greece of the ‘60s.

KASTELLORIZO

JULY 30, 1980 – A SPECIAL DAY AT THE END OF THE AEGEAN That morning, a boatload of young men singing mantinades (folk songs) to their friend’s fiancée had woken us before dawn. After breakfast, we were taking a stroll along the waterfront lined with faded two-story houses when a priest and a few young men attempted to throw us into the

sea, a bizarre local tradition on the feast day of St. Elias. That evening, we joined the whole island at a wedding dinner – the waterfront turned into one big taverna – even though we were total strangers. The next day, we took a small outboard boat to Kaş in Turkey, a half-hour away, and lunched on lobster for under 1000 drachmas (about 20 dollars.

KEA

MID ‘70S – RECIPE FOR A QUICK ADVENTURE “Take the ferry from Lavrio to Kea and get a taxi at the port to take you to the convent at the eastern tip of the island. Spend the night in its spartan rooms, have a light

ISL AND-HOPPING

breakfast, admire the view and then set off for the main town via a mountain path where you’ll pick blackberries and come across an Archaic statue of a grinning lion.

By noon, you’ll be strolling through the town and down to the sea, where you’ll plunge into the harbor for a refreshing swim, have a wonderful taverna lunch and finish just in time to take the ferry back.”

I don’t think I’ve ever had a better tip.

NAXOS

LATE ‘70S – WHEN YACHTSMEN BECAME HIKERS Leaving the boat in the port, we took an extended walk into the Naxos hinterland. It was a gentle hike through gorgeous green countryside speckled with white churches and imposing stone tower houses. Just when we were getting seriously hungry, we stumbled upon a taverna. It was closed, but the owner graciously rustled up what he had: fried eggs, fried potatoes, a salad with delectable local cheese, and kitro, a pale yellow lemony liqueur more suitable for after dinner than during lunch. Nonetheless, we emptied several carafes and got a taxi back to the boat. All four of us remember it as one of the best meals we’ve ever had.

PSERIMOS

MID ‘70S – THREE DAYS OF UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES We first heard of this tiny sponge divers’ island lying between Kos and Kalymnos when we were on the latter, and it was from there that we took a caique for our trip into the unknown. On Pserimos, we slept on a pile of blankets instead of a bed and ate our meals at the only shop on the island, a general store/café/post office. One night, the owner, one of only three men on the island, pressed me into service making omelets for his clientele while he enthralled us with non-stop stories. Another time, we shared fish soup cooked on the beach by fishermen who’d almost caught us bathing nude. When, after three days, we hired the caique to take us on to Kos, the whole island joined us for the ride. On the way, a woman cried out to my husband, “I know you!

You’re a doctor at the hospital in Voula (in Athens).”

SYMI

1997 – FIRST PORT OF CALL AFTER A CRUISE IN TURKEY Who knows just where Greek waters start? Perhaps the light was a clue. Every fold and crevice in Symi’s bald rocks and sheer cliffs stood out in sharp relief, while a tiny church or two, grafted onto im-

12

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possible heights, reminded me of how much I’d missed the Greek mountains and their white chapels. In Turkey, there are no mini mosques to take their place.

The church bells rang out as we sailed into the sheltered Panormitis Bay, a pleasant tintinnabulation not heard for days, but the booming conversations and shrill whines of the kids at the taverna later were an even more penetrating reminder that we were really home again.

TINOS

SPRING, MID ‘90S – AMBLING ACROSS THE OTHER SIDE We ignored the classic route from the port to the Panaghia Evangelistria Tinos (The Church of Our Lady of Tinos) and instead rambled down cobbled paths for three days, through green valleys sprinkled with white dovecotes and across arched stone bridges. We explored a ruined Venetian castle called Xobourgo and traipsed through a surreal landscape littered with immense round rocks that could have been the cannonballs of gods.

In the immaculate villages, each with a central fountain, every house bore delicate marble decorations above windows and doors, and occasionally their occupants would invite us in for some sweet preserves or a tumbler of raki. Was this really the Lourdes of Greece, where the pious flock in search of miracles?

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©PERIKLES MERAKOS

THE SEA INSIDE US From the waters of the Blue Grotto on the distant island of Kastelorizo to the water off Little Venice on the island of Mykonos once the etesian wind has died down, the sea can soothe the body and the spirit.

©PERIKLES MERAKOS

ISL AND-HOPPING

STATE OF MIND

BY NATA SH A BL AT SIOU

ISL ANDS 2020

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SUMMER HANGOUTS From impromptu gatherings in the village of Kapetaniana, and across the island of Crete, to rock-climbing on the island of Kalymnos, socializing may have been dealt a serious blow by the pandemic, but it’s making a strong comeback as the driving force behind summer fun.

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©CHRISTOS MANIOROS

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© GETTY IMAGES/IDEAL IMAGE

Above: Lalaria Beach on the island of Skiathos.

On the right: Perfect harmony in Hora, on the island of Sifnos.

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

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© VISUALHELLAS.GR

THE TRUE MEANING OF LANDSCAPE No one has spoken as beautifully about the “affectionate, small and benign buildings” of the Cycladic islands as the architect Aris Konstantinidis.

Writing from the ship’s deck as he sailed across the Aegean Sea, he described them as “upright, like ancient sculptures, sparkling, smooth and simple, speaking the very language of nature itself” (“Two ‘Villages’ from Mykonos,” Crete University Press, 1947)

ISL ANDS 2020

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“Spilia” means “Ca ve”. ―

Visit the natural cave of Mykonos

Egremni Beach in Lefkada.

© NIKOS ZACHAROULIS/UNSPLASH.COM

THE ISLANDS WE FELL MADLY IN LOVE WITH, AND WHY.

©GEORGE TSAFOS

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SYMI#POSTCARD

There are many different ways to get to know Symi, depending on which of its charms you choose to explore first. If you like gastronomy, why not try spinialo – pickled sea-squirt, full of briny flavor?

You’ll feel as if you’re boarding a kagava – a sponge-diving boat – ready to set sail with the crew. If you’re the nautical type, you can rent a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) and take a trip around the island.

You’ll discover tiny bays, sea caves that you’ll remember forever, and beaches that look like paintings, such as Ai-Yiorgis Dysalonas, with its deep green waters and jagged rocks rising over 300 meters in height. On the other hand, if it’s inner exploration you prefer, a stay at the Panormitis Monastery will really help you center yourself. Three days there is as restful as a full month of vacation elsewhere.

Whatever you choose to do, remember that any physical exertion on Symi 24

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takes place either before or after the heat of the day, which is unbearable, especially since shade is virtually non-existent. A little before the sun sets, I start descending Kali Strata, once the main commercial thoroughfare, its five hundred-odd steps serving to connect the village (Ano Symi) with Yialos (the port). Most guidebooks recommend ascending this street, but that’s a waste of effort. A taxi, which costs about €8, gets me to Horio, from where I can enjoy a downhill stroll. To my right and left are the remains of townhouses destroyed in WW II, now overgrown with bougainvilleas, while at every turn I catch the sun as it slips towards the horizon.

In front of me stretches Yialos, full of all manner of yachts, stylish sailboats and fishing boats.

My perspective changes suddenly when I reach the water’s edge and turn around to face the amphitheatrical layout of the village. All at once I’m in the

midst of an Italian movie, as the colorful neo-classical houses of Yialos form a stunning cinematic backdrop. The charming esplanade is quite long, and continues beyond the clock tower, which has graced the island since 1881. In any case, the finish line for me is always at the wine cellar in Georgina’s Market, where Nektarios will help me select a bottle from the surprisingly large selection. Some spicy cheese and some charcuterie complete my shopping, and I’m ready for a good evening in with friends.

- JOHN PAPADIMITRIOU

The port of Symi with its colorful neoclassical houses is picture perfect.

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©PERIKLES MERAKOS

The Fonissa Waterfall is ideal for cold freshwater plunges.

KYTHIRA#NATURE My favorite photograph of Kythira was taken from the opening of my tent, capturing the scene outside: soil and tree trunks, with nothing but wild nature in the background. You might think that it was taken deep in a forest somewhere, but it was in the campsite at Kapsali, just above the touristy beach.

There is no trickery in the shot, because Kythira is actually like this: an unspoiled location where development has 26

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been sparse and where even organized camping feels like an encounter with nature. It’s not an exotic paradise, to use one of the clichés you hear about Greek islands, but a natural environment that resembles that of the Peloponnese, albeit in a more primitive state. It has amazing beaches, each so beautiful you wonder how they could all be on the same island. You’ll be told about Kaladi, a popular pebbled beach famed

for the big rock that splits it into two coves, or Melidoni, a dreamy sheltered cove. Both are great, but get so busy at the height of summer, you miss out on the tranquility that is the real essence of Kythira. Quieter beaches include Sparagario (you get there by pedal boat from Kapsali and share it with those who’ve set up tents there) or Kalami. You may have to psyche yourself into a Lara Croft state of mind for this one, as it involves a trek past a wasp’s nest and a descent by rope.

What else is Kythira, apart from its beaches? It is a collection of one-of-akind locations like the Green Lake, a natural pool shaped like a heart that tends to attract romantic hiking couples; it’s the Fonissa Waterfall in Mylopotamos, expected to have quite a bit of water this summer after a wet winter; it’s the Cave of Aghia Sofia with its 13th-century wall paintings; and it’s the forest at Gerakari, a great place for a picnic.

Kythira is the new via ferrata-style hiking trail running below Paliochora and combining trekking, canyoning and climbing. It is also Hytra, a rock in the middle of the sea that’s a habitat for the small yellow sempervivum flower and has a cool cave you can explore on a boat ride. If you want to take a piece of Kythira back home with you, to get a bit of the aromas and tastes of this incredible island even when you’re far away, pay a visit to the Potamos market some Sunday morning. You’ll find fresh fruit, eggs, cheese, honey and soaps made with fragrant plants and herbs, all presented with love by the locals, many of whom, you might notice, speak with a slightly Scottish, Dutch or French intonation.

This is Kythira: a very special place, and a destination you will always want to come back to.

- ELEFTHERIA ALAVANOU

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ISL AND-HOPPING

KEA#WEEKEND A day trip to the closest Cycladic island to Athens is enough to make you feel as though you’re in the very heart of the Aegean Sea. The island of Kea will cast a spell over all those who love nature, traditional architecture and quiet coves. One of the most beautiful travel destinations for a short summer break from Athens, it’s only an hour away by boat from the port of Lavrio. It’s also great for longer holidays, since there’s plenty to see and do.

When you arrive at the port of Korissia, it’s worth making a short pause for a takeaway coffee and a freshly baked cheese pie from the local bakery. This will give you just enough time to reflect on which beach you should choose. The closest option is Gialiskari, a sandy beach with facilities that’s a favorite with the locals and the younger generation of visitors.

Its beach bar is renowned for serving the best club sandwiches on the island. A swim here can be combined with a stop at the adjacent and more cosmopolitan Vourkari, a popular mooring spot for yachts that also boasts plenty of tavernas and quiet bars. If, on the other hand, the children are doing the choosing, then they will undoubtedly be thrilled with sandy Otzias, which has shallow waters 28

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and a playground, while the grownups will be quite content with its little tavernas. You can find some shade here, too, either under the beach umbrellas or the tamarisk trees.

Late afternoon, when the heat has subsided somewhat, is the best time to visit captivating Ioulida, the island’s main town, known locally as Hora. The most interesting route to take starts at Otzias and ends at the island’s beautiful capital after traveling through the back country of the island. This walk is a first-rate opportunity to really get to know the Kean hinterland, with its almond, maple and, especially, famous royal oak trees. The acorns from these trees were once used in tanneries to dye hides, and together with the celebrated Mavroudi wine and the local barley once constituted Kea’s main natural sources of wealth. As the path climbs, you’ll also notice examples of the island’s typical traditional stonebuilt houses, a model for bioclimatic architectural design. In their majority, the Keans continue to live in the countryside, and perhaps this is yet another reason that might explain the preservation of an extensive and well signposted network of trails, a feature which has made Kea an outstanding hiking destination.

Ioulida is undoubtedly beautiful, with its mansions, small squares and narrow cobbled streets. The short walk from the Archaeological Museum to the stonecarved ancient statue known as the Lion of Kea is perhaps the best way to explore the immediate area; you’ll pass through the town’s residential area and then continue around the terraced slopes that rise above the town. If your timing is good, when you reach the famous lion (whose half-grin resembles those of the ancient kouroi, which are contemporaries) Ioulida will appear as if perfectly placed for your viewing pleasure, with the setting sun dipping right into the Aegean Sea in the background.

So, then, where do we eat? In Korissia, Rolando’s boasts a trusted standard of food and service, and specialties from Corfu. In Vourkari, it’s either the classic fish taverna Aristos, or Strofi tou Mimi.

In Otzias, Taverna tis Annas serves fresh fish and traditional Greek dishes. In Ioulida, Ton Kalofagadon is famous for its local meat dishes while Piatsa offers fine homecooked fare.

- NATASHA BLATSIOU Insta-Kea! Snapshots from the website of the Municipality of Kea.

©PERIKLES MERAKOS

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PATMOS#AMBIANCE It’s been eight years, but I still remember my first swim at Grikos, a sheltered cove on the southeastern coast of Patmos. It was late June, just before dusk, and I stopped for a moment as I walked across the fine sand in front of the old Xenia Hotel just to take in the scene. Pink clouds accompanied my every step. On my right, a straight row of proud tamarisk trees seemed to point me in the direction of Kallikatsos, a mysterious rock with an almost magnetic power. Directly across, behind dozens of sailboats, the uninhabited islet of Tragonisi was stopping the winds from buffeting the fishing village, while just a bit off to the left, I could see Hiliomodi, a tiny islet topped by a chapel dedicated to Panteleimon, the All-Merciful. It was the perfect Aegean scene, and so quiet that all you could hear were the cries of the seabirds. I took a cleansing dive into the chilly water and, in that one instant, rid myself of all the accumulated cares of the winter.

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It is such postcard moments, snapshots you can call up from memory when you need to give your mind a rest, that the island of the Apocalypse offers with such amazing generosity. The dynamic yet discreet presence of the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian has prevented Patmos from turning into a beach bar paradise; in fact, there’s almost no music on its beaches at all. This delicious quiet combines wonderfully with the delicate sophistication of Hora, the island’s main town, high on its perch up in the hills.

Hora, which seems to be snuggling up against the walls of the castle-monastery, is full of two-story houses with whitewashed courtyards and jasmine plants climbing up their walls and intoxicating nocturnal passersby with their heady aroma. The houses are connected by a labyrinth of low-lying archways and secret passages once designed to protect the island’s inhabitants from marauding pirates.

After the obligatory visit to the Cave of Apocalypse and the monastery – where you should tour the library, a trove of 11th-century treasures – there is little reason to stay in Hora much longer during the day. The nights, however, will almost inevitably bring you here, as this is where to wander pretty whitewashed streets, to enjoy traditional Greek food at one of the eateries on the main square – if you haven’t already found a nice seaside taverna – and to quaff a refreshing cocktail at one of its admittedly cool bars, where you may even come across sheikhs traveling incognito or artists looking for inspiration for their next project. These enchanting outings in Hora are like that swim at Grikos: occasions where you’re dreaming with open eyes.

- JOHN PAPADIMITRIOU The Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, thanks to which Patmos has preserved a quieter, gentler feeling.

©MARIKA TSOUDEROU

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The Stefanos crater on Nisyros, the volcanic island.

NISYROS#ENERGY I turned right at the last fork and, although I knew where I was headed as I made my way downhill, I was still stunned by the lunar-like landscape before me. A worldclass sight, the Nisyros volcano is the kind of place that could receive thousands of visitors every day. But because it is tucked away in one of the farthest-flung corners of Greece, on a small island with no airport and only infrequent ferry service, it was just me and a handful of other visitors – I had an entire volcano almost all to myself.

Picking my way carefully among the rocks and fissures and making my way around the edge of holes spewing hot steam, I admired the perfect circle of the Stefanos crater. Later, from my table at Balkoni (Balcony) – the only taverna on the island with a view of the caldera – in the ghost town of Emporio, I took one last photograph of the Polyvotis crater while nibbling on chunks of pork cooked in pork fat and sipping on tsipouro, the local spirit.

I soon had company. “You’ll need sturdy shoes, water and a hat, because the sun isn’t joking around right now,” I told a group of Danish tourists who expressed their desire to walk every one of Nisyros’ 40 trails. There may not be much in way of 32

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shade here, but this island is a paradise for trekkers, as well as for those dreaming of crystalline seas without the horror of sun loungers, umbrellas and crowds.

The early afternoon found me in Nikia, sipping coffee in the tiny but charming village square whose picture graces so many tributes to the island. The Museum of Volcanology, located at the entrance to the village, let me in on the secrets of Hephaestus. After the museum, I found a room for rent in a stately two-story house of the type known locally as a “Captain’s house”. I had a quick shower to wash off the dust and sweat, and headed out to the old Pantelidis Baths and what I’d heard was an afternoon ritual of impromptu parties attended by artists and other alternative types, some brandishing guitars or other instruments, all feeding on tons of delicious meze while the smells of the healing water bubbled up, hot and miraculous, from the bowels of the Earth.

Evening fell and I watched as, in the distance, the lights went on in Mandraki, the capital of the island. I headed there next.

Mandraki is a town, nestled beneath ancient walls, that thrives year round without the help of mass tourism. The Monastery of

Panaghia Spiliani, perched on the edge of a steep cliff, shone above me as I enjoyed a dinner of fresh fish in the moonlight at Vengos on Ilikiomenis Square, just a few steps from Andriko’s kafeneio. For dessert, I was treated to some fresh melon accompanied by homemade cinnamon liqueur.

The following morning, I had just come out of the sea at Lies Beach, near where the donkeys graze, when I heard a group of friends beside me discussing their itinerary for the next few days. “We should go swimming at that old pirate’s bay, Avlaki, tomorrow,” said one of them.

Another countered: “Or we can have a swim at Chochlakous; I love how the big black pebbles make music when they’re washed by the waves.”

“Or we could just set up camp at Pachia Ammos and spend the night singing around the campfire,” said the third.

On Nisyros, the land itself has breath and voice. Only the initiated can hear it clearly, but after a couple of days even my untrained ears started understanding its welcoming rumbling. “I respect you because you respect me,” the island seemed to be whispering.

- NIKOS PAPADOGIANNIS

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ISL AND-HOPPING

© GETTY IMAGES/IDEAL IMAGE

Samothraki isn’t for beach-hopping. The best swims happen in the natural pools dotting Fonias Canyon.

SAMOTHRAKI#ADVENTURE There is one thing that I will remember forever about Samothraki: for every little thing it takes away from you, it gives you something else in return. You’ll see flaws; but even these “deficiencies,” under certain circumstances, can suddenly become advantages. This island, so fecund and verdant, is at the same time “barren”, off the beaten track, a stop on what boats and planes call an “unprofitable route.” The trip to reach it is seemingly endless: an 800-kilometer drive from Athens all the way to Alexandroupoli and then a two-and-a-half-hour boat ride, before you finally disembark at Kamariotissa, the island’s port. But in some magical way, when you reach the place you actually feel rested. Samothraki is the ideal place for camping, offering two official campsites. We opted for the more “primitive” one, at Therma, where there is ample 34

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space for campers to pitch their tent inside a forest of plane trees.

This campsite may indeed lack hot water, but we were treated to the coolest of slumbers beneath its plane trees, immersed in a shade that lasted till midday. We slept in comfort; the earth was covered in a thick bed of plane leaves. These trees are found throughout the entire island, both in the smaller settlements and in gorgeous, amphitheatrically built Hora, the island’s main town. At sunset, Hora and its plane trees are resplendently bathed in orange.

The only places where you won’t find trees are on the beaches. Samothraki has just two of them: the first, called Pachia Ammos, on a wide bay with turquoise waters, offers more facilities and is also easier to access; the other is named Kipi (or Kipos) and lies in the southeast. Though more difficult to reach

and lacking exotic colors, Kipi is immense and a favorite among dolphins. All the same, the best dips of all in Samothraki are in its vathres (natural freshwater pools). Fonias Canyon is a veritable oasis. The higher up you manage to go, the more pristine and verdant the setting, and the greater the adventure, too. We dove into the water, leaping from rock to rock, like a couple of Mowglis; each plunge felt better and more refreshing than the last, until at last we were sure that we were diving into soda water.

The sweet exhaustion brought on by the climbing, the jumping and the swimming only served to intensify our hunger. Food is yet another paradoxical matter on Samothraki. Despite being an island, its very few fish tavernas don’t offer anything to write home about. In contrast, this is where you’ll get the chance to savor maddeningly delicious oven-baked Aegean Sea mountain goat. For my money, Karydies (Tel. (+30) 25510.982.66) is the premier taverna on the island.

If chic nightlife and popular clubs are your thing, then this island is definitely not for you. That’s not to say, however, that there’s nothing going on in terms of entertainment. The locals don’t need much of an excuse to have a good time, and people dance till dawn at religious feast day celebrations in Hora and Therma. At night, groups of friends assemble at the kafeneio (traditional coffee house) on the square in Therma. There, you might get to hear stories about pixies, or tales about fairies dancing up on Fengari (“Moon”), a nickname for Mt Saos, one of the highest peaks in the whole of the Aegean Sea. Don’t try to scale it unless you’ve had some real climbing experience.

This is the kind of island where you do need a car – despite the fact that you’ll reach its best parts on foot, like Panaghia Krimniotissa, for example. This little church offers a view an eagle would envy. And here’s a bonus secret place for you: the taverna located at the foot of the rock, which serves local specialties – like that wild goat we were going on about earlier.

- NENA DIMITRIOU

© AFP/VISUALHELLAS.GR

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FOLEGANDROS#FUN It’s a little after midnight and we’re in Hora, debating whether to go to Aquarius for cocktails, Astarti for pasteli snacks and raki flavored with honey, Baraki for the music or Laoumi for a night of philosophizing. Later, the first of us to go to bed will say: “Breakfast at Pounta?”

“Sure, what time?” says a newcomer to the group. “Whenever you get up!” the rest of us answer in unison.

It’s pure magic! A formula for fun since we were in our teens, going off for a “whatever” vacation works just as well now that we’re married and have children as it did 20 years ago. From Michaela, who wakes up at 07:00 because her son Konstantinos is an early riser, to Sofia, who’s punctual to the minute, to the always-late Alexandra to Milena and Angeliki, the peacemakers (“Come on, relax, we all made it”), our group has grown to 15 people, who still all meet up during our Folegandros vacations 36

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for breakfast (or brunch, as the case may be for some) at Pounta every day.

Those long, lazy breakfasts encapsulate the essence of summer. In the pretty courtyard behind a massive bougainvillea, we spend the mornings moving our table every quarter of an hour or so to stay in the shade as the sun comes up, enjoying freshly baked bread, local cheese, homemade cake and fresh watermelon juice. The adults chat as we sip our coffees and the kids play between the tables. The decision of where to go for a swim isn’t hard: if we want something easy and close by, it’s Agali; if we want a boat ride or a walk, it’s Aghios Nikolaos; if the wind is coming in the from the north, it’s a boat ride to Katergo (Folegandros’ most iconic beach); but if it’s coming in from the south, then it’s Vorina (my personal favorite).

One of our annual customs is a “pil-

grimage” up to Ano Mera – a wonderful walk through Livadaki – for a platter of matsata, a local pasta, at Irene’s kafeneio.

Our nights are spent in Hora. Sitting at either one of the two squares, the kids can play their hearts out in a safe, car-free environment and set up their little stalls selling pretty stones foraged from the beach. The adults may split up and head to different restaurants – Chic, Kritikos, Goupi and Piatsa – but we’ll drop by each other’s tables at some point for a nibble or a drink. If it’s a bit of solitude you’re after, there’s no better place to enjoy the sunset than from the Panaghia Monastery. For an amazing fresh fish dinner paired with carefully selected wines, try Zefiros Anemos.

- NATASHA BLATSIOU

The pretty square known as Piatsa is the heart and soul of Hora.

©PERIKLES MERAKOS

ISL AND-HOPPING

ASTYPALEA#ROMANCE Perfect for two. These three words encapsulate my summer experience on the island. Astypalea is a beautiful mix; it’s a Cycladic island in the Dodecanese. In the old neighborhoods you’ll see whitewashed houses, but there are also ochre-colored mansions with ornate reliefs on their pediments. It has wild stretches of open space, miles of dirt tracks and plenty of desert scenery.

You feel like you’re light years away from everything, just you and your loved one.

Those who have been coming here for years know that the island really comes to life after sunset but, of course, the “Butterfly of the Aegean,” as it is known, is beguiling all day long. Its main town, Hora, is a chameleon: during the day it looks like a blue-and-white painting, and at night, when the moon rises alongside the castle, it turns gold and brown.

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must. The ascent requires some effort, and the descent is long but it’s a beautiful walk down through whitewashed alleyways to the plateau and to Hora.

The windmills scattered around the island provide plenty of opportunities for photography, but as the sun climbs higher, you’ll probably want to pick a beach. There are plenty of large ones where you won’t have a problem finding a spot, but there are smaller ones, too, that are chaming in their own right.

Ble Limanaki barely fits a dozen people.

Livadi is perfect for your first day, after the long boat ride, and is the closest beach if you’re staying in Hora. At pebbly Tzanakia, you can look up from the crystal waters and see the castle. Bring a mask and snorkel to Kaminakia, recommended for underwater explorations. At Vatses, it’s worth staying until sunset. To swim in turquoise waters, book a seat on

a boat to the islands of Kounoupes and Koutsomitis. Dive straight off the boat into water that looks fit to drink. Make it a table for two at one of the spots on Moungos Alley in Hora, with tsipouro (a local spirit) on ice and grilled octopus.

The whole island walks by here every night on their way to the bars around the castle. It’s likely to be the only time you’ll realise how many visitors the island has.

Before leaving, treat yourself to an unforgettable night, making memories as you hang out until dawn on the cool veranda of the bar Artemis and then share a cheese pie fresh from the oven of the bakery in Hora before sunrise. As for souvenirs, a jar of honey from Astropalia will make the memories last longer.

- NENA DIMITRIOU Just before the sun disappears, at the island’s most romantic hour.

©NIKOS CHATZIIAKOVOU

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AMORGOS#VISTAS We’re sitting on the terrace of the café at Kastanis Camping – located between the port of Katapola and Amorgos’ main town, Hora – and gazing down at the harbor. We’re wondering which way the wind is blowing, how many people have disembarked from the ferry, and how many vans and two-wheelers will head past us to the town. Amorgos is an unspoiled rocky island that offers incredible views of the sea and the islands that surround it. Quietly beautiful, Hora is perhaps the least sophisticated of all the capital towns in the Cyclades. Get anywhere near its renowned traditional coffeehouse, Parvas, and the streets smell of Greek coffee. From Hora, and from the ruins of the Venetian castle up above the town, you get amazing views over the island and out to sea. Some mornings, clouds descend so low here that the horizon disappears in a white haze, and you walk through the mist as if in a dream.

All over Amorgos, small villages, winding roads and stunning gorges invite visitors to explore this island. One of the highlights is Panaghia Hozoviotissa, a blin40

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dingly white monastery that shines out from among the golden-yellow rocks of its cliffside setting. The deep blue sea stretches out in front of it while below lies the small port of Aghia Anna, which is always busy.

Here you’ll find two beaches, surrounded by burning black rocks flat enough for sun-bathing and just the right height to use again and again as diving boards.

On Amorgos, you’ll always enjoy great views, even when swimming in the sea.

It’s certainly worth heading to Kalotaritissa, a crescent-shaped beach from which a small boat leaves for Gramvousa, a nearby islet. Before you embark, get some homemade cheese pies from the snack bar on the beach. The beautiful clear waters and the complete lack of shade on the sandy beach of Gramvousa will combine to keep you in the water for hours, gazing back at the southwestern side of Amorgos.

The sights don’t stop there: back on land, the winding road to Aegiali offers a bird’s-eye view of the exotic beach of Aghios Pavlos far below; it consists of a strip of land that has somehow resisted drowning

in the turquoise waters that lap at its edges.

From Tholaria above Aegiali, it’s a one-hour walk down to the path to dreamy Mikri Vlychada Bay. The route is largely shadeless but it offers glimpses of the wild beauty of the Cyclades, where drystone walls, thorny scrub plants and bristly grass prevail. The path is fine for people who are comfortable walking moderate distances, but if you do find the descent to the bay hard, note that you’ll have even more trouble on your way back up the path. For those who make the trip, however, the effort is worth it: you’ll find a small sheltered beach flanked on both sides by low cliffs and washed with cool refreshing waters. Not too far out from the narrow shore, this small inlet opens onto the wide sea. After your swim, head back to the tidy whitewashed settlement of Tholaria to enjoy one of the Cyclades’ quietest sunsets.

- NENA DIMITRIOU

The view of the Aegean from famed Monastery of Hozoviotissa is breathtaking.

Cleared and signposted hiking trails forming a network of 160km crisscross the island of Andros.

ANDROS#TRAILS The second largest of the Cyclades islands, Andros is unquestionably the most diverse. Every year art lovers make the pilgrimage to Hora to view the latest exhibition at the Goulandris Museum of Contemporary Art, which has showcased retrospectives of such names as Picasso, Klee, Rodin and Matisse, and to visit the Kydoniefs Gallery, which presents notable contemporary Greeks. Others come, again and again, for its gorgeous beaches, about 70 of them, some of which re42

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main blissfully underused even in August.

And still others are discovering Andros for walking tours, at any time of the year.

As someone who’s had a home on the island since 1989, I’ve enjoyed all these “attractions” and the incredible contrasts between, say, the dry, windswept, typically Cycladic western third, some high bits in the middle that are thick with deciduous forests, apple trees and primroses, the Italianate landscape with its Venetian-era mansions closer to

Hora, and the gentle eastern third, punctuated with dovecotes and whitewashed hamlets. Almost everywhere there’s an abundance of water – so absent in the Aegean – swift-flowing rivers, fountains, springs and even waterfalls.

In the old days, we used to puzzle out routes on rudimentary maps and hiked up the highest mountain, walked the ridge from Ammolochos to Ano Gavrio, followed the thousands of steps down along the river from the ancient capi-

© AFP/VISUALHELLAS.GR

tal Paleopoli to the submerged jetty at the coast, investigated the castle above Korthi and the watermills lining the river below it.

Nowadays, however, would-be hikers have a more reliable resource, Andros Routes. In 2012, a group of volunteers got together to restore the network of paths used for centuries before roads were built. Since then they have cleared and signposted over 160km of the 300 existing paths, including the Andros

Route, a 100-km continuous path across the length of the island. They have a website (androsroutes.gr) and a reliable map, and hold a hiking festival every autumn, which draws people from all over Europe and points as far away as Colorado. In 2015, Andros was the first island in Europe to have its routes recognized by the European Ramblers Association, which declared the Andros Route one of the Leading Quality Trails–Best of Europe.

The walks bring hikers into direct

contact with the numerous wildlife sanctuaries on the island, while the hiking festivals engage them with the locals, who cook for them, share their homemade preserves and coax them into joining Greek dances. It’s an inspiring undertaking, with everything managed by volunteers, and it brings the inhabitants of remote villages into contact with visitors in a way that conventional tourism never has or will.

- DIANA FARR LOUIS ISL AN DS 2020

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KIMOLOS#TRANQUILITY The three days I had originally planned to stay here became a dozen. Kimolos isn’t just another island, it’s a genuine retreat, offering escape and relaxation.

It had been awhile since I’d last been separated from my cell phone for so long, but the moment you step ashore in the port of Psathi, you feel the overwhelming appeal of the tranquility surrounding you.

A typical day starts at one of the traditional bakeries in Horio (the island’s main settlement and only town), waiting for the hot baked goods to come out of the oven. These are either ladenia (a local treat made with tomatoes and onions) or tyrenia (a tart-like cheese pie). The usual way to enjoy them is to munch away as you wander the cobbled streets – preferably barefoot – exploring the covered walkways and the ruins of the medieval castle, stopping at the open-air lending libraries set up every summer for locals and visitors alike, and peeking into small courtyards filled with flowering bougainvillea. The quiet that prevails is almost unearthly; the few tourists that come to this island quickly adapt to the relaxed 44

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pace, so the loudest sound that reaches your ears is likely to be the song of a canary or the bell of the imposing Church of Panagia Odigitria as it sounds the hour.

If you head out to the beach at Ellinika, make sure to take a mask and snorkel so you can admire the ruins of the island’s ancient town, submerged in the shallows. My favorite beach, however, is nearby Mavrospilia, where the sunset is simply unmatched. I also like Prassa for its clean turquoise waters and coarse white sand. On the way there, you’ll pass the beaches of Rema and Karas, set in an unreal landscape with sparkling white rocks and sea caves.

As you return to Horio in the later afternoon, a stop at Kambos – the island’s main crossroads – is nearly mandatory. The thing to do here is to sit at Frangouli’s café for a glass of homemade liqueur of prickly pear or pomegranates picked from the courtyard and then go for a scoop of pistachio or goat’s milk ice cream at Stavento. As night falls, head down to Psathi, where you’ll find To Kyma tis Psathis, the best restaurant

on Kimolos, with tables right by the sea; young local chef Manolis Ventouris does marvelous things as he takes traditional recipes to new heights.

There are two spectacular day trips that should not be missed. The first is a climb up to Skiadi, a rock feature shaped like an enormous mushroom. It stands near the island’s highest point, and the views from here are wonderful. If, however, you really want to feel the majesty of nature, take a boat to Polyaigos, officially listed as the largest uninhabited island in the Aegean Sea. In addition to being a great spot for swimming, the island sometimes plays host to outdoor nighttime film screenings under a canopy of stars.

All over Kimolos, you’ll see makeshift signs with the words: “My Kimolos, my paradise.” Nothing could be more apt to describe the happy solitude and forgotten calm you find on this island.

- VLASSIS KOSTOUROS Total calm and unobstructed views reign on Prassa Beach.

www.johnp-shop.com

Famed Porto Katsiki beach.

LEFKADA#BEACHES “You can go wherever you want, I’m staying here forever,” I mutter to my friends, having just sunk my arms and legs into the fine pebbles of Egremni Beach. I don’t know how to describe the waters in front of me.

Are they intense? Glowing, maybe? It’s like the right word doesn’t exist. A dedicated fan of the Aegean, I snubbed the calm waters of the Ionian Sea for the longest time. Until I visited Lefkada, and its rocky, award-winning, packed, unbearably beautiful western coastline. Pefkoulia, Mylos, Kathisma, Gialos, Egremni, Porto Katsiki…

It’s not a lie, or a myth, or an advertising gimmick. It’s not even an overstatement.

Colors in their most absolute hue, almost phosphorescent, that beat any postcard hands down. White rocks in the foreground, green slopes higher up, blue waters, and crimson sunsets that blow you away. This is the main reason to come to Lefkada.

Some prefer the north and the south of the island, Mylos and Vasiliki, famed for kitesurfing and surfing, respectively.

Others prefer the east, where the bays are numberless, the hills are low and the vegetation is lush. Fishing boats, yachts, motorboats and sailboats all drop anchor here, between Lefkada and the Prigiponisia islands (Skorpios, Madouri, Skorpidi and 46

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Sparti). Kariotes, Lygia, Nikiana, Perigiali, Nydri are here, where tourism reaches its apogee with luxury hotels, rooms for rent, tavernas and restaurants, cafés and souvenir shops. Here are the elegant cosmopolitan seaside promenades, seemingly imported

by Aristotle Onassis in the 1970s.

The other reasons for coming will become apparent to you in time, once you uproot yourself from the coast and take to the mountains, when you locate the beautiful gorge and the waterfalls of Dimosari, where you’ll wash off that sea salt with a dive into mountain pools. You’ll understand when you set eyes on the sunset from the legendary Lefkata promontory, or when you reach the high plain of Aghios Donatos and see old women in long skirts and scarves, bent over fields of the famous local Eglouvi lentils.

When you go to Karya in the mountains, sit in the shady square and watch girls in traditional costume and with copper pots on their heads rehearsing for the annual traditional August wedding feast, you’ll know.

These are the surprises that await you in Lefkada, an offshore island connected to the mainland by a floating bridge, making it a driving destination. Lagoons, islets and narrow spits of land confuse the line between sea and shore, but the blurring of

borders isn’t just geographical. Sometimes following the fate of the other Heptanese islands, and at other times attached to the Acarnanian towns of the mainland, Lefkada is the only Ionian island which has been both part of the Ottoman Empire and a protectorate of Western powers. Rumelia and its own Ionian brethren hold sway over it in equal doses.

That’s how you can find yourself eating savoro (fried fish) and frigadeli (lamb offal), mandolato (nougat), kontosouvli (skewered pork) and air-cured salami. You drink soumada (almond cordial) and rozoli (orange-cinnamon liqueur) as well. Walking through the alleys of the colorful town built out of corrugated metal to withstand earthquakes, you might hear the sounds of an accomplished brass band or Heptanesian kantades (serenades). Just imagine an August night in the alleyways, with a cool breeze, and the sun setting in the Gyra lagoon, as serenaders appear with guitars, mandolins, and accordions, wearing straw boaters and red scarves, and singing: “Let’s go to Syvota, let’s go to Poros / Vassiliki gift of the summer breeze / Lefkada, my endless dream / join me in her arms.”

- OLGA CHARAMI

©OLGA CHARAMI

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©CLAIRY MOUSTAFELLOU

Swimming in Armathia, the uninhabited islet across from Kasos. Right page: The church of Panaghia Kalamiotissa on the rocky peak of Kalamos in Anafi.

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ISL AND- HOPPING

LESS IS MORE

On smaller islands with fewer than 300 inhabitants, vacations are simple: There is the sun, there is the sea and there is the great joy of knowing that you don’t need anything else.

©GIANNIS GIANNELOS

BY OLGA CH A R A MI

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© GETTY IMAGES/IDEAL IMAGE

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t’s August of some year. I’m barefoot, with sand stuck to my feet, still in my bathing suit from swimming in the sea, my hair matted from the salt.

In the burning heat of noon, the cicadas are going strong and the meltemi wind is bending the helichrysums. The sun hits them at an angle, making them shine. The place is quiet, and you can just about hear an old piece of island music playing on a forgotten transistor radio. At Mitsos’ small taverna, located in Kalotaritissa on Donoussa – just as at Margarita’s on Anafi, at Trypas’ on Arki and Almyra on Sikinos – the beer is so cold that it’s covered in condensation before you even have time to pick it up. I would pick this setting and this feeling any day over visiting any bustling, cosmopolitan island.

They say there is not much to see or do in these places. Some people can hardly handle so much quiet. I remember a friend of mine who fled from the island of Anafi by helicopter; I will never understand her. Of course, Anafi has changed since then, as there are a lot of people that visit the island now. Some go free camping at Roukounas, others explore the incredible Hora and the many sandy beaches that are easy to reach. I, on the other hand, go to Anafi for its paths on barren slopes and for Armenaki, to drink rakomelo (raki laced with honey) while Markos plays his bouzouki. I go to Anafi for the sunrise at Panaghia Kalamiotissa, where, after a night like no other, spent in a sleeping bag on the Mediterranean’s second largest rock – after Gibraltar – you wake up to see only the Aegean

IN SMALL ISLANDS, GROUPS OF FRIENDS FORM AND DISSOLVE WITH EASE. AND IF YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN BE LEFT COMPLETELY ALONE.

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01

Sea and the most beautiful sunrise of your life.

Donoussa has a similar view at dawn from the summit of Mt Papas. Sometimes I walk in the Xylompatis area and feel as if the wind is piercing through me, or sunbathe in Aspros Kavos so that nobody can find me, or even look for the path that leads to Vathy Limenari and the geometric settlement located among dry stones, thyme bushes and motionless lizards. After a few days of solitude, I can rejoin the summer community. I can taste creative seafood recipes paired with fine Greek wines at Avli, wearing something other than my bathing suit. I can stay with everyone until dawn on Stavros Beach, dancing barefoot in the sand in front of the bar Corona Borealis, cocktail in hand, to incredible music.

I can party at the Kedros beach bar and hang like a monkey in the tamarisk trees as a DJ takes over the decks.

Koufonisi was similar, some time ago, back when it was still unknown and carefree. A time when we would pass a slice of watermelon around and free camping

was still allowed. A time when dawn found us at the legendary Sorokos bar, placing slightly inebriated bets on the shape of neighboring Keros island.

In small islands, groups of friends form and dissolve with ease. And if you want to, you can be left completely alone, as there are plenty of deserted beaches available. That’s the charm of non-touristy islands, although today there are none left.

Even the islands of Pserimos and Telendos were filled with people in August last year. I remember a morning on Telendos, with its 30 inhabitants and 50 rooms; the beaches were empty, everything was silent and suddenly, tourist boats arrived from Kalymnos. In just a few hours, about 200

01. The church of Aghios Giorgios in Telendos.

02. On hot summer days, only cats wander the streets of Stavros in Donoussa.

03. Fun in the water on Agathonisi.

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An enchanting scene in the uninhabited islets Aspronisia near the island of Lipsi.

getting sprayed by the waves. They’re about waiting for the ferry ramp to come down with another 20 people at most, and hearing the crew yell at you to disembark quickly, because they don’t want to waste any more time at the tiny island you’ve chosen. They’re about staying in rooms or tents, and enjoying the most simple and delicious meals on the sand, where there are no reservations needed. They’re about not needing anything other than a bathing suit, two pieces of clothing and a pair of flip-flops – and many books. They’re about

FOR SOME, HOLIDAYS ARE ABOUT ENJOYING THE MOST SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS MEALS ON THE SAND, WHERE THERE ARE NO RESERVATIONS NEEDED. people landed on the island, disturbing the afternoon calm. Luckily for us, they took off later, as we sat at Michalis the Greek’s taverna, drinking and eating like kings. This year, I imagine the influx of crowds will be significantly lessened.

At the Aspronisia – a group of uninhabited islets near Leipsi – one July went by without a soul stepping foot on them; just three sailboats dropped anchor in their bays, and seemed unwilling to leave. The Aspronisia are one of those places that you dream about in the winter to keep you going through the year: To be alone with the seagulls, cast away on a deserted isle like Armathia off Kasos, or Polyaigos off Kimolos.

In these places, there is truly nothing to do. On the bigger, inhabited islands, there are, say, organized hiking networks.

Elsewhere, you will find monuments and certainly meet people who are active in various ways. How can anyone forget the sight of Episkopi Church, on the island of Sikinos, which you come to as you walk 52

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along a path in the wilderness? It is one of the most charming monuments that can be found on an island, consisting of a mix between an ancient temple, a Roman mausoleum and a Christian church.

Sikinos is also home to Giorgos Manalis’ winery, where he revives forgotten grape varieties with love and passion in a magnificent vineyard. You can taste the wines as you sit at a balcony and enjoy one of the most stunning views in all of the Aegean.

How can one forget the cave of Ai Yiannis with its stalactites on Irakleia – especially if you have experienced the feast that is held there at the end of August? Then there are the lending libraries of Kimolos, the mountain running races on Donousa, the sport climbing routes of Telendos... and much more.

It all depends on one’s individual needs.

For some, summer holidays are about not having any program whatsoever. They’re about traveling unavoidably on ferries for long and uncomfortable hours, sitting on plastic chairs, with feet up on the rail,

things being so simple that each sound you hear seems louder, like ice hitting the bottom of a glass or dice being thrown on the backgammon board. They’re about walking around the village or the Hora, where there is one, crossing paths with cats lounging in under the shade and ancient women who invite you into their courtyards for a Greek coffee and some prickly pear jam, and enjoying sights of bougainvillea on white backdrops. Finally, they are about smelling aromas of flowers, fish being fried and even melting wax – like in Sikinos, where women make beeswax candles for the festivals. These authentic experiences are much more common on islands like this.

For some, holidays have the love that goes into the kakavia fish soup that Akathi cooks on Irakleia, the unbelievable color of the waters around the island of Arki, and the sweet sound of Yiannis’ violin on Agathonisi. They do not include any worries or plans. They are simple, just like Kimolos’ ladenia pie: 2-3 ingredients are enough to enchant you.

ADVERTORIAL

An important project comes to fruition

I

n April 2017, Fraport Greece, a consortium of Fraport and the Copelouzos Group, took on a major challenge: to extend, build, modernize and upgrade 14 airports in Greece simultaneously over a four-year period while still keeping them in operation.

Fraport Greece originally estimated that the project would cost €330 million. Today, it is expected that the total investment will reach €440 million. According to modeling performed by the company, the total direct benefit to the Greek state over the 40-year concession period will be around €10 billion.

In terms of indirect benefits, the better, more comfortable, safer and friendlier the country’s tourism infrastructure is for travelers, the more attractive it is and the easier it will be to fill its hotels, restaurants, museums and beaches.

From Corfu to Rhodes and from Thessaloniki to Chania, the determination to get the job done never waned, with the result that the work on 10 of the 14 airports has already been completed.

island of Zakynthos has been completed, and, as a result, check-in desk numbers have risen 35%, and there has been an increase of 150% in passenger checkpoints. At “Ioannis Daskalogiannis” Airport at the city of Chania, the terminal building was completely redesigned, the number of gates was increased by 25%, and the number of check points was doubled. At “Alexander the Great” Airport, in the city of Kavala, the terminal building was expanded by 2029 square meters. On mainland Greece, yet another airport that was completely refurbished is the airport of Aktion, which was expanded by 2381 sq. m. On the island of Samos, the airport’s expansion by 1550 sq. m. has resulted in an increase of the number of check-in desks, departure gates and checkpoints. This is also the case at the airport on the island of Skiathos, where an 2185 sq. m. expansion project has been completed, as has the renovation

Facts and figures on the ten The renovation and the redevelopment of the terminal building on the

WORK ON 10 OF THE 14 AIRPORTS HAS ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED.

The new modern baggage control and handling system at Kefalonia’s airport

The new terminal building at “Anna Pollatou” Airport on Kefalonia

ADVERTORIAL

of the pre-existing terminal building. The island of Mytilene has a new, fully modernized and comfortable airport, covering a total area of 7185 sq. m., while work completed at “Anna Pollatou” Airport on Kefalonia has resulted in a new 10,700 sq. m. terminal building. The airport on Rhodes, the second-largest of those managed by Fraport Greece after “Makedonia” Airport, now boasts a completely new image. It is a fully modern airport of international standards, comfortable and passenger-friendly. The same holds for “Ioannis Kapodistrias” Airport on Corfu. The new 10,350 sq. m. terminal building, added as an extension to a pre-existing terminal, houses 28 check-in desks, 8 checkpoints and 12 departure gates.

Four airports where ongoing works are expected to be completed within the next few months are those in Thessaloniki and on the islands of Mykonos, Kos and Santorini.

The interior of the new terminal at the airport on Mytilene

© EPHORATE OF UNDERWATER ANTIQUITIES/ YIANNIS ISSARIS

Alonissos’ Peristera shipwreck with its thousands amphorae from the classical period.

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ONE WITH THE SEA

In the National Marine Park of Alonissos and the Northern Sporades, seals, dolphins, turtles and colorful fish swim in rich waters dotted with pristine islets and thrilling shipwrecks.

BY A N TON I S IOR DA NOGL OU

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© MICHAEL AMME/LAIF

Snorkeling is a must at Kokkinokastro Beach in Alonissos.

We were off the coast of the islet of Skantzoura. “Easy does it… there it is,” shouted Captain Spyros as he watched the net rise from the water, sagging under the weight of a massive lobster glowing like copper in the morning light. Now that was a dawn I’ll remember for many years to come. The scent of cedar and lentisk hung in the air as I watched the ascending sun cast its glow over the islands that form the National Marine Park of Alonissos and the Northern Sporades. A boat ride out here is an experience you’ll never forget, and that was just the beginning of our travels around this island cluster.

We spent the rest of that day in the sea off the islet of Peristera, and in the evening we disembarked at Steni Vala on Alonissos and supped on a heady fish stew 58

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made with Captain Spyros’ catch while talking of shipwrecks and pirates. With so many islands both big and small, this area was a marauder’s paradise. Long before those cutthroats ruled the seas around here, however, other ships disappeared in these waters. After dinner, I browsed through a book of photographs of the legendary ancient wreck of Peristera, discovered in a cove just across the water from where we were sitting, with its load of thousands of ancient amphorae strewn about on the seabed.

We got some fresh supplies from Steni Vala and set sail again, our boat cutting across the placid waters west of Peristera.

We passed the popular bay of Vasilikos and dropped anchor a bit further to the north, right beside the site of another shipwreck, a half-sunken motor ship. I donned

my mask, flippers and neoprene vest, and swam down to explore the rusting giant, which was seemingly encased in schools of silver anchovies and other small colorful fish. A Moray eel stared at me through a darkened porthole, and small sea bream gathered right above the green sea grass growing just off the tip of the smashed keel.

There are so many ancient, medieval and modern shipwrecks scattered across this area, which was known in the Middle Ages as “Hiliadromia,” or “Thousand Crossings” after the myriad sea routes that converged here. Below the surface, the sea is like a vast underwater museum, sealed in silence.

“Look… there… there,” shouted the captain back on the deck, passing his binoculars and pointing to a seal swimming off the northeastern coast of Alonissos, at Gregali Bay. It turned its silver head to look at us with apparent curiosity. Seals can be spotted all over the place now, even near the port at Patitiri. As the sirocco filled our sails, we headed towards a horizon dotted with small masses of land shimmering in the hot midday sun.

Off the coast of Lechousa, we spotted some small wooden fishing caiques, and then some dolphins hunting a school of sardines. We reached the Bay of Aghios Petros in Kyra Panaghia and stopped for a swim in front of the islet of Melissa, the seabed of white sand lending the sea an irresistible azure hue. We dived in with great glee and had our swim as the crew of a small motorized fishing boat cleaned their nets nearby, a catch of scorpion fish glistening red and black in a wooden crate on the deck. The smell of saltwater mingled with the scent of wet seaweed. We invited the captain over for a coffee and he told us of a cave in Planitis Bay. Our next stop was at the bay below the Monastery of Panaghia, and this time we went ashore to visit the holy building that has stood on this fragrant holly-oak-studded promontory since AD 993. As we set off again, we heard the cheerful shouts of a group of Germans snorkeling around their boat. They had spotted a massive cauldron in the shallows, a remnant from the wreck of a Turkish steamer that went down with its cargo sometime in the early 20th century.

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

The small harbor at Steni Vala is where the sailors of the National Marine Park usually drop anchor.

The sun by now was scorching, casting a haze across the sky so that we could barely make out the ash-grey dome of the church on the islet of Pappous. A southwesterly wind hit our sails as we approached Gioura, where we saw a fisherman pulling up his lines; he held up a large porgy for us to see. Boats aren’t allowed to approach Gioura any closer than half a mile, so we admired its cliffs and dark waters from afar, spotting a few wild goats in the shadows of the rocks.

We headed northeast towards the growing black dot of Piperi, the heart of the marine park and an ideal habitat for the protected Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus). Piperi is also off limits, so we headed north to Psathoura for a stop and an afternoon swim at the white sand cove of Mandraki on its southern coast. I geared up again and swam out to the western coast, where the sea has that clear Caribbean look, thanks to the light-colored cliffs that come crashing down into the water. Small schools of golden-striped cow bream swam in front of my mask and further in, where pebbles and purple sea urchins gave way to

meadows of Posidonia seagrass, I spotted a pair of orange ocellated wrasses with that telltale sapphire spot at the base of their tail. They were so beautiful, I almost forgot to go back up for air.

A bit later, we were treated to glasses of chilled Malagouzia, a white wine from Greece, and some tuna caught earlier by the passengers of a luxury yacht that now drew up beside us. Sipping and nibbling, we looked out across the northern Aegean stretching from Limnos to Mount Athos, and then over at the Psathoura Lighthouse. Sailors warn against being caught in a windstorm here – apparently, they sweep down

from Halkidiki – but our day at sea was, thankfully, calm and clear.

We returned to Kyra Panaghia before nightfall to spend the night in Planitis Bay, one of the safest anchorage spots in the Mediterranean. As the sky turned pink, flocks of seagulls and Eleonora’s falcons swooped above the islet of Sfika.

We put on our waterproofs to protect us from the humidity and started reading about the pirates who for centuries had sought shelter, just as we were doing now, in this very spot. We made plans to take the dinghy out the following morning, for a swim at the small white sand beach on the other side of Sfika, rumored to be the loveliest beach on these small uninhabited islets known as the Erimonisa, or “Deserted Islands.”

NOTES * The National Marine Park of Alonissos and the Northern Sporades was established in 1992 to protect the local population of Mediterranean monk seals and covers a small chain of islands which, apart from Alonissos, also includes the uninhabited islets of Peristera, Kyra Panaghia, Piperi, Psathoura, Skantzoura and Gioura, as well as 22 sea rocks (including Pappous, Dyo Adelfia, Lechousa, Polemika, Fangrou and Grammiza). Its islets host forests of pine and prickly cedar and virgin brushland rich with endemic plants, while the park also boasts sizeable populations of gulls, Eleonora’s falcons and other migratory birds, not to mention the dolphins, turtles and other marine life that populate the sea here in abundance, or the wild goats that call the steep slopes of Gioura home. You’ll also find post-Byzantine monasteries and other religious structures in the area, and dozens of ancient, medieval and modern shipwrecks.

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© PERIKLES MERAKOS

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Pines by the sea

Caribbean azure meets emerald green on Skiathos, the most renowned of the Sporades Islands.

BY A N TON I S IOR DA NOGL OU

W

ith over 60 magnificent sandy beaches, all surrounded by fragrant pine forests, Skiathos is the capital of tourism in the Sporades.

The island’s southern part is defined by luxury hotels and cosmopolitan beaches in protected bays filled with imposing yachts.

The beach of Koukounaries, perhaps the best known in this area, is unique in that it lies right next to the important wetlands of Strofilias.

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Skiathos Town, the island’s capital, was built towards the end of the 18th century on top of the ruins of an ancient town, of which there is little trace left today. It has a lovely island atmosphere, especially in the Plakes neighborhood, with its picturesque street corners and tidy front yards filled with bougainvilleas and geraniums. The iconic pine-covered islet of Bourtzi, located in the port, was once home to a Venetian castle, built in 1270; it was demolished

by Francesco Morosini in 1660 when he

ousted the Ottomans from the island. On a narrow street just a few meters from the port stands the Papadiamantis House, a modest 1860 building that was home to the great Skiathian writer Alexandros Papadiamantis.

On the ground floor, there is a nice library and bookstore with books about the author and Skiathos.

The northern and northwestern parts of the island are characterized by deep green valleys covered in olive groves and pine trees, dotted with Byzantine churches, and which reach down to rugged shores and protected bays, like those of Mikros Aselinos and Mandraki. The region’s wonderful countryside is criss-crossed by paths of unique beauty, like the one that connects Panaghia Kounistra to Aghios Ioannis Krifos.

The north is also home to the remains

The famous Koukounaries Βeach and the lagoon of Strofilia, a refuge for more than 30 species of birds.

01

of the medieval capital of Skiathos, which date back to the 14th century; now known simply as Kastro, or “Castle”, the ruins of this settlement stand perched on a steep cliff above the sea. Two of the 22 churches that were once active here have been preserved, together with their beautiful frescoes. An Ottoman-era mosque still stands as well, and there are remains of other buildings and three cisterns. The view of the northern Aegean and Mt Athos from Kastro’s “cannon of Anagia” is breathtaking.

The 18th-century Evangelistria Monastery, nestled in the peaceful mountains of Skiathos, is a historically noteworthy monastery; this is where the blue and white Greek flag was first introduced to a group of Greek freedom fighters in 1807, long before the Greek Revolution broke out. The monastery houses a remarkable collection of sacred relics, folk art objects, and archival material concerning the Balkan Wars, as well as a museum of musical instruments with a wide range of display items, including African

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

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pieces made out of materials such as corn leaves and humanitarian aid containers.

The shores of Skiathos, with their amazing bays and hidden sandy beaches, make going for a boat ride a real joy. A short distance offshore from Skiathos Town are barren islets surrounded by wonderful waters, the largest of which is the island of Tsougrias. If, however, you’re only able to take one boat ride, then make sure it’s to Lalaria, a white-pebbled beach on the far north coast, with turquoise waters surrounded by steep rocks and inaccessible by land. Many consider this to be the island’s most beautiful beach, but please keep in mind that the waters around it become treacherous when a north wind is blowing.

IF YOU’RE ONLY ABLE TO TAKE ONE BOAT RIDE, THEN MAKE SURE IT’S TO LALARIA, A WHITEPEBBLED BEACH ON THE FAR NORTH COAST.

01. Α fisherman at the port of Skiathos next to the Bourtzi peninsula.

02. In the alleyways of Skiathos Town, the construction of which begun in 1790 by immigrants from the town of Limni in Evia.

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© KONSTANTINOS TSAKALIDIS

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August plunges in the seaside village of Agnontas in Skopelos.

ALONISSOS

Together with the other islands of the marine park, Alonissos used to be a famous pirate haunt in the northern Aegean. Today, ships bring tourists rather than brigands, but this part of the island’s history can be still explored at the Folklore Museum in Patitiri, which contains several fascinating relics from that period. The island, known as Ikos in ancient times, offers visitors a glimpse of what it looked like in the Middle Ages in the narrow cobbled streets of Palio Horio, which also has a few interesting surviving samples of Venetian architecture. The village was deserted by the locals in the wake of a powerful earthquake in 1965, but the subsequent tourism boom brought European travelers who bought up the abandoned houses and restored them with love and attention to detail, thus preserving gems of vernacular Aegean architecture. Alonissos is also the best destination in the Sporades for walking and trekking, with myriad well-tended paths that take you to stunning coastal stretches, old chapels, gorgeous viewing spots, and through fragrant brushland with views over the Erimonisa. However, not every destination needs walking shoes – Aghios Dimitrios, the island’s prettiest beach, is accessible by car.

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SKOPELOS

Whatever isn’t pine forest on the verdant island of Skopelos is either vineyards, olive groves or plum orchards. Renowned for its wine since ancient times, the island saw its grapevines consumed by a phylloxera outbreak a few decades ago and hasn’t completely recovered yet. Its famed Peparithis wine is now being produced only on a small scale for household consumption. Skopelos’ main town, Hora, is the biggest and most beautiful settlement in the Sporades. Spread out beneath the Venetian-era Gyzi Castle, it is all white sugar-cube houses with blue shutters doors, riotous bougainvillea, quaint churches and stately neoclassical villas. Other attractive areas include Palaio Klima, a quiet spot on the southwestern end of the island full of mulberry and fig trees, and bustling Glossa on the northwestern coast, with its attractive mansions (known here as “captains’ homes”) and the loveliest sunset in the Sporades. With gorgeous azure waters, the western coast of Skopelos from Armenoptera to Milia, with scattered emerald islets and the sheltered bays of Panormos and Agnonta, is a sailor’s joy. On Palouki Hill, a cluster of late Byzantine monasteries lends the area an atmosphere similar to Mt Athos in Halkidiki.

ADVERTORIAL

Skiathos

NATURALLY UNIQUE

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t’s the natural landscape that gave the island its name – a name which it has kept since ancient times. The first element, “skia-” (shade) refers, according to one explanation, to the many forests which cover the island in shade. One discovers – or rather conquers – Skiathos when one sets out get to know its secrets.

Uniquely among Greece’s islands, two

-thirds of its surface have been designated “forests of special natural beauty.” The 64 beaches which dot the island’s coastline are also special and count as natural treasures in their own right. They include Lalaria Beach which, with the neighboring Blue Cave, far exceeds in person the impression made by countless Instagram posts or magazine covers – including Condé

Nast Traveler, whose 600,000 readers voted Skiathos’ beaches among the best in the world.

For lovers of water sports, the beaches host schools with experienced staff who can challenge experienced athletes and encourage novices. If you enjoy hiking, the island’s interior boasts an impressive network of trails; the total length stretches to more

ADVERTORIAL

THE 64 BEACHES WHICH DOT THE ISLAND’S COASTLINE ARE ALSO SPECIAL AND COUNT AS NATURAL TREASURES IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. than 240 kilometers across the whole island and showcases fairytale creeks, streams, waterfalls and plane trees, as well as monasteries, Byzantine monuments and chapels, and rose-tinted beaches. As you walk the island, the breeze will bring you whiffs of Skiathian herbs such as mint, sage, spearmint, thyme and oregano. These plants thrive under the shade of close to 400,000 olive trees packed

into just 45 square kilometers. Strolling through the Plakes neighborhood in Skaithos Town, with its picturesque flagstone alleyways and traditional sea captains’ houses, you’ll discover little tavernas by following the mouthwatering aromas of traditional dishes.

Skiathos is an island which produces many quality products. You’ll love its wines, its seafood, and its herbs, fresh fruit and

vegetables – ingredients which are combined with imagination in tasty Skiathian recipes, such as those distinctive dishes combining seafood with vegetables, such as grouper stew or langoustines with wild greens. This is Skiathos, charming and full of contrasts, much as it is described in the novels of Skiathian author Alexandros Papadiamantis. www.skiathos.gr

ISLAND-HOPPING

MUSEUMS VISITS FOR BOTH YOUNG AND OLD Each of the thematic museums of the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation (PIOP) on the islands of Tinos, Chios and Lesvos introduces the the history of local industries through a rich cultural experience.

A traveler cannot possibly claim that they have come to know a place well if they’ve ignored the elements that make up its cultural and industrial heritage. How could Tinos have evolved into what it is today without its skilled marble craftsmen, or southern Chios without its mastic trees, or Lesvos without its olive oil? The PIOP museums on these Aegean islands aim to link the past, the present and the future, and to introduce Greece’s history of industrial production through a modern understanding of the role of museums. They are part of a broader national network consisting of nine museums that are all focused on technology.

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The Museum of Industrial Olive Oil Production, which is housed in the old municipal olive press in the village of Aghia Paraskevi on Lesvos, focuses on industriaized olive oil production in Greece, highlighting in particular the changes to production brought about by the introduction of steam-powered machinery. Thanks to the exemplary restoration of the buildings and the equipment, visitors can observe up close not only the operation, but also the evolution, of the factory facilities, and the progression from steam to diesel-powered processes. There is a detailed presentation of the basic stages of olive oil production on display in the old storehouses where the harvested olives were once kept, made yet more relevant by an examination of the social and economic framework of the times.

The Museum of Marble Crafts in Pyrgos on Tinos showcases the array of tools and machinery, as well as the techniques required, for working on marble, with a particular focus on pre-industrial and early industrial Tinos. The permanent exhibition includes original historical objects made from marble (including secular and religious pieces, tombstones and everyday items), clay models, plaster reproductions, tools and machinery, as well as the richest collection in Greece of historical drawings of marble sculptures. The traditional methods used by stonemasons and marble craftsmen are brought to life before the visitors’ eyes through the use of audiovisual materials.

The Mastic Museum in the Mastichohoria region of southern Chios looks at the cultivation and processing of mastic, placing the natural resin in the context of the island’s cultural landscape.

The permanent exhibition shows the ways in which mastic shaped the communities of the region, using a wealth of teaching materials, such as multimedia applications, documentary films, architectural models, functioning machinery and more. It also showcases the extensive uses of this natural resource, explaining the role of cooperatives in its exploitation in modern times. In the outdoor part of the exhibition, visitors can see the mastic shrub, Pistacia lentiscus, in its natural environment.

STARS

MYKONOS l SANTORINI l CRETE l RHODES l KOS l CORFU l ZAKYNTHOS

Used to counting their visitors by the millions, these world-renowned destinations will slow down a bit this summer and bring out their hidden charms. ©MARIA FILOPOULOU, AT THE BEACH,1998,OIL ON CANVAS,70X350CM (DETAIL)

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Until recently, social distancing was a rare sight in the ever-popular Hora of Mykonos.

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S TA R S

MYKONOS

SEIZE THE DAY

This summer, the island that never sleeps will be nothing like last year, or the year before, or indeed any time in the past decade, during which itwas utterly transformed by its own amazing popularity.

BY DI M I T R I S T SA KOU M I S

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IN 2008, WITH THE ONSET OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS, LOCAL BUSINESSES STARTED TO LOOK FURTHER AFIELD FOR THEIR CLIENTELE, WHILE MANY OF THE GREEK REGULARS WERE FORCED TO ABANDON THEIR SUMMER VILLAS.

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f course, I can’t claim to belong to that lucky generation who, in the absence of a suitable port for ferries to dock, had to travel ashore by launch. Nor was I there to see Psarou Beach when it was a hippy nudist hangout – before it became a claustrophobic tangle of deckchairs. Nevertheless, during my first 15 years on Mykonos, beginning in the 1990s, the island had an indescribable charm (enhanced by youth, which beautifies everything) which wore off bit by bit as it was built over, gilded, priced out of reach and gradually abandoned by the Greek regulars who had endowed it with its sun-kissed local color.

I remember the “insider” guidebooks of the time, all of which wrote about the same landmarks, the same celebrities, the same handful of experiences which made Mykonos unique: the courtyard at the restaurant Philippi, where the owner’s wife Chrysa danced around with a tambourine; the full-moon parties with beach fires at Panormos; the avant-garde interior design of the bar Astra, the work of Minas; and the medieval architectural marvel of the Church of Panaghia Paraportiani. There was Kiki’s taverna, which sent the smell of

This year might bring more meaningful encounters with the locals.

roasting meat wafting across the beach at Aghios Sostis; Pierro’s gay bar, one of the first in the world to bring together all sexual identities without discrimination; the man called “Goofy,” who hawked roasted nuts and gossip like a precursor of social media; the establishments Solymar and Nammos, which first introduced the luxury concept of beach service; and the restaurant Rena at Ftelia, where the first surfers would go for a plate of homecooked food after swallowing a few gallons of saltwater.

In 2008, with the onset of the financial crisis, local businesses started to look further afield for their clientele, while many of the Greek regulars were forced to abandon their summer villas, and the summer scene in Mykonos underwent radical change.

Year after year, things changed and businesses expanded, their character altering at a hectic pace. All that was left of the Mykonos we once knew was a whitewashed Saint-Tropez, a New York on the beach, a low-rise, quaint Dubai, the ultimate meeting point for the world’s most successful and beauti-

ful people, an unparalleled experience for all of the senses, except perhaps the sixth, the transcendent.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not among those who sat and wept at the sight of a built-up Elia Beach. My ten days in Mykonos may have been whittled down to five, then three, but however wounded by nostalgia I get, I must also admit to feeling a touch of pride for this “Monaco of the Cyclades,” which was becoming more and more out of reach… until this summer.

Due to the pandemic, the summer tourism Olympics, in which Mykonos traditionally competes for gold, have been postponed. Our season’s goals will not be “faster, higher, stronger” but instead a decent place in the regional league. All the talk is about the once-in-a-lifetime chance for visitors this year to experience a more easygoing Mykonos than the one we’re used to, a spiritual journey in time, a pause-and-restart – after all, isn’t that the true meaning of a vacation?

Be warned, though, stocks won’t last…

With far fewer foreign visitors and – one would hope – more grounded

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A romantic sunset moment at the Church of Panagia Paraportiani.

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For the first time in decades, there might be a small secret beach for each of us.

prices, this may be the year when we refresh ourselves in the afternoon at Lia Beach with fruit juice rather than champagne with mixed fruit; when we’re finally able to book a table at Katrin’s for an epic chateaubriand and the best fries in the world; when the beach towels at Aghios Sostis will be at a civilized distance from each another; or when the boiled vegetable salad at Fokos Taverna won’t cost what lobster does on the mainland. We might be able to rent a scooter without endangering our lives, or enjoy a quick drink at Aroma in Hora in beat-up flip-flops and wet swimming costumes, before heading to the beach to flirt over mastiha shots at Sea Satin, and maybe even squeeze in a second or third cocktail in the sunset at this year’s hottest beach club – all pleasures that were off limits thanks to crowds, fashion 72

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police and the high price of Mykonian rituals. We may finally get to relive them all this year.

We must not forget to support all the cultural treasures that have been added to the island’s rich arts scene. Among those worth mentioning is the Dio Horia Gallery, supporting a cosmopolitan mix of renowned and up-and-coming international artists alongside Greek artists to whom owner Marina Vranopoulou wants to provide a showcase on the “island of opportunities.” Rarity is another international-caliber gallery featuring pieces by the hottest global names which, together with Dio Horia, has transformed Mykonos into a mini-Chelsea, moving away from the “oil-on-canvas variations-on-a-Cycladic-landscape” clichés of old.

I should also mention the beach club JackieO’ Mykonos, which reclaimed part of Super Paradise Beach from third-class happy-hour resort tourism and brought in award-winning Christoforos Peskias as executive chef.

There’s Scorpios at Paraga, too, whose fame has reached the four corners of the world, thanks to its uniquely executed concept combining raw charm, avant-garde music, cutting-edge international DJs and contemporary boho chic, unmatched anywhere on the island.

There’s also the boutique hotel Wild, a perfectly designed haven overlooking its own deserted bay, built to cater to a desire for social distancing even before it became a necessary precaution.

In the strangest moments of the twomonth lockdown, enclosed between four walls, a mental image as cool as a gentle meltemi wind soothed my fears: in it, I was sitting and gazing at a quiet sunset while nursing an aperitif on a deserted – by its standards – Mykonos, sometime in early July. But we’d all better hurry. By August, at the rate that economies and skies are reopening, I can’t guarantee that we won’t be back to where we were last year.

SANTORINI

A DIFFERENT PACE

For a summer unlike any other, we’ve brought together some of the island’s most captivating experiences so that you can discover its attractions while enjoying this season’s more relaxed rhythm.

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The beautiful village of Pyrgos.

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o matter how many times you stand there gazing over the caldera, you’ll never feel that you have had enough of it.

It is an inescapable fact, even for those who spend every summer and winter here for their entire lives. Each time you look out across this spectacular absence of solid earth, a void embraced by the island’s curving cliffs, you’re amazed all over again. Still, Santorini isn’t just the caldera, the swimming pools and the cruise ships, and it certainly won’t be just that this year. This summer offers a unique opportunity for you to see the island with a very different eye and at a slower pace; the beaches will be quieter, the lines at archaeological sites will be shorter, and you’ll be able to wander in relative solitude around its villages. The local Assyrtiko wine will still be delicious, but the bars won’t be as crowded, and nor will the hiking trails. This year, a different Santorini awaits you, and it’s all yours.

CHOOSE YOUR BEACH If you prefer unspoiled natural beauty to modern amenities, there are plenty of beaches free of sun loungers. Katharos (in the northwest), with sand and small pebbles, is a great choice that also offers a wonderful sunset view. A favorite with the more adventurous is Koloumbo (in the north), where swimsuits are optional. Park on the main road and walk 10 minutes down the grassy path. Around seven miles offshore there’s a submerged volcano of the same name. Fifty steps lead down to Pori (in the northeast), a sandy beach that locals love. Little-known Almyra (in the south) can be accessed via a narrow dirt road.

HIT THE TRAIL Santorini isn’t an obvious destination for hikers, but its walking paths hold many unexpected delights. The island’s most scenic trail is a 9.8km stone-paved route that follows the rim of the caldera and connects Fira and Oia. Start around 16.30 from Fira to make sure you catch the sunset at Oia. If, however, you’re after a road less traveled, try looking inland: follow the old path that connects Pyrgos to Exo Gonia and Episkopi Gonia, where 76

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01. The imposing scenery at Vlychada Beach.

02. Wine selections from all local wineries are available in the charming courtyard of Oia Vineyart.

03. The cultural center “Symposion by la Ponta” is perfect, both architecturally and acoustically.

04. Artist Andreas Makaris and his son Orfeas at the ceramics workshop “Earth and Water” in Megalochori.

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Oia is a veritable jewel on the brim of the caldera.

you‘ll discover ghostly neighborhoods of abandoned rock-hewn structures. Another option is the trail between Vothonas and Messaria, whose highlights include the Chapel of Panaghia Sergena, carved into a cliff-face; and one of the island’s most impressive ravines. For the past 20 years, Nikos Boutsinis has walked the length and breadth of Santorini, revealing the villages and their secrets to the groups he guides (santoriniwalkingtours. com, Tel. (+30) 697.160.3600).

VILLAGES AND HAMLETS Pyrgos, once the island’s capital, is its highest village. A short ascent will be required, but you’ll be rewarded with treasures such as the Theotokaki, a tiny 14th-century chapel, and a panoramic view of the nearby islands. If you have a penchant for antiques, a veritable mother lode awaits you here at Crossroad Antiques. Emporio is an enchanting maze of small houses, arches and passageways so narrow at some points that only one person can squeeze through at a time.

Before leaving, take time for a Greek coffee at one of its two traditional cafés, among the most charming on the island.

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land’s southern vineyards. Two of the most well-known wineries, the traditional winery of Gavalas and the impressive rock-hewn winery of Venetsanos, are located here. The central stone paved road was once a riverbed and even today this central cobblestone road is still referred to as the “River.” Dusk here is beautiful, and there are a number of churches with intricate belfries, including the Church of Zoodohos Pigi and the Church of Panaghia in the main square. From the veranda of the restaurant Feggera, you can hear the horses crossing the “River,” whereas a few meters further, at Symposion by La Ponta (www.symposionsantorini.com), what you’ll hear is music, and plenty of it as the sounds of the traditional bagpipes of the Cycladic islands and of ancient phorminxes fill the vaulted interior. The hosts, Argy Kakissis and Yiannis Pantazis, will happily take you on a guided tour.

Yiannis makes musical instruments, and gives music lessons and concerts in this melodious multi-space. Don’t leave the village without buying a leather souvenir from “Transit” or a ceramic object from the workshop of Andreas Makaris.

HISTORY EVERYWHERE Stunning views and historical significance combine to make a visit to Ancient Thera, high up on the hill of Mesa Vouno, an unmissable experience. One

moment you’ll be admiring the ruins of a city inhabited from the 9th century BC to AD 726, and the next you’ll be looking out across both the eastern and western sides of the island. You’ll need closed footwear, a hat, sunscreen and water. Make sure to have cash on you – the ticket booth does not accept credit cards (admission €4, open TueSun, 08:30-16:00).

Santorini’s museums hold fascinating collections that illuminate the island’s past. Start with the Santorini Museum of Prehistoric Thira and its impressive exhibit items, many of which were found at Akrotiri. Among the objects on view is a bathtub from the 17th century BC, a golden chamois figurine and impressive frescoes, including those of the Fisherman and the Blue Monkeys (Fira, Tel. (+30) 228.602.3217, open everyday except Tuesdays between 08.30 -16.00).

Drop by the Maritime Museum of Thera in Oia, a renovated two-story sea captain’s house with a cobblestoned courtyard, to see rare 17th-century figureheads, models of ships that belonged to old seafaring families, nautical instruments and marine watercolors (405 25th March, Oia, Tel. (+30) 22860.711.56, open daily except Tue, 10:00-14:00 & 17:0019:00).

The old factory that once processed one of Santorini’s most famous agricultural products, the local cherry tomato,

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Modern high-caliber gastronomy at the restaurant Elements in the resort Canaves Oia Epitome.

The hiking trail connecting Fira with Oia will stay in your memories forever.

has been transformed into the Tomato Industrial Museum. Visitors can see the old production line and try the tomato paste (exclusive to the museum) that’s made using traditional methods. The museum is housed in the main building of the plant, which operated from 1945 to 1981. The whole complex, which also houses cultural activities, is known as the Santorini Arts Factory (Vlychada, open Tue-Sun, 10:00-18:00, Tel. (+30) 22860.851.41).

NO-SWEAT CYCLING Have you thought about biking the island but paled when you saw the hills?

One delightful cycling tour in southern Santorini, covering a distance of 26km, starts at Perivolos Beach, continues along country lanes to Emporio, and then follows the wine roads as far as Megalochori, before ending up back at Perivolos. You don’t need to worry about getting tired, because you‘ll be riding electric-powered mountain bikes from Santorini Mountain Bike Adventures (santoriniadventures.gr, Tel. (+30) 698.028.9453).

STARS AT NIGHT Watching a movie outside on a warm summer night is a great Greek summer

experience, and the perfect place for this is at Kamari’s open-air cinema, listed among the Guardian’s top ten open-air cinemas worldwide. Catch the latest blockbuster in a lush garden, with a well-mixed cocktail or cold beer in hand (Kamari, Tel. (+30) 22860.334.52). Movies start at 21:30, but you’ll want to get there early to grab one of the sought-after chaises longues.

ASSYRTIKO SIDEWAYS Some of the most prominent Greek wines are produced in the vineyards on Santorini, where there have been grapes growing for more than 3,000 years. If you happen to be on the island around mid-August during the grape harvest, you’ll notice that the air in the countryside is pungent with the fragrance of grape juice. At the twenty or so wineries on the island (almost all of them open to visitors), you’ll be able to discover all the different incarnations of Assyrtiko. Aged in oak barrels stored in cool, old traditional wineries hewn out of the volcanic rock, called kanaves, or fresh from wine tanks in state-of-theart modern wineries, you’ll find a label that is sure to become your very own favorite. After a couple of tastings, you’ll be able to discern the unique features and the soft touch of the local terroir in the other indigenous varieties that are cultivated here, including other whites

such as Athiri and Aidani, and reds like Mavrotragano and Mandilaria.

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD Across the island, and more especially at Oia, Imerovigli and Fira, there are prestigious upscale restaurants: Santorini is Greece’s undisputed gastronomical catwalk. Dining at one of these, with its impeccable service, exquisite wine and atmosphere to match will undoubtedly be a highlight to remember.

There is perhaps a qualitative gap on the island as regards medium-range restaurants, but if you venture to villages and smaller settlements off the beaten path, you’ll find many wonderful small tavernas, as well as a few low-key restaurants that are well worth trying out. The taverna Krinaki at Finikia is ideal for grilled meats and vegetable stews, the Postalia tou Aegaiou at Messaria is perfect for ouzo and meze, while Roza at Vourvoulos is a modern restaurant with very tasty simple fare. Metaxi Mas, at Exo Gonia, is always full of customers who appreciate the high quality of its food. Among the best seafod options on the island is Psaraki, overlooking the small harbor of Vlyhada, but if you’re looking for seafood at the water’s edge in a relaxed, authentic environment, then try Armeni at the charming small harbor of the same name. At the wine bar Oia Vineyart, they cook a variety of tasty dishes using local produce from Santorini and from across Greece, and they serve all the wine labels produced by local wineries.

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PLANET CRETE

Two writers who would love to be Cretan share their best memories of their favorite place. .

BY OLGA CH A R A MI A N D NENA DI M ITR IOU

The exotic Elafonisi Beach in the regional unit of Hania.

The beach of Vai in the regional unit of Lasithi features a forest of Cretan date palms (Phoenix theophrasti) (right).

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A DIVE OFF THE SFAKIA COAST

I spent all day on an inflatable boat in a swimsuit, hair blowing in the breeze.

You tend to travel by boat in Sfakia in any case; the sea routes are like roads here.

From offshore, I saw the imposing Lefka Ori mountain range as it plunged into the Libyan Sea, and the Samaria and Aradena gorges splitting the earth in two. I loved the wilderness at Domata and Tripiti, the Ilingas cliffs and colorful Marmara. The plunge at Marmara was the most beautiful of my life – the bluest waters I have ever seen, caves with walls of red, orange and green, flat boulders where you can sun yourself for hours. Hallucinating, I climbed up to Chrisostomos’ taverna. He knows what to do to bring you to your senses… or finish you off: tsigariasto (slow-cooked goat) and Sfakian pie (a thin pancake stuffed with soft cheese) with honey.

ROLLING DOWN AGHIOS PAVLOS

The beaches in southern Rethymno are not as exotic as the beaches of Hania, but the variety of landscapes is amazing. Here is the “holy trinity” of my favorite beaches: quiet Ligres, with its deep waters; stunning Triopetra, and Aghios Pavlos, with its sand dunes. Between Triopetra and the dunes is a river; it’s like exploring an alien landscape. Aghios Pavlos, said to have its own energy, is visited by yogis from around the world. This is the first place I’ve seen sand dunes at the shoreline. My barreling descent from the peak of the last dune to the rock that slowed me down must have lasted 15 seconds. My head would have been spinning much longer if I hadn’t taken a cool dive: a plunge cures dizziness, be it from vertigo or drunkenness – this is something I learned here. At Ammoudaki, I found heaven, a little cove with no shade.

It’s hardly ever exposed to the wind, but when it is, the sea won’t let you put afoot

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into its swollen, angry waters. I’ve pledged to return here every year.

THE FESTIVAL AT AVDOU

I know that this year the island’s festivals won’t be the same. I wonder if there will be any festivals, and whether I’ll ever relive that August at Avdou near Irakleio, with the celebrations in the square, complete with the young musicians, the dancers and the one-time locals who now live in Athens but look forward all year to these few days back home. I think of the meat pies from Sifis’ café, and of the August 15 festivities.

There were endless rows of chairs and tables, with surnames scrawled on the paper tablecloths in felt-tip pen. Those who hadn’t booked a table found themselves standing, as I did, but out of choice. This is, after all, a famous festival. On the stage that night were Psarogiorgis, Psarantonis, Psarogiannis, famous virtuosos – and, in a rare appearance, Stelios Petrakis. In front of the stage, a handful of youngsters were going crazy, as if at a rock concert. Further back, visitors from all over – horeftakides, fanatical festivalgoers in search of the real deal – danced with the locals. Further back still, some local men, distinguishable as such by their bushy moustaches and black shirts, never got up to dance. I remember being swept away by the rhythm as if I were on a carousel. Among the trees, beneath the stars, against the backdrop of the ancient Panaghia Church, lyras and

01. Enchanting waters and unreal rock formations at Marmara Beach in the district of Sfakia.

02. At the Kafeneio of Griliou in Anogia.

03. Dirt roads, goats and steep slopes that tumble down to the Libyan Sea: these are the imposing Asterousia Mountains in southern Crete.

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At the local summer festival in Avdou, no one sits still, not even Psarogiorgis, until the wee hours of the morning.

laouta (lutes) cried out. Shots of tsikoudia (a local spirit), beer and whiskey alternated in the glasses. Dawn came and nothing stopped. At 07:00 they were still dancing pentozali and pidichtous (Cretan dances) as if they have just gotten out of bed.

ANOGIA AND PSILORITIS

The ascent to Livadiotiko Aori was adventurous. The road is winding and rutted, the local drivers always in a rush, and there were several times my heart skipped a beat. But when you reach the Psiloritis highlands, everything’s fine. The air smells of wild thyme and ironwort, and whistles through the drystone shepherds’ huts that still stand sentinel there. Following a relatively new trail, the Psiloritis Path, starting from the Migero Plateau, you can reach Timios Stavros (2456m) on Mt Psiloriti, the highest peak on the island, more easily. I don’t know what I enjoyed the most, the 86

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view or the hike. Here you feel as if you’re touching the soul of Crete. I thought it was the only thing I would be talking about for the next few days. But on the way down, a whole flock of vultures – or skares as they are known locally – swooped so low they almost brushed our windscreen. We revived ourselves at Anogia, at Grylios’ café with the painted flowerpots, raki, graviera cheese and olives, sharing tales of animals, close shaves and the nature of human existence.

RUGGED ASTEROUSIA

I don’t know if I’ve ever swallowed so much dirt. There was dust in my hair, in my eyes, in my thoughts. It was July in the Asterousia mountains, terra incognita for Irakleiots, an unexpected Wild West. We’d spent all day on dirt tracks under the relentless sun, with endless twists and turns, surrounded by rocks, gorges and cliffs. Here and there were thyme bushes and herds of goats, but not a sign of another car or a village. Diving into the sea at Agiofarago Beach washed

the dust off us. Afterwards, more dirt: Mt Kofinas appeared suddenly in front of us, looming up over the Libyan Sea. The climb took around 20 minutes as the sun started to set. The sunset from 1230 meters was fiery. On one side, the vast Libyan Sea, on the other a sea of clouds, out of which emerged proud Mt Psiloritis.

Another Crete.

MIRABELLO ENTANGLEMENT

My trips to Mirabello Bay always get turn out a little strange. Here the raki shots and the graviera come out before you’ve had time to introduce yourself, and the Mirabello tunes start before you’re seated.

One time, we’d spent the day wandering the barren earth overlooking Aforesmenos Cape, all wilderness and wind. At night, one Nikos Mastorakis appeared and suggested we follow him in our car through the pitch dark towards Petros.

There we were, wondering who this Petros was, and who this Mastorakis was, and what would become of us in the wilds…

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Stelios Trilirakis above his pots and pans at the taverna “Dounias”.

I REMEMBER BEING SWEPT AWAY BY THE RHYTHM AS IF I WERE ON A CAROUSEL. SHOTS OF TSIKOUDIA (A LOCAL SPIRIT) AND WHISKY ALTERNATED IN THE GLASSES. DAWN CAME AND NOTHING STOPPED. It turned out our kidnapper’s lair was a parcel of land in a location called Petros, and that Mastorakis was in fact a lovely man, a teacher from Kissamos, and the “torture” he had in store for us was a secret party in the middle of nowhere. On another occasion in Karydi, we set out for a stroll in the village and ended up at a distillery in Fourni. That’s what the Lasithiots are like. The first raki came out and so did Haris Paraskakis with the laouta and lyres and the askomantoures (a traditional bagpipe). They were taking turns improvising mantinades (rhyming couplets) and shouting “eviva, parea,” and when they joined together in a drunken chorus of the “Dance of Freedom,” the whole of Mirabello shook.

AN AFTERNOON AT DOUNIAS

I‘d heard so much about the taverna that, as we approached the village of Drakonas, I thought I could smell grilled meat. First I saw the blackened frying pans on the lit firewood. In them, thickcut potatoes danced and sputtered in the

olive oil. From the terrace you could hear voices speaking Danish, English and German. People from all over the world eat at internationally renowned Dounias. The first and second times we ordered original Cretan slow food, roasted in wood ovens and stoves. On our third visit, we introduced ourselves to Stelios Trilyrakis, owner and founder of this gastronomic paradise, who makes everything from scratch, working from years of experience and with ingredients such as beef from Cretan mountain cattle, milk and dairy from local sheep and goats, sharp cheeses matured in oil, bread from mavragani (Senatore Cappelli) wheat, fragrant xinochondros (fermented cracked wheat), sweet eggplant and herbs from his own garden. His dishes are an exciting journey through the authentic local cuisine.

NATURE WORSHIP IN SITIA

My friend was five months pregnant the summer that we decided to explore the gorges, and that’s why we decided to take on Richtis near Exo Mouliana in Sitia, accessed via relatively easy hike.

Three kilometers long, the trail is largely shaded and skirts by trees, rock formations and the ruins of old water mills.

After the first kilometer the green gets denser and the scents of wildflowers and aromatic herbs fill the air, while the oleanders add an exotic fuchsia note.

Throughout the hike, we could hear the babble of the little stream, which gradually increased in volume until we reached Richtis, which is also the local word for “waterfall”. This one plunges 20m to form a spacious pool. The water looked dyed green, thanks to the moss, which forms a second skin on the rocks. The bravest among us dove into the bracingly icy waters. We dried off on the wooden benches by the lake, under the plane trees, and the coolness lasted us all way back to the mouth of the gorge, which debouches onto a beach. One last dip, this time in saltwater, was absolutely necessary before we returned.

A JAM SESSION IN SIMI

On the Omalos Plateau, the Stavrakakis family welcomed us to their mitato (shepherd’s hut). There was no one else in sight. The fresh cheese they offered us brought tears to our eyes – as did the potent raki (a local spirit). Then Nektarios picked up his lyra and played in the wilderness, as if serenading the birds. How unearthly… The next day in Kato Simi, surrounded by the forest, we sat at a café under a mulberry tree. “Bring these people a drink,” someone said, and the raki shots came without hesitation. Then Kyveli and the two men, both named Nektarios, who together make up the musical trio Eran, arrived. The lyra, laouto and bendir drum all found their way into the hands of these musicians, much like a person might absentmindedly fish out something from their bag in the middle of a conversation. More and more people showed up, some from as far away as the coast. A little before dawn, I raised my gaze toward the Lasithi mountains, and made an earnest wish that all summers could be like this.

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Everything you need to know to make the most of your visit to the island. ©PERIKLES MERAKOS

BY GREECE IS TEAM AGIOFARAGO BEACH

HANIA

The old town of Hania is a medley of different civilizations that never stops surprising its visitors. You can spend hours exploring the picturesque streets of Topana (all elegant mansions and cool archways) or wandering through the neighborhood of Splantzias, with its Ottoman minarets and traditional bay windows, before ending the day with a romantic stroll around the Venetian harbor with its iconic lighthouse.

GAVDOS

The southernmost tip of Europe is the kind of vacation spot where there are no rules or itineraries. Aghios Ioannis and Sarakiniko are its prettiest 88

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and most popular beaches, and bathing suits are entirely optional. Go the extra mile to Trypiti Beach to pose in the huge chair that marks the southernmost point in Europe.

At sunset, make sure to be at the lighthouse, a great spot with amazing views over the Libyan Sea.

SFAKIA

With the imposing Lefka Ori (White Mountains) at its backand the Libyan Sea at its feet, Sfakia is home to some of the greatest beaches on Crete and several famous gorges, including famed Samaria Gorge in Samaria National Park. Allocate a few hours to the Askyfos Plain; driving to the villages of Anopoli and the enchanting Aradena along snaking roads is an experience you’ll never

forget. From the region’s capital, the touristic town of Hora Sfakion, you can take a sea taxi to the magical beaches of Ilinga, Glyka Nera, Loutro, Lykos, Marmara, Aghios Pavlos, Aghia Roumeli and Domata.

BALOS

The whole world has seen images of Crete’s western coastline: its sand dunes and turquoise waters, the gum trees that provide invaluable shade, and its stunning sunsets. Balos is the most renowned of this area’s beaches, although that might be more for its impressive appearance than for the quality of its waters, which are shallow and often too warm.

FALASARNA

This beach boasts crystalline blue waters and pink sand,

the latter a result of crushed seashells. Please don’t take any of it away with you, as tempting as it might seem.

But do, by all means, take a walk to the northern end of the beach, where you can see the remains of ancient Phalasarna, a city that thrived in the 4th and 3rd centuries BC.

ELAFONISI

Off Crete’s southwestern tip is a protected habitat that’s part of the Natura 2000 network, and it’s as beautiful as it looks in the photographs, although it can get overcrowded in the summer and consequently lose some of its magic. The same is true of nearby Kedrodasos Beach, so try to come in the late afternoon, when most of the daytime crowd has left.

ADVERTORIAL

The Archaeological Site of Knossos

Promoting Crete’s cultural heritage Greece, now strong and safe, is welcoming its first visitors, fully prepared to initiate them again both into the nation’s lifestyle and to its rich civilization. Greece’s archaeological sites and monuments - the country’s greatest legacy- with the help of technology, provide visitors with alternative ways of accessing knowledge and also allowing for the facilitation of that access to our cultural heritage to every corner of the world.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and with the aim of promot-

ing Greek history and civilization through the power of technology, COSMOTE is continuing to provide free infrastructure and Wi-Fi services to more and more archaeological sites and museums all over Greece.

This summer, it was Crete’s turn, with infrastructure and Wi-Fi services being supplied to four iconic cultural heritage sites on the island: the archaeological site of

Archaeological Museum of Heraklion

Knossos, the seat of Minoan civilization; the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, which hosts finds from all over Crete covering more than 5,500 years of the island’s history; the island of Spinalonga,

in Elounda Bay, which served as, among its other uses, a Venetian fortress, a place of refuge for civilians, and a place of exile for lepers; and the Museum of Ancient Eleutherna, which hosts finds from excavations in the ancient city of Eleutherna in Rethymnon, dating mainly from the dawn of Greek civilization and the Homeric Age. By providing free Wi-Fi, on the one hand, it gives cultural institutions the opportunity to develop new interactive ways of touring and presenting their exhibits and, on the other hand, it makes it easier for visitors to these archeological sites and museums to seek information about the history and culture of Crete and to also share its cultural wealth with the rest of the world.

The institutions that already have access to Wi-Fi are: The National Archeological Museum and the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens, the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, the archaeological site of Akrotiri on Santorini, the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, the Palace of the Grand Master in the Old City of Rhodes as well as Delphi and Delos.

Furthermore, infrastructure is in progress for the Acropolis of Athens and for both Mycenae and Ancient Corinth in the Peloponnese.

The protection and promotion of Greek cultural heritage is part of the OTE Group’s sustainable development strategy for a better world for all. COSMOTE has invested over €2 million in this project and aims to promote Greek history and civilization and to bring a greater awareness of the country’s historical legacy to its citizens and to the rest of the world, with the power of technology.

On the island of Spinalonga

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along the way to explore the palm forest and have a dip in the river’s natural pools.

MARGARITES

MANOUSAKIS WINERY

PALEOHORA

It may only be a small town with mostly modern buildings, but Paleohora has a certain special charm that draws visitors from all over the world.

There are two town beaches – Gialiskari Beach, and fabulous Krios just a short drive away.

The nights are coolest at the bar Agios, where you can enjoy cocktails made with aged tsikoudia (a local spirit), Greek wine or cognac, and flavored with homemade marmalades or herbal and fruit mashes and liqueurs.

WHERE TO EAT

In Anidri, the kafeneio Sto Scholeio (Tel. (+30) 28230.830.01) offers a sea view and a menu of both Greek and Cretan dishes that varies depending on the day. It’s quite popular, so try to avoid dinner rush. Kypros (Tel. (+30) 28210.918.66) in Mournies is a meat-lover’s dream. The drive to the Askyfos Plateau in the region of Sfakia is worth it, even if it’s just for Nektarios’ kafeneio (Tel. (+30) 28250.952.28), where you can find the epitome of Cretan cucina povera in dishes like the sizzling meat platter 90

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or in the rice and the orzo, both cooked in meat broth. Book a tour at the Manousakis Winery (Tel. (+30) 28210.787.87) and your visit can include a meal of local dishes. In the town of Hania, Salis (3 Akti Enoseos, Tel. (+30) 28210.437.00) occupies one of the best spots on the waterfront at the Venetian harbor, and the establishment certainly knows its wine. Its cellar is regarded as one of the best in Greece and includes an impressive selection of vintages.

The food is modern Greek and there are beautiful wine pairings for a truly memorable experience. Reservations are a must for dinner.

RETHYMNO

Rethymno is a charming city with an air of sophistication that it owes to its multicultural past.

Wander the labyrinthine streets of the old quarter and admire the mansions from that same period, with their coats of arms and ornate architectural detailing. Feast on traditional and modern Cretan cuisine in pretty gardens, look for the creations of Greek artists and designers in the boutiques, wander

around on Makri Steno Street, and climb up to the Fortezza fortress for one of the loveliest sunsets in Crete.

BEACHES

The southern coast of the regional unit of Rethymno runs from Aghia Galini to Aghia Marina; it’s 55 km long and boasts more than 30 beaches on the Libyan Sea. The most striking of these are Triopetra with its three perpendicular rocks, and Ligres, a sandy beach with a lovely sunset.

Skinaria is popular with snorkelers and scuba divers, while the pint-sized sandy beach of Kleisidi tends to get quite busy, so come early to grab a spot. If you’re traveling with young children, Damnoni and Ammoudi are better options.

EXOTIC PREVELI

Think of silver sands, sparkling blue sea, a green lake and a river flanked by palm trees at the end of a gorge and you’ve got some idea of postcard-perfect Preveli Beach. Reach the beach via the path (it’s a 7-minute walk) that starts at Drymiskiano Ammoudi, and take the time

The fact that this village is one of the two largest centers of pottery on the island and holds a trove of craftsman’s secrets is not the only reason to visit Margarites. It’s also one of the loveliest old villages in the interior of the region of Rethymno, with interesting Byzantine and post-Byzantine churches (like the one dedicated to Saint John the Theologian), old public stone water spouts, and Venetian-era houses with courtyards and arched doorways with sculpted lintels bearing coats of arms.

ARKADI

Arkadi is the island’s most famous monastery and an enduring symbol of the island’s struggles for liberation.

During the 1866-69 Cretan revolt against Ottoman rule, the monastery was beseiged

by Turkish forces. To this day, Cretan say that they owe their freedom to Arkadi. The UNESCO-listed monastery is a masterpiece, with an impressive main church and other structures displaying Renaissance influences (Tel. (+30) 28310.831.35).

ANOGIA

Anogia’s residents are famed throughout the island of Crete. Mountain folk, they ‘ve held onto their customs down the years and are known for their hospitality, sense of fun, loyalty, and very strong sense of honor, both their own and their family’s. The best way to experience Anogia is to sit at a kafeneio and keep your ears open: you may well be treated to an impromptu concert, as Anogia is home to some of the finest musicians in Crete. The village also lies on the route to Mt Psiloritis,

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for children as well. (Tel. (+30) 2810.337.788, www.cretaquarium.gr).

LITERARY EXCURSION

With its modest houses, busy kafenia (coffee houses), whitewashed streets and planters overflowing with flowers, Myrtia is a proper village. But the main reason to make the trip here is the Nikos Kazantzakis Museum (www.kazantzaki. gr/en). Through its display of memorabilia, manuscripts and other relevant items, the museum honoring the celebrated Greek writer who hailed from here offers meaningful insight into his life and work.

ASTEROUSIA BEACHES

PREVELI BEACH

a UNESCO Global Geopark and Crete’s highest mountain.

On the mountain, you’ll find the Nida Plateau, known for its mitata , small stone huts shepherds have built to use as seasonal shelters.

WHERE TO EAT

Maria Iliaki makes what are arguably Rethymno’s best ladera (oil-based vegetable stews) dishes at the taverna Iliomanolis (Kanevos, Tel. (+30) 28320.510.53), where you’ll find dozens of pots and baking trays filled with stuffed tomatoes and dolmades and other such classic delights. If you’re spending the day at the beach near Peristere, try to grab one of the few tables at I Kantina tou Manoli (Tel. (+30) 693.755.4059), a laid-back taverna right by the shore. At the pension Ligres Beach (Kerames, Tel. (+30) 697.423.4509) you’ll find home-style Cretan food served by the very friendly owners. And if you’re in the area of Roustika, stop at Palopetraki’s kafeneio (Tel. 92

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(+30) 28310.913.00) on the village square, where the owner’s wife, Eleni, makes all sorts of delicious meze. In the city, Lemonokipos ( Tel. (+30) 28310.570.87) is a favorite among locals, serving Cretan food with some clever twists.

For a meal by the sea, Prima Plora (4 Akrotiriou, Tel. (+30) 28310.569.90) serves sophisticated cuisine made with local ingredients and has a very good wine list as well.

IRAKLEIO

Crete’s administrative capital has plenty of sights worth seeing, and a lively atmosphere.

The Venetian port features an Ottoman fortress, called Koules, at its heart. The city is blessed with a marvelous old quarter, known for both its Lion’s Square and the Loggia. Home to the famed Disc of Phaistos and other ancient wonders, the Archaeological Museum (2 Xanthoudidou, Tel. (+30) 2810.279.000) is a must, as is an exploration of the city’s

amazing kafeneia (like Kayiambis, Tel. (+30) 2810.226.286, serving great raki and all sorts of meze) and its bars.

KNOSSOS

The importance of this site cannot be overemphasized.

The birthplace of the Minoan civilization, was a rich and influential city-state that grew up around the palace complex of King Minos. Explore the partially restored halls of the palaces and look at their exquisite frescoes to picture what life was like here in 1600 BC, when this city was home to some 80,000 people. (Tel. (+30) 2810.231.940).

CRETAQUARIUM

Where else can you observe sharks, huge groupers and turtles up close without getting wet? With some 2,000 sea creatures from 200 different species, the Cretaquarium is one of the biggest aquariums in Europe. It offers a range of fascinating visitor options, and there are hands-on tours

Asterousia is an arid mountain range in southern Irakleio where pebble beaches, accessible via dirt roads and trails only, offer swimmers stunning azure waters. Vathy and Martsalo are roughly a 30-minute walk down a rough path, while Agiofarango is the loveliest of the lot but a nightmare in August when its waters fill with yachts. Lentas is easy to reach while Aghios Nikitas, with its famed palm forest, can only be reached via a rugged dirt track. To the east, Listis is a marvelous beach, while Keratokambos boasts beach facilities.

WHERE TO EAT

The restored village of Kapetaniana in the Asterousia mountains is home to both the guest house Thalori (Tel. (+30) 28930.417.62) and its restaurant, where you can enjoy homemade savory pies and other traditional dishes, all served with a stunning view. Inside the city of Irakleio, the most famous traditional taverna is arguably Vourvouladiko (71 Monis Kardiotissis, Tel. (+30) 2810.335.323), where specialties include the kapriko (slow-roasted pork).

If you enjoy modern food, The Walls (1 Dukos Bofor, Tel.

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aside for exploring the town’s raki and meze joints, or you can join the local crowd for a bit of bar-hopping.

SITIA

Smaller and a little more remote than Crete’s other urban centers, Sitia does have its own port and airport, a fact which has contributed to a certain sense of independence from the rest of the island. It’s a pleasant and lively town, with friendly locals waiting to welcome you at the raki restaurants on Eleftheriou Venizelou Street. Sightseeing highlights include the well-preserved Venetian-era Kazarma Fortress (Tel. (+30) 28430-27140) and the Archaeological Museum (Tel. (+30) 28430-23917), which will only offer a temporary phographic exhibition on the history of Aghios Nikolaos.

CHRYSI

RETHYMNO

(+30) 28310.344.348) has, as its name suggests, views over the city’s Venetian walls. The attractive space, the good food and the delicious desserts will make you want to come back.

Tucked away in the narrow streets of the center, pint-sized Apiri (5 Aghion Deka, Tel. (+30) 2810.342.228) is a neo-bistro run by a globetrotting chef.

Here, he’s married modern Mediterranean cuisine with Cretan culinary traditions, pairing inventive dishes with lovely, vibrant cocktails. For raki and meze in an authentic setting, Kayiabis (12 Monofatsiou, Tel. (+30) 2810.226.286) is a picturesque traditional kafenio on the fringes of the neighborhood of Lakkos where everything is good.

LASITHI

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that Aghios Nikolaos still retains many of the characteristics of village life. Its cafés and restaurants are centered around Lake Voulismeni, a natural pool that connects to the sea via a narrow canal, and along 28is Oktovriou («October 28th») Street, the town’s main thoroughfare.

The beaches on the coast in town are clean and convenient for swimming, with Kitroplateia being perhaps the most popular.

IERAPETRA

Ierapetra has something special: the light here is softer and temperatures are slightly higher than elsewhere on the island. It is also Greece’s s o u t h e r n m o s t t o w n , re nowned for its tomato hothouses and its lively cosmopolitan vibe. Be sure to visit the Kales Fortress at the old port. Evenings should be set

With alluring turquoise waters, golden sand dunes and a cedar forest, this uninhabited island, also known as Gaidouronisi, has become very popular recently, but it’s also an important and fragile ecosystem.

Most visitors spend their day here on Belegrina Beach.

SPINALONGA

This island, once a leper colony, is now the second-most-visited site in Crete after Knossos. Its popularity soared after its story inspired the plot of the novel “The Island,” by British novelist Victoria Hislop, which went on to be translated into more than 20 languages and become a global best-seller.

VAI

Vai was home to a large hippie settlement in the 1970s; today, it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in eastern Crete. The large umbrella-strewn expanse of golden sand isn’t the only at-

traction here; Vai is also home to Europe’s biggest Phoenix theophrastii palm forest, a protected habitat.

XEROKAMPOS

There are amazing beaches to be found all along the region’s eastern and southern coast, from Vai to Zakro and from there to Ierapetra. The area surrounding Xerokambos, however, stands out for its wild landscape and its relatively remote location, and because it offers three different types of beaches: pebbled beaches, sandy beaches and stretches covered in clay.

KATO ZAKROS

Have a wander around the village of Ano Zakro and take a swim at the pretty beach of Kato Zakro, which is also home to the archaeological site of one of Crete’s four largest Minoan palaces. Between the two villages lies the 2.5-km Gorge of the Dead, so named because the Minoan people used the caves in this gorge as burial spots.

WHERE TO EAT

Close to Makrys Gialos in Sitia is the village of Koutsouras, where you’ll find the eatery Kalliotzina (Tel. (+30) 28430-51207), renowned for its home-style casseroles, ladera (oil-based vegetable stews). Its cool and shady courtyard is just a short distance from the sea. In the the village of Kroustas, the taverna bearing the village’s name (Tel. (+30) 28410-51362) is run by the Stavrakaki family, whose specialties include handmade pasta, boiled in meat broth and served with butter and dry mizithra cheese. In Koutsounari, chef Konstantino Voulgari-Kontesopoulou prepares creative fresh dishes inspired by Crete at the award-winning Pelagos Sea Side (Tel. (+30) 28420-61263).

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The impressive Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes in the Old City.

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ETERNAL FLAME

A plunge from the famed diving board at Elli Beach will cool you down, but a dive into the fascinating history and civilization of the Island of the Knights and its ancient settlements might prove even more invigorating.

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I

t’s evening, and you’re walking along the medieval Street of the Knights in the Old City of Rhodes. The beautiful cast-iron street lamps illuminate the stone-built inns of the different tongues of the Knights of the Order of St John. You can still make out the crests above each door, and it’s as if you’ve been beamed back in time to the Middle Ages. Or maybe it’s afternoon and you’re looking for the Turkish café on Sokratous Street, the Old City’s main shopping street, aware at the same time that every inhabitant of the city since 408BC onwards has taken this route, too; the road on which you’re walking was originally laid out based on designs made by the ancient urban planner Hippoda-

02

EVERYTHING THAT A DEMANDING TRAVELER MIGHT HOPE TO DISCOVER HAS BEEN GIVEN A PLACE ON RHODES’ FERTILE SOIL, AMONG ORANGE ORCHARDS, OLIVE GROVES AND VINEYARDS.

mus of Miletus. It could be that you’re standing at the top of Mt Filerimos at Ialysos, with monuments from every period all around you, and suddenly you feel the same excitement that Suleiman the Magnificent experienced here in 1522, as he commanded the attacks that captured the island for him. You might be swimming in the emerald waters off Anthony Quinn Beach, and get the feeling that you’re taking part in the movie “The Guns of Navarone,” filmed here in 1961.

This constant dualism of time, where the body is in the present and the mind travels back into the past, and this constant sense of a divided self which, in98

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stead of confusing you, helps you acquire a new perspective, is what transforms Rhodes from a crowded tourist destination with restaurant display cases full of pre-cooked food into an enchanting time capsule with enough space for every unrequited wish. Rhodes, the largest of the islands of the Dodecanese, has been the object of desire for scores of conquerors, from the Persians in the Archaic period to the Italians in the twentieth century.

Everything that a demanding traveler might hope to discover has been given a place on its fertile soil, among orange orchards, olive groves and vineyards: ruins and monuments from every age, lively

villages boasting traditional architectural styles and rich cultural legacies, locations of incomparable natural beauty, and landmark gastronomic establishments.

THE IRRESISTIBLE EAST COAST As I head down the island’s east coast from the city of Rhodes towards the beautiful and eminently instagrammable Prasonisi, an islet connected to Rhodes by the narrowest of sandy roads that’s gobbled up every winter by the tides, there is simply no way of counting the stops that I can make. I decide to leave the mineral springs of Faliraki and the natural “armchairs” formed by the rocks on Anthony

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Quinn Beach (how wonderful it would be if there were no sun loungers here!) for another time, and make a bee-line instead for the village of Afantou. This white village, as delightful as its famous apricots, was built behind low hills so as to be imperceptible from the sea and therefore protected from pirates. I sunbathe to my heart’s content on its vast, uncrowded beach.

I then drive onwards towards my beloved village of Kolympia, an agricultural settlement built by the occupying Italian forces (they called it the Rural Village of San Benedetto) as a home for Italian colonists. The two bays here, with their fishing

boats and sailing yachts, are perfect for swimming and for underwater exploration. At midday, on the way to Archipoli, I stop to enjoy the cool shade of the Seven Springs (Epta Piges). Around a dam built by the Italians to provide Kolympia with water stretches a green oasis with giant plane trees, lithe pine trees and streams.

I take off my shoes, turn on my phone’s flashlight, and walk in a stream through a narrow, roughly 150m-long dark tunnel in order to reach a secret lake with crystalline waters. The icy water makes my skin tingle. After this invigorating dip, I return to Kolympia for a meal at Nisaki, a fish taverna with tables almost

Epta Piges, meaning “Seven Springs”, is a shady oasis close to the village of Kolympia (above).

01. The Baths at Kallithea were built during the Italian occupation of Rhodes.

02. A walk down the Street of the Knights in the Old City will take you back in time to the days of the Order of St John.

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touching the sea. There’s local Aigaion ouzo in my glass, seafood meze on my plate, and a sky with myriad colors. It’s pure perfection.

Another attractive village near here is Haraki, south of Kolympia. This old fishing village, with the medieval castle of Feraklou towering over the bay, has a spectacular sandy beach, that of Aghia Agathi, right below the monastery of the same name. Then comes Lindos, the star of Rhodes dressed all in white. I take a long swim at St Paul’s Bay, where it’s said that St Paul disembarked after a sea voyage from Miletus in Syria. Then it’s an afternoon stroll to see the captains’ stately houses with their inner courtyards, followed by an ascent to the acropolis here in order to capture an unforgettable sunset before heading off for a meal at the timeless eatery Mavrikios. The two brothers who run it are unyielding in their determination to serve a world-class menu rooted in local tradition.

The east coast doesn’t stop at Lindos.

On those days when I’m in the mood for a long drive, I set course for the village of Lahania and, more precisely, for the beach bar-restaurant Mea Terra. The menu’s high quality, from the superb coffee to the fresh fish and the sophisticated cocktails, and the boho-Cycladic decor make this friendly hangout on the beach an enticing destination. I start off with a glass of juice and some reading on a sun lounger, and end up dining on seafood under the stars, still in my bathing suit. When I’m in the mood for a bit more adventure, I drive for 85km (which, given the usual summer seaside traffic, is a roughly two-hour journey) in order to set up camp on Mavros Cavos, a beach with golden sand dunes, prickly cedar

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03. The Church of Panaghia tou Bourgou in the Old City of Rhodes.

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02. Renowned Antony Quinn Beach and its rocks which are convenient for sunbathing.

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01. The acropolis at Lindos, one of the most important archaeological sites on the island.

© PERIKLES MERAKOS

The diving platform off Elli Beach is a city landmark.

INFO

A STROLL IN THE OLD CITY I always go to the Old City in the evening, when its sites are closed and I don’t have to fight hordes of tourists. I usually enter this UNESCO-designated Monument of World Cultural Heritage from the d’Amboise Gate on the city’s west side. From there, I follow the labyrinthine fortifications before emerging at the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes where, passing through St Anthony’s Gate, I reach the Street of the Knights. I leave the ruins of the Church of St John of the Collachium, protector saint of the Order, behind and stop for a while to look at the people strolling about the lanes around Sokratous Street. I also say a prayer outside Aghios Fanourios, the saint who helps you find what you’re searching for, before ending up in the courtyard of Hatzikelis Sea Food Restaurant, next to the Church of Panaghia tou Bourgou. If I had just one night to spend on Rhodes, I’d spend it here.

At the heart of the Old City, surrounded by cypress trees, flower pots with geraniums, and the lights strung above the dining area, I’d sit, eat seafood delicacies and talk about things yet to come over an icy glass of Athiri wine.

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trees and shallow waters. I coat myself with loads of sunscreen because the sun is desert-hot, plant my beach parasol and put the fruit in the shade and the water flasks in the sea to keep them cool. Then I find an opponent and we play beach paddleball in the sand until I can barely stand from exhaustion.

THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE WEST COAST Ialysos and Kameiros dominate the west coast of Rhodes, which has fewer beaches and is more exposed to the etesian winds. In 408 BC, both these cities came together with Lindos to build the city of Rhodes. These days I visit Ialysos, now full of tourist complexes, mostly in the afternoon; I come for the incredible view at the end of the cobbled Street of Martyrdom (which starts across from the Monastery of Panaghia Filerimo), where ISL ANDS 2020

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The beach at St. Paul’s Bay in Lindos.

hundreds of birds sing in the shadows of bronze representations of the Stations of the Cross, all leading up to the great cross itself, which is 18m high. I’m careful as I climb up the very narrow spiral staircase within the cross, as it tends to get crowded, but the endless view always compensates for those few minutes of claustrophobia.

In contrast to busy touristic Ialysos, the ancient city of Kameiros, 33km further to the south, is a serene place. The archaeological site here features the ruins of a very well-preserved ancient settlement with three distinct levels. Down at Scala, the harbor of the ancient city, I know I’ll find

fresh fish and lobsters at the quiet little seaside tavernas, which all look like they’re straight out of a classic black-and-white Greek movie. As interesting as Kameiros is Monolithos, a village that rises amphitheatrically on the slopes of Mt Akramyti. The castle, dating from the 15th century and perched on the top of a precipitous rock (the name “Monolithos” means “single rock”), is one of the best places on Rhodes from which to watch the sunset. Straight downhill, roughly 5km away by road, is the hidden beach of Fourni. The drive down is laborious, but the destination affords me the pleasure of solitary swimming and aquamarine tranquility.

IN THE INLAND AREA AROUND EMBONAS, THE ISLAND’S WINE-MAKING REGION AT THE FOOT OF MT ATTAVYROS, THERE ARE FOUR WINERIES IN OPERATION: EMERY, ALEXANDRIS, KOUNAKIS AND MERKOURIS. 102

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WINE COUNTRY In the inland area around Embonas, the island’s wine-making region at the foot of Mt Attavyros, there are four wineries in operation: Emery, Alexandris, Kounakis and Merkouris. In this vinicultural zone, you’ll find grape varieties such as Athiri and Amorgiano, both used in making Rhodes’ PDO wines. Whenever I come here, I make sure to pick up some bottles for home before visiting Bakis Taverna for well-cooked meat dishes and some souma (a strong spirit derived from figs). Needless to say, the interior of Rhodes isn’t just a timeless homage to Dionysus. I often head to the village of Apollona for peace and quiet. Walking through this village, with its single-storied houses with roofs made from patelia, a type of clay good for waterproofing, soothes me, as do the delicious dishes at the traditional eatery Paranga. For a very different experience, I head down the hill to the Adventure Park at the Apolakkia dam, where I go kayaking on the artificial lake, test my archery skills and hike through the woods in order to shed the pounds I’ve put on over the previous days.

S TA R S

KOS

A VINTAGE VACATION

While the island is known as an all-inclusive package tour destination and receives on average one million tourists a year, Kos has a charming simplicity that reflects the carefree side of Greek summer.

Š OLGA CHARAMI

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The early Christian Church of Aghios Stefano on the beach of the same name in Kefalos.

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n Kos, you don’t need to lose sleep over sun lounger reservations. Instead, simply unfold your map and pick a beach to lay your towel. In town, there’s no need to worry about parking; you can get anywhere safely by bicycle. And it’s perfectly fine to just let yourself be free, doing whatever strikes your fancy. While enjoying a beer next to the Municipal Market, you can put your glass down for a moment to join the kids playing soccer in the square and using the bollards for goalposts. So what if your shirt is stained with sunscreen and your sandals are still sandy? It’s your an accepted right to go about your business “with the sea salt on you.” You can, if you want, go straight from the beach to the Orfeas Open Air Cinema and then on to Mylos Beach Bar to dance till dawn.

A visit to the ancient monuments can be fun, especially if you prepare by reading a guide to the sites. In the evening, you can stroll to Neratzia Bridge, and, with all the chivalry of a modern-day Knight of St John, offer the object of your affection a strawberry sherbet before stealing the taste from their lips. You can look around the Ancient Agora, reflecting on the thought that Hippocrates believed food to be the best medicine, then head for the seafood district beyond the offices of the Public Power Corporation in the port. If you’re a fan of creative delicacies made with local ingredients, or if you like your cocktails in a cosmopolitan atmosphere, you should definitely go to Barbouni, run by the Ediaroglou family from Thessaloniki. For shellfish and grilled fish, go across the road to one of the best fish tavernas in the Dodecanese, Nick the Fisherman. The next morning, while

01. The sun sets behind medieval Neratzia Castle; on the left stands the Palazzo del Governo.

02. Kos Town is the perfect place to spend a day strolling past sights such as the Plane Tree of Hippocrates.

03. You can swim from Aghios Stefanos Beach to the islet of Kastri, with its little Church of Aghios Nikolaos.

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IT IS PRECISELY THIS MAGICAL SIMPLICITY THAT ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE FUN WITHOUT ANY TEDIOUS PLANNING, AND THIS REVEALS THE TRUE MEANING OF GREEK SUMMER: A LIBERATING SPONTANEITY. snacking on some bougatsa (custard pie) from Ariston, you can pick an event from the Hippocratia Festival program, which this year will feature local artists, and talk about how quickly the time passed the night before.

It is precisely this magical simplicity that allows you to have fun without any tedious planning, and this reveals the true meaning of Greek summer: a liberating spontaneity. In the last five years, despite complications brought on by the migration crisis and the 2017 earthquake, the island of Hippocrates has begun to shift away from the monoculture of “all-inclusive” package tours, which deterred Greek tourists. The island has started to build a new identity centered around

elements such as fine dining, which had not been a priority for decades; farming and local food production, which enriches hotel breakfast tables and municipal market stalls alike; and a revived respect for the principles of Hippocrates. And, of course, its legendary beaches, which remain one of Kos’ key advantages.

MARINE GOLD DUST Late at night, a moonlit walk over volcanic rocks will bring you to Therma Beach, with its black pebbles.There is a special place in the sea here where the water’s surface appears covered in gold dust. It is an optical illusion created by sulfur, from the local hot springs, glowing in the dark. Here, 13km southeast of Kos

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01. Cycling along the stunning Avenue of the Palms 02. The Asklepieion is an attraction for all ages!

Town, you can enjoy a unique natural spa, ideal for relaxing your body and for acquiring – at least temporarily – skin like alabaster. For more privacy, go in the early morning or late at night.

Aside from the singular experience of Therma, Kos boasts a breathtaking coastline with beaches for all tastes, from long golden sandy stretches to well-hidden coves for skinny-dipping.

At Alykes, or Tigaki, you can lie on the sand with your feet in the warm sea, while the sun reddens before setting behind Kalymnos. At Cavo Paradiso, beyond Kefalos, it’s fun to play in the waves and lose yourself in the turquoise waters, while at Aghios Stefanos, you can swim to the islet of Kastri or spend

time exploring ruins of early Christian churches. Polemi Beach is a sandy expanse so long and broad that it seems as if it were created expressly for social distancing.

THE OPEN MUSEUM With 5,000 years of recorded history and multiple occupiers over the centuries, Kos boasts the traces of many different civilizations, today all existing in harmony. This power to combine seemingly disparate elements, an integral part of the island’s DNA, is what makes a vacation on Kos an adventure of perpetual exploration. In the main town, within an area measuring barely a square kilometer, you’ll find a Roman theater; the Roman house known as the Casa Romana; the Altar of Dionysus; the Municipal Market (built by the Italians in 1933), with its impresssive central atrium; the Italian Palazzo del Governo (Government House) on the seafront with its characteristic towers; the Defterdar Mosque, dating from 1780; and the charming Kos Aktis, formerly the hotel Xenia, which first opened its doors

in 1960 and underwent a full renovation in 2005.

Whenever I visit Kos, I often take refuge on one of the hotel’s balconies to plan a walk or bike ride among the city’s many sites, which form an open-air museum, or to decide on an expedition further afield. Once I’ve solved a now familiar dilemma and made a choice between the Hatziemmanouil Assyrtiko and the Triantafyllopoulos Chardonnay (both wineries are open to the public and offer tastings), I gaze for a while on the distant lights of Halicarnassus (today known as Bodrum) and the boats coming and going from the marina below, before closing my eyes and letting my pencil fall on the map.

Wherever the pencil lands, I know it will be worthwhile. Even so, I often cheat and, with half-closed eyes, steer the pencil towards the mountain village of Asomatos in the Asfendiou region. I have become addicted to lounging on the terrace of the cafe Kazino drinking cool wine in the afternoon. Then, later on, I watch the sky change color through the stone archway of the church next door.

KOS BOASTS A BREATHTAKING COASTLINE WITH BEACHES FOR ALL TASTES, FROM LONG GOLDEN SANDY STRETCHES TO WELL-HIDDEN COVES FOR SKINNY-DIPPING.

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Ionian Gems ning waterfalls, cosmopolitan air and famous beaches (including Kathisma and Porto Katsiki), charms visitors from all over the world. Fans of action and sports can enjoy windsurfing, kitesurfing, diving and horseback riding – just a few of the activities available – while walkers can stroll the alleyways in Lefkada Town in search of architectural marvels such as17th- and 18th-century churches, or head inland. Handpicked local ingredients go into dishes served in the island’s restaurants.

PAXI – ANTIPAXI Exotic beaches, ancient olive groves, lush vineyards, and verdant slopes descending to the water’s edge make this island special! In the Venetian-style village of Gaios, the British Government House and the Church of the Apostles stand out. A visit to the Castle of St Nicholas reveals it is based on designs by none other than Leonardo da Vinci, while the enchanting caves of Achai and Ypapanti invite exploration. Enjoy sunset from the white rock of Erimitis (the Hermit) and don’t forget to try the prized local Antipaxos wine.

MEGANISI, KASTOS AND KALAMOS The verdant landscape, long coastline, enticing caves and crystalline waters of Meganisi, together with its welcoming villages with their traditional houses, will win hearts at once. Visit Katomeri, which offers easy access to the lacelike coast of Atherinos and beautiful Fanari Beach. At Spartochori, marvel at the view of the sea while enjoying the incredible natural landscape of the surrounding area. It’s also worth a visit to the nearby islands of Kastos and Kalamos, for their authentic simplicity.

OFFSHORE ISLANDS Mathraki, with its rich flora and fauna, Othoni, with the impressive mountain scenery, and Ereikoussa, with its traditional olive farming, are some of Greece’s last remaining untouched destinations.

KEFALONIA Changing landscapes, quaint coves, luxury resorts and world-famous beaches, including Myrtos, Makrys Gialos and Skala, are all part of it’s appeal. Argostoli is captivating, with its famous flagstone thoroughfare, its traditional two-storey and three-storey houses and the stone Drapano Bridge, while Ainos National Park and

LEFKADA Lefkada, with its rich vegetation, stun-

the spectacular caves of Drogarati and Melissani are crowd-free havens.

Sailors will find that Fiskardo offers the perfect sheltered anchorage where they can enjoy local delicacies in the company of welcoming, fun-loving locals.

ITHACA The homeland of the mythical hero Odysseus is a magical, lush island, full of history and stunning beaches.

You’ll love the traditional hamlet of Kioni and the island’s capital Vathy, with its traditional architecture, as well as pebbled beaches such as Skinos, Filiatro and Gidaki. You’ll catch echoes of the island’s legends at the Cave of the Nymphs, the stone monoliths of medieval Anogi and the ruins of the ancient city of Alalkomenes and in the depths of the sea, in the beautiful caves and reefs that offer ideal locations for scuba diving.

ZANTE The “Fiore di Levante” (Flower of the East), as Zakynthos was known to the Venetians, blossoms every summer.

Famed for its quaint mountain villages and lavish nature – the first National Marine Park in Greece, home to the caretta caretta sea turtles, is here – the island combines famous beaches, such as Navagio, with family-friendly experiences. Discover Bochali, the most beautiful neighbourhood in the main town, or climb even higher, to the Venetian castle that once served as the island’s capital.

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Corfu Town, which has remained largely unchanged since Venetian times, has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 2007.

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erhaps the best way to first set eyes on Corfu is from the sea.

That’s how I remember seeing it as a child when, in the days before the Rio-Antirrio bridge and the Ionian Highway, the journey from Athens took a whole day. We’d reach the harbor at Igoumenitsa in the afternoon and catch a glimpse of Corfu from the boat a little before dusk. No matter how tired I was, I always looked forward to seeing the town reveal itself. It would emerge faintly on the horizon, a perfect miniature of a Venetian city floating on the water. Palaio Frourio, the old castle, would appear on the left, then Mouragia, with its tall, proud Venetian buildings in shades of ochre and rust. In the far distance, the glow of yellow Byzantine tiles on the rooftops.

This year, Corfu is likely to be quieter than ever, leaving you free to explore without the hordes of tourists who normally lay siege to it every summer. Start from the main town, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 and recognized as a conservation zone – it has remained virtually unchanged since Venetian times. Take a stroll around Spianada, the town’s largest square, with its views of the sea and the Bay of Garitsa, zig-zagging between the children on bicycles. Stop for a while at Cafetierra to enjoy the delightful aroma

of some of the best coffee on the island being roasted and ground in-house. Alternatively, try some Chimarios tsitsibira, sold almost everywhere, including kiosks in the town center. A fresher, spicier version of ginger beer, it’s an inheritance from the time of the island’s status as a British protectorate.

Not that this is the only British legacy.

On the lower section of the square is a cricket pitch – home to the Greek national team, which is based, of course, in Corfu. I recommend getting lost in Cabielo, the oldest part of town. This area is a densely built labyrinth of narrow alleyways known as kantounia (from the Italian word “cantone”, meaning “edge” or “district”). The laundry hanging between the balconies of tall Venetian houses flutters in the breeze as the scent of garlic and vinegar – two basic ingredients of the local cuisine – wafts from open windows. At any moment, you might end up turning into a blind alley occupied by a single fig tree, or onto a flagstone terrace overlooking the sea, or in beautiful Kremasti Square, with its stone well and blooming bougainvillea, like something from a movie set.

There are parts of Corfu where nature is riotously assertive. The island turns deep green after the rainy months, practically drowning in olive and cypress trees, dense with moisture. Exotic lizards scuttle

NOTES • The relics of St Spyridon, patron saint of the island, are taken out of the church in procession four times a year. On August 11, Corfu celebrates the miracle by which Spyridon saved the island from an Ottoman siege in 1716. Witnessing a traditional liturgy with brass bands accompanying the relics around the Old Town is a truly unique experience.

• Beyond the usual culinary offerings of kumquat preserves, sofrito (garlic-heavy) dishes and pastitsada (a veal and tomato stew), one can also sample bolsevikos (‘Bolshevik’), a syrupy sweet with a cake base and crème de pâtisserie topping. You can find it at the Voulismas Patisserie (Sevastianou 35).

• Cake Boutique (Delvinioti 1) is a tiny sweet shop featuring French patisserie and specializing in macaroons. Ask for the prize-winning macaroons flavored with savory nouboulo (a local charcuterie) and fig salami. Or you can try the delicious ispahan, a meringue cake made with rose, lychee and raspberry.

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• The Klimataria taverna, run by the Bellos family in Benitses, remains a not-so-wellkept secret. Here you can sample traditional Corfu specialities prepared with the very best ingredients. Make sure to reserve in advance, as there aren’t many tables.

From one end to the other, the island of Corfu is covered in olive groves.

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01 01. Myrtiotissa Beach is particularly popular with nudists.

02. Clothes hung out to dry high above the alleys in Corfu Town.

03. A panoramic view of Corfu Town.

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Glyfada Beach west of Corfu Town.

between tree roots and zambes (as toads are known locally) shelter in lush undergrowth. On May and June evenings, fields are aglow with swarms of fireflies.

NORTH TO SOUTH Wherever you end up staying, make sure you’ve got a car; it’s a necessity on Corfu if you’re going to undertake your own exploration of the island. The northern part of Corfu is the area most loved by tourists, especially British visitors, thanks to naturalist Gerald Durrell’s books about his childhood on Corfu (“My Family and Other Animals,” “The Garden of the Gods” and “Birds, Beasts and Relatives”). You’ll also find some of the prettiest villages on the island here, including Karousades, Ano Garouna and Kato Garouna. The bays from Nissaki to Kalami, cherished by fans of Durrell’s writ-

Guilford Street in Corfu Town.

ings, are ideal for swimming and good fishing. With fewer visitors, perhaps this year will be the ideal time to explore beautiful Palaiokastritsa with its caves and emerald waters. If you like pebble beaches, Rovinia is a good choice. You have to negotiate a bumpy road to get there, but the beach, in a cove with crystal clear waters, makes the journey more than worth it. Make sure to bring a beach umbrella and provisions for the day.

The southern part of Corfu – where the island narrows – is less well-explored. On one side of the island you’ll find beaches lapped by the Ionian sea – small inlets carpeted with pebbles, with groves of olive and cypress trees often extending to the water’s edge. On the Adriatic side, sandy beaches stretch for miles. One of the most popular of these in recent years has been Chalikouna.

ON ONE SIDE OF THE ISLAND YOU’LL FIND BEACHES LAPPED BY THE IONIAN SEA – SMALL INLETS CARPETED WITH PEBBLES, WITH GROVES OF OLIVE AND CYPRESS TREES OFTEN EXTENDING TO THE WATER’S EDGE.

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At the start of summer, the dunes are covered in wild orchids. What’s more, the beach is right next to the Korissia lagoon, a Natura-protected wetland where you can see everything from cormorants to flamingos. A more family-friendly location is Gardenos, next to the village of Vitalades. Years ago, the beach was divided into two, with one end being occupied by families in a very well-organized set-up which even featured a duck pond. The other end of the beach was frequented by nudists, who would bake in the sun next to haphazard constructions of stone and reeds.

Both the nudists and the ducks have now moved on, but the beach – largely deserted in parts – remains the perfect place for a quiet walk on the sand.

One summer, a group of my friends and I decided to spend the whole night on this beach. I’ve never seen so many stars in the sky. In his book “My Family and Other Animals,” Durrell describes just such a night swim in Corfu: “Lying spread-eagled in the silky water, gazing into the sky, only moving my hands and feet slightly to keep afloat, I was looking at the Milky Way stretched like a chiffon scarf across the sky and wondering how many stars it contained. I could hear the voices of the others, laughing and talking on the beach, echoing over the water.”

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The world-famous Navagio (Shipwreck) Beach.

S TA R S

ZAKYNTHOS

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

Hidden beaches, verdant plateaus and stunning mountain villages: this popular destination has plenty of aces up its sleeve.

BY V I V I KONSTA N T I N I D OU

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he ferry from Kyllini approaches the port of Zakynthos Town in the afternoon, and I lay eyes on the twin hills of Bohali and Xintavelonis, with a gorge between them like someone’s taken a bite out of the land. I read somewhere that these two hills were separated by a strong earthquake just a few centuries ago. The more recent earthquake of 1953 altered the look of the town completely, destroying its most beautiful mansions and townhouses. Disembarking, I walk upwards through the Psiloma area to Bohali and the Venetian fortress there, now ruins in the dense pine forest. If I’m fortunate, I’ll get to enjoy a classical or jazz concert here one night, seated among the great stone remains.

After the fortress, I walk down to one of the patisseries in Bohali to enjoy a Zakynthian “frygania”, the island’s most famous sweet, with a syrup-drenched rusk, custard, whipped cream and glacé cherries. It’s old-fashioned, and totally delicious.

I leave the town and head to the mountain villages of Zakynthos, which almost make me forget that I’m on an island. In total silence I wander the labyrinthine cobbled streets of the villages of Loucha and Gyri in the heart of the island’s interior, then quench my thirst with an ice-cold beer from Babis’ kiosk-café on the road leading into Loucha, in the middle of the forest with a view of the lush high plateau.

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I LEAVE THE TOWN AND HEAD TO THE MOUNTAIN VILLAGES OF ZAKYNTHOS, WHICH ALMOST MAKE ME FORGET THAT I’M ON AN ISLAND. © DIMITRIS VLAIKOS

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NOTES I

NAVAGIO BAY, AND WHAT TO AVOID • Yes, it’s undoubtedly touristy, but you simply must pay a visit to one of the most other-worldly locations in Greece. The vertical 300-meter rock face, the legacy of a restless geological past, seems to have been sliced by a knife. The beach is on the western side of Zakynthos, and the best time to visit it is around sunset, accessing it either overland or by sea taxi.

• Navagio is a spot of incomparable beauty, but visitors need to take special care. You shouldn’t swim in the bay unless the sea is absolutely calm. Navagio started drawing visitors in 1982, when the cigarette-smuggling boat “Panagiotis” beached here.

Zakynthians never swam at the beach prior to that, as the sea bottom drops precipitously, meaning the waters are deep, the sea swell is treacherous, and the currents can easily drag unwary swimmers out to sea.

• Also, whatever you do, do not approach the cliff edge above the beach for a selfie.

The rocks around the lip are apt to crumble and the true edge itself is often concealed by dense scrub.

• Don’t be tempted to follow the example of those who climb onto the wreck to take photos. There is a grave risk of injury as the wreck is corroded and unstable, and sections of the hull could easily give way beneath you. Also, please do not break off bits of the boat to take as souvenirs.

Instead, take a photograph, and leave it just as you found it.

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01. A wooden bridge connects the beach of Aghios Sostis, next to the village of Laganas, with the tiny island of Cameo, a famous backdrop for wedding photoshoots.

02. Zakynthos’ verdant interior, full of vineyards and olive groves, is just as beautiful as its famous beaches.

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03. The impressive ancient olive tree in the mountain village of Exo Hora.

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I return again and again to the ruins of the abandoned villages on the Vrachionas mountain range, a rocky spine which bisects the island: old Koukesi, old Langadakia, old Katastari, ghostly remnants of the 1953 earthquake. Narrow alleyways, walls with empty window frames that no longer divide the inside from the outside, overgrown yards, drystone walls, churches and bell towers, all half-derelict and covered in ivy. You won’t find these pictures of Zakynthos in the guidebooks, but photographers visit here all the time, each finding their own stark beauty.

Next, I head to the north of the island and to the villages on the slopes here – Maries, Anafonitria, Volima, Orthonies, Exo Hora and Kambi – where I stop at the local cafés to sample the best meze. A favorite of mine is called dopio, or “local.” It’s a sharp, spicy Zakynthian cheese matured in olive oil for several months and often served with fried eggs, tomato, and the island’s special ham, a robust cured meat prepared according to a recipe inherited from the Venetians. A good taverna owner or grocer will always 122

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make their own dopio and ham, and I decide to stock up on both to take back with me to Athens.

“Dopies,” the feminine plural of dopio, is the name given by the Zakynthians to the ancient olive trees of the mountain groves. They have giant trunks, often so gnarled and twisted that they resemble living sculptures. On a corner of the main street in the village of Exo Hora stands perhaps the most impressive of these, in front of the village square, but hundreds more of these “dopies” can be found scattered across the island, many of them, like the one in Exo Hora, within the villages themselves.

“If you’re lucky and the maestro wind is blowing, you can see the Strofadia [two small islands to the south of Zakynthos] on the horizon, as if floating in space,” says an elderly patron of the solitary café in Agalas, a mountain village in the southwest of the island. He leads me to the edge of the village, to the Damianos Cave, a cavern with two levels and two gaping mouths, one above the other, overlooking a mountain vineyard with a number of surviving Venetian wells, dug

The composition of the rocks in the Blue Caves gives the cavern’s cool waters their distinctive blue glow.

to catch the rainwater for irrigation. The hike to the edge of the cliff is a singular experience, as is the view from the Cave Damianos Taverna, its tables and chairs perched on the hillside. Here, I order a homemade savory pie while waiting for the sunset. In the distance to the south, the Strofadia do indeed emerge and, although I can’t see it at this distance, I know that the Kastromonastiro, a fortified Byzantine monastery, stands guard atop the larger island.

From the taverna, I head towards the village of Kiliomenos with its peculiar polygonal bell tower bearing unusual carved symbols, and take a right turn towards Ampelostrates, a simple restaurant in the woods, located among a scattering of Roman ruins. Owner and cook Antonis Maroudas uses local ingredients to produce some of the tastiest Zakynthian dishes, adding his own knowing touches to treasures such as savory pies made with

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JUST BETWEEN US • A brand new beach appeared on the island in October of 2018 when an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale caused a number of landslides across the island, one of which created a narrow sandy stretch of land that reached the two sea rocks known as the Myzithres, off the coast near the village of Keri. This small white sandy beach can only be reached by sea.

• Stenitis is another picture-perfect beach, well off the beaten path. This small sandy beach faces a long, narrow fjord, located along the route taken by the boats from Porto Vromi to Navagio. The calm, crystalclear water here is the color of emeralds.

You can also reach this beach by road from the village of Maries.

• The Jewish cemetery is on the hill of Bohali, with a view of the town and the sea, in a quiet olive grove. It’s perhaps paradoxical that this place of final rest also serves as a reminder of an important moment in local history when life triumphed over death; during the German occupation of Zakynthos in WWII, the mayor of Zakynthos Town and the bishop of the island worked together to save all of the island’s Jews from deportation to the camps.

• Buy a wooden mortar and pestle to make your own aliada, the island’s traditional garlic paste. Few craftsmen still make them, but one of the best is Dionysis Kladis. His workshop is on the main road between Kiliomenos and Aghios Leontas (Tel. (+30) 26950.273.58, or (+30) 697.464.6563).

traditional local cheeses and wild greens, and skordostoumpi (eggplant with garlic, vinegar and tomatoes). He uses eggs from his own chickens, and serves the creamiest, most buttery cheese, matured on wooden planks. Tonight I’m in luck, as the restaurant is hosting a live jazz performance, which I can enjoy with some Verdea, Avgoustiatis or Goustolidi, the best of the local wine varieties.

However many days I spend on the island, I’ll never get around to swimming at all of its beaches. There are just too many of them. I can, however, name my favorites: Kalamaki, with its 6km stretch of seemingly endless sand dunes; Limnionas, with its white rock fjords (very busy in previous high 124

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The stone-built cottages so often found in mountain villages are particularly charming.

Above is a typical Zakynthian house with its characteristic sun porch.

seasons); and the beaches of Banana Casa Playa, Aghios Nikolaos, Kaminina, Porto Zoro, Porto Roma and Porto Azzuro, all of which are great for water sports and feature charming beach bars.

There’s Makry Gialos, too, with its pebbled shore and clear waters; Gerakas, perhaps the prettiest sandy beach on the island, with its impressive rock formations and hundreds of protected sea turtle nests; and Korakonisi, where the sparkling turquoise waters are offset by a backdrop of soaring rock walls.

• If you find yourself wandering the Zakynthos countryside in August, you’ll be struck by the smell of freshly harvested grapes drying in the sun. The fruit is spread on concrete threshing floors to dry, after which the shiny little jet-black raisins, also called currants, are exported abroad. At the Farming Co-Op headquarters by the port, you can buy them by weight or prepackaged, either plain or dipped in dark chocolate – one of the tastiest sweet snacks.

• The island’s three most well-known products – wine, raisins and olive oil – all go into the traditional island rusks, along with orange juice. My personal favorites are made by the Diaolis bakery (Tel. (+30) 26950.632.96) on the main street in the village of Aghios Kirikos. Choose the unsweetened variety, with its wonderfully crumbly texture and unique flavor.

EXPLORE

KEFALONIA l NAXOS l KARPATHOS l CHIOS l LESVOS l LIMNOS

Some like their summer vacations lazy. Others prefer multifaceted destinations that allow them to make new discoveries every day. © MARIA FILOPOULOU, UNDERWATER SWIMMERS ,120X200CM , OIL ON CANVAS, 2003 (DETAIL)

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STIRRING ALL SENSES World-class beaches, stunning nature and landscapes that change at every turn of the road will make your vacation on this island unforgettable.

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Melissani Cave is considered one of the most impressive lake caves in the world.

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Wine tourism, one of the island’s strongest selling points.

The colorful Fiskardo, the only village that remained intact after the big earthquake that shook Kefalonia in 1953.

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y journey starts in Sami, not only because it is my hometown – which means it holds a special place in my heart – but also because it’s one of the island’s most important towns, with a history that stretches back into antiquity. Kefalonia’s main port, Sami is an ideal base from which to start exploring the island. Two unique destinations lie close at hand: the Drogarati Cave, with its golden stalagmites and stalactites and acoustics that would be the envy of the Hamburg Philharmonic; and the Lake Cavern of Melissani at Karavomilos, where the waters take on a psychedelic iridescent appearance under the noon sun. The star of the region, however, is Antisamos, a magical beach with deep waters surrounded by green hills. If you want to get a sense of what Kefalonian villages used to look like, head up to deserted Palia Vlachata, where every summer, apart from this year, the Saristra music and art festival takes place amidst picturesque ruins.

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serpentine coastline which is full of small coves, all lined with olive trees and dense vegetation. The only beach with amenities in the area is Aghia Paraskevi, but I prefer Psamousa, which is like a private swimming pool ringed by rocks; if you’re lucky enough to find space, you’ll never want to leave. Next is Aghia Effimia, an elegant village by the sea with a small harbor filled with sailboats; at the edge of town is Piso Lithovati Beach. If you’re feeling hungry, the family taverna Paradisenia Akti, known to locals as Dendrinos, serves fish and a variety of traditional selections. If there’s any bakaliaros (cod) pie left, don’t hesitate to order some.

If you’re continuing north from here, you have two options: you can either take the road that runs along the eastern side of Kefalonia, with views over Ithaki, or you can pick the western road, which

runs above Myrtos Bay and the village of Assos. If you choose the western route, you’ll go through the central square of the village of Makryotika, where Petraggelos Vagianatos at the taverna Maklithari serves a fiery local garlic dip and meat pie like my mother makes it.

Everybody knows Myrtos Beach, which repeatedly features on lists of the world’s best beaches. The thing to do here is to sit on this beach until the sun starts setting and then dive into the water at the same time the sun does – a ritual that we reverently observe at least once every summer. After Myrtos, the road carries on to the northern part of the island, revealing an astounding series of cliffs and endless blue vistas, before it reaches the Assos peninsula where you’ll find the village of the same name. Assos resembles the villages of the Amalfi Coast. It

SIT ON MYRTOS BEACH UNTIL THE SUN STARTS SETTING AND THEN DIVE INTO THE WATER AT THE SAME TIME THE SUN DOES.

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Myrtos, the popular beach that has starred in dozens of international commercials.

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has an impressive Venetian castle which is home to a large variety of cicadas that produce an exceptionally loud sound.

With its handful of colorful houses with flower-filled gardens and whitewashed courtyards, a handful of tavernas, no large hotels, and no bars, Assos is like something out of a romance novel, a simple place where time flows quietly and smoothly.

Continuing north, you’ll encounter the small villages of northern Kefalonia. Turn left at Magganos and head towards the beaches of Alaties and Aghia Ierousalim.

Alaties is a small beach that’s covered in white pebbles and surrounded by rocks on each side; its waters are turquoise.

Aghia Ierousalim extends along two bays and has a small ruined church. Here, you’ll find the eatery Odysseas, one of the island’s best tavernas. And now let’s move on to the hidden secrets – which have yet to succumb to mass invasions although they have been whispered about quite a lot: Dafnoudi and Kimilia, two incredible beaches that can be accessed via paths. They both have blinding white pebbles, crystal-clear turquoise waters, caves, rocks to jump from and zero organized facilities.

Near the northernmost part of the island, the road turns eastward to Fiskardo, one of the Mediterranean’s most cosmopolitan places, with luxury yachts docked in its harbor. Resisting the temptation to sacrifice aesthetics for profit, this seaside

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village remains free of large hotels. Here, the landscape imposes its own terms.

Walk to Panormo Bay, or head further south and take a dip at Foki Beach, where tall cypresses and age-old olive trees form a fabulous natural art installation.

Ifo n your journey north from Aghia Effimia to Fiskardo you’ve decided to follow the eastern road, you’ll cross one of the island’s wildest regions, dotted with age-old villages, their gaze fixed on the island of Ithaki across the water. On this route, you’ll discover fantastic beaches tucked away in places that tourism hasn’t found yet. Giagana is a secret bay below Neochori, with shiny white pebbles, green waters, and shade provided by olive trees that grow right to the water’s edge. The marvelous beach of Horgota will take your breath away with its beauty as you head towards it down a winding road. Aghia Sofia Beach features the ruins of old abandoned houses standing right on the shore – like a set for an Italian neorealist movie. If you’re feeling adventurous, take the dirt road from the village of Mesovounia, park at the end and take a narrow path for 15 minutes until you reach Katalymata Beach. A bit further north, and accessible by dirt road, is Kamini, an astonishing beach with blue-green waters which you’re likely to find deserted even at the height of the season.

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01. The lighthouse (fanari) of Aghioi Theodoroi is a key landmark of Argostoli.

02. The alternative tourism company Outdoor Kefalonia organizes interesting tours around the island.

03. The exotic, though till recently little-known, Fteri Beach.

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ON THE SOUTHERN COASTLINE The island is different down here. First of all, there’s Mt Ainos, an imposing mass covered in fir trees. The highest mountain in all of the Ionian islands reaching 1,628 meters, it’s located in the national park that bears its name. At the foot of the mountain lies the island’s southern coastline, with its long sandy beaches, some inaccessible and others, like Makris Gialos, sadly overcrowded. Paradisi, an exotic and slightly remote beach located below the ruins of the Sissia Monastery, is a well-kept local secret. Sissia is one of the island’s oldest monasteries; according to tradition, it was founded

by St Francis of Assisi. Koroni, another fantastic beach on the eastern coast, is a breeding ground for the Caretta caretta, the loggerhead sea turtle. On the path ISL ANDS 2020

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Assos, perhaps the prettiest village of the Ionian islands.

NOTES ON WINE TOURISM* Kefalonia has developed into one of the country’s most important wine-producing regions. Local wineries focus exclusively on indigenous varieties – Robola and Mavrodafni are the leading ones – and offer great wines that have been recognized by the global wine community.

leading to Koroni stands Koroni Hill Bar Sesto, one of my favorite snack bars in Greece. It offers excellent local tsipouro (a strong spirit) and a magical view. From here, the main road south leads to Skala, the island’s most touristic spot but one with a beautiful large beach, before it turns towards the eastern coastline of southern Kefalonia, running north up to the port of Poros.

EXOTIC AND REMOTE BEACHES The long string of beaches after Aghia Kyriaki can only be reached by sea, such as by speedboat from the small harbor at Zola. The first is Kamari, with impressive caves and a turquoise hue to the surrounding waters. Fteri, one of the best “unknown” beaches in Greece, is covered in off-white pebbles; seen from above, it looks like an exotic islet somewhere in Polynesia. Further west, the coastline features strips of sand under limestone cliffs all the way to Amidi, my favorite beach. After your swim, stop for some fish at Kalyva tou Psara, on the harbor of Aghia Kyriaki.

It only serves fish caught by its owner on his own fishing boat.

THE PALIKI PENINSULA Welcome to Lixouri, a reflection of old Kefalonia and the main town on a peninsula of raw beauty. Here, you’ll travel back in time through beautiful little villages and 132

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settlements such as Kontogennada, Damoulianata, Monopolata, Kaminarata, and Havdata. There are, of course, more cosmopolitan places on the peninsula, like the beach of Xi with its gray clay-like stones.

Those in the know will soak pieces of those stones in seawater and then rub them on their bodies in a form of mud therapy.

Petani Beach is a replica of Myrtos, with incredible colors underwater. In Porto Athera, a settlement straight out of another era that’s spread around a narrow bay, the key landmark is Greek composer Linos Kokotos’ “Blue House”, today protected as a historic building. At the center of the beach lies the Drosos taverna where you’ll enjoy exceptional fish and jazz music.

A STROLL AROUND TOWN Following the massive destruction wrought by the 1953 earthquake, Argostoli underwent a long and difficult period of rebuilding. However, the island’s capital is now back, upgraded, offering romantic walks on the De Bosset Bridge at sunset, and strolls down the cobbled streets of the center. Peruse the Focas-Cosmetatos Foundation’s great collection of paintings, lithographs and coins, and visit the Historical and Folklore Museum. The city’s botanical gardens, the only one in the Ionian islands, covers an area of 2.8 hectares and features a lake and an open-air theater.

PLACES WORTH VISITING: • Sclavos Winery at Aghios Dimitrios in Lixouri: Evriviadis Sclavos, a pioneer of biodynamic agriculture in Greece, produces some of the best natural wines. This winery’s output features on wine lists at great international restaurants. (Tel. (+30) 26710.922.15) • The Haritatos Estate in Lixouri is filled with grapevines, fig trees, mulberry trees and palm trees, and looks like a small corner of Tuscany. Take a tour of the vineyards and the 1863 family home that survived the terrible earthquake of 1953. (Tel. (+30) 697.610.8768) • At one-of-a-kind Domaine Foivos, Theodore-Foivos Orkopoulous creates unique wines, such as the Mavrodafni that he ages in amphorae. (Tel. (+30) 26710.295.05) • The historic Gentilini Winery and Vineyards at Minies, one of the first boutique wineries in Greece, has a great wine-tasting spot under olive and almond trees. (Tel. (+30) 26710.416.18) • The Cooperative of Robola Producers of Kefalonia on the Omalos Plateau operates inside the “Robola zone”. (Tel. (+30) 26710.863.01) • At Petrakopoulos Winery at Thiramonas, winemaker Kiki Siameli produces wines from young vines on the slopes of Mt Ainos.

Enjoy a tasting session in a family atmosphere. (Tel. (+30) 26710.297.16) • Sarris Winery in Avithos, sources its grapes from three privately owned vineyards on the southern slopes of Mt Ainos and makes great natural wines from local varieties Robola, Vostilidi and Mavrodafni. (Tel. (+30) 693.245.7090)

*Please call before visiting the wineries so that you can arrange a tour and/or a tasting session.

Value for money KEFALONIA FROM €68 PER PERSON ON BED & BREAKFAST BASIS Apostolata Island Resort & Spa is situated on the outskirts of the resort of Skala, set on a hillside which slopes gently to the sea, with wonderful panoramic views. The large outdoor swimming pool and spacious bar and restaurant areas ensure families and couples will enjoy all that’s on offer in this complex.

Our open–air restaurants offers Greek & International Cuisine, along with beautiful views of the sea.

Consisting of 166 rooms & suites, it offers Standard rooms with Garden View or Sea view, Superior Sea view rooms and Suites with Jacuzzi or Private Pool. Visit our relaxing Spa and treat yourself to a massage or a facial treatment or just unwind in our sauna, steam bath and Jacuzzi. Ideal location for a wedding, as we have our own little private chapel overlooking the sea. So next time you book your holidays, why not treat yourself to a wonderful luxurious stay here at the Apostolata.

Contact Details: Greece, Τel. +30 26710 83581-2, Fax: +30 26710 83583, email: reservations@apostolata.gr, www.apostolata.gr

NAXOS

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it here on this generous giant of the Cyclades: exotic beaches, mountain villages, unique monuments and incomparable flavors.

The green-blue waters of Plaka Beach.

Opposite page: No matter what time of day you visit it, the huge marble gate of Portara on the islet of Palatia, close to the port, is always breathtaking.

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marble table with iron legs dominated the center of the courtyard, filled with bougainvillea, jasmine, lavender and other aromatic plants. It looked old.

The turquoise front door stood open, propped that way with a piece of local emery rock. Candles illuminated the whitewashed tiles. After the day’s trip to windless Kalados Bay for a picnic and a dip – skinny, for some – we were as tired as could be. The soft sand on the island’s southernmost beach had felt wonderful on our feet, but the 20 kilometers of dirt road required to get there had exhausted us.

My friend’s wife offered us food and drinks: “I wasn’t expecting you to come.

I’ll whip something up to go with the wine,” she said shyly, with the embarrassment of an eager hostess who isn’t certain she’ll be able to please her guests.

The “something” we were offered turned out to be an epic dinner. First, two blue ceramic plates landed in front of us. One was filled with sweet tomatoes from Ano Potamia, seasoned with fragrant oregano from the holdings of the Chantziandreou family in the village 136

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of Sangri, a sprinkle of coarse salt, and a drizzle of Cycladic extra virgin olive oil from an olive grove in the Tragea region.

The other plate held finely chopped pieces of zamponi – a local charcuterie of cured pork leg – and nothing else, as it was meant to be eaten. This spicy native pork delicacy, which is similar to prosciutto, went well with the sharp notes in the wine from the vineyards of the Peristeraki brothers, who are helping to build on the island’s proud tradition of winemaking and raise its vinicultural image. Their wines are natural, and possess strong flavors; they are produced in the village of Moni from mixed vineyards growing grape varieties largely unknown to the general public, like Avgoulato and Psoriatis. Next on the table were fried PGI potatoes from Eggares with grated PDO Naxos graviera cheese, a platter of PDO Arseniko cheese, Thylikotiri cheese and an omelet made with fresh eggs and small pieces of local mutton.

By nightfall, nearly all the villages on Naxos had appeared on our table in edible form: each of our bites held the labor of these settlements’ hard-working residents. The delicious meat came from

livestock bred on the slopes of Mt Za where, according to Greek mythology, Zeus, greatest of the twelve gods, was raised. The cheese came from producers who compete against each other in the art they inherited from Aristaeus – the son of the sun god Apollo, who was a cheese-maker – and who spend countless hours tending cauldrons heated over fires. The fine zamponi, too, testified to the great passion and love with which it was produced. The soul of Naxos lives in its cuisine, a rich treasure based on pure ingredients presented without undue fuss. This same straightforwardness is mirrored in the island’s people, who, even today, like to go about their daily business much as their ancestors did, using their hands to get things done. And indeed, it is with these hands that they play the tsambouna (Greek bagpipes) at festivals, it is with these hands that they

01. The Kouros statue in the village of Apollonas is 11 meters in length.

02. A picturesque alleyway in the village of Halki.

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harvest their grapes in honor of Dionysus, it is with these hands that they milk their animals and gather wild herbs in the mountains.

Naxos is a large island with great gastronomy, a rich cultural tradition, and a long history that stretches back into myth and legend. It is a harmonious combination of picturesque villages perched on hilltops and mountain slopes and inviting settlements built alongside beaches of golden sand, with charm enough to win the heart of any visitor.

03. Rosto Aperathitiko (pork cooked in red sauce) is just one of many local specialties.

LIFE IN THE INTERIOR Far inland from Portara, the huge marble gate of the Ancient Temple of Apollo which adorns the port of Hora, you’ll find inviting hilltop settlements and mountain villages that will tempt you to forego time at the beach in order to explore them.

The most famous of these is Apeiranthos, designated as a “traditional” settlement in 1978, which stands at the foot of Mt Fanari. With its own distinct dialect, narrow medieval arched alleyways, five museums, old windmills and impressive Byzantine and Venetian monuments, including the Zevgolis tower close to the village entrance, this village, the birthplace of the patriot Manolis Glezos, has more to offer than you can see in a day or two.

The Church of Aghia Kyriaki, with its abstract murals from the 8th-9th centuries, should not be missed, and you should also stop in to watch the women of the local cooperative weaving textiles on looms. A bit further south, you’ll find the farming village of Filoti, where over 100 family dairies ensure that this is where the largest quantity of sheep’s and goat’s milk is produced. The village spans two hills, forming a half-circle; its trademark is the age-old plane tree at the “Bridge” – the name of the central square. Should you sit down at a table there, you’ll likely only get up from it to dance: one of the groups there will eventually start singing kotsakia (improvised eight-syllable couplets) and, before you know it, you’ll be dancing ‘til dawn. Another place that’s as impressive as Apeiranthos and Filoti is the tiny village of Halki, which is one of the island’s former centers of trade. The Vallindra Distillery, operating since 1896 and producing an

THE DIVERSE COASTLINE Aghios Prokopios, facing Paros on the island’s west coast, is by far one of the best Cycladic beaches, and the star of the island. Although it has become very touristic, with development taking place in the area surrounding it as well, you really should see its white sands and take at least one morning swim in its pristine blue waters. The nearby golden beach of Aghia Anna is also mesmerizing; it is home to the island’s fishing fleet, and its dense tamarisk trees offer their shade to bathers. Windless Alykos Beach, on the other hand, may attract fewer people, but its cedar forest gives it a unique natural beauty. It’s an ideal spot for an afternoon nap or a splash around in its calm waters, which resemble those of a swimming pool.

If you’re a fan of windsurfing, you should head to Mikri Vigla or to Orkos.

If you like exotic sandy beaches, try Panormos with its tall palm trees. Northeast from there is Lionas, a pebble beach that seems unpromising at first glance but which has an interesting seabed. In fact, Naxos has so many beaches that, whenever I come here, I’m tempted to try a new one every day. Nonetheless, I always make time for two non-swimming destinations that remain dear to me: the first one is in Halki, so I can gaze at Aghios Isidoros as portrayed in the early Christian frescoes at the Church of Panagia Protothronos, before enjoying a Greek coffee and some galaktoboureko at Galani’s café. The second stop is at Taverna Axiotissa, near Kastraki, so I can have one of the house specialties: amazingly tender goat cooked in parchment paper.

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01. The Archaeological Museum of Naxos.

02. Tziblakis’ traditional grocery store in Naxos Town, with its abundance of local products, is a paradise for foodies.

aromatic PDO citrus liqueur, and the restored Barozzi Tower, are two of the village’s most interesting sights.

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The stark beauty of Olympos is entrancing.

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KARPATHOS

“NOW YOU’RE ONE OF US”

The second-largest island in the Dodecanese doesn’t fall into the category of “easy” summer destinations, but the memories you make here will last you a lifetime.

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At play in the alleys of Menetes.

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t’s around lunchtime in London and the oppressive heat and humidity has sunk Regent’s Park into an unusual state of lethargy. Among all the pale bodies lying on the grass, slightly tipsy with beer, there’s one that’s yearning to escape – mine. A sudden breeze turns my sarong into a magic carpet that whisks me off to the southeastern Aegean, to fly circles above the lobster claw that is the island of Karpathos.

It’s mid-August and I land right in the middle of a party. August is a cursed time for most travelers looking for a truly enjoyable vacation, but on Karpathos it’s a month that’s revered. The villages come to life, as former natives scattered by the four winds as far away as America and Australia return home. I’m a complete stranger, yet I’m treated like an honored guest: the one that deserves a seat next to the band, whose glass is never allowed to be empty, who’s constantly plied with tasty meze. Also, alas, the one who is exalted on the dance 142

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floor as I attempt the traditional local dance, the pidichtos – no matter that everyone within a one-meter radius returns to their seats limping. It’s coming on dawn and the lyre is still going strong, stopping my departure with an old mantinada (narrative song) directed at me: “Where off do you slink? I won’t let you go. We’ll sit here till dawn as I drink.”

I wonder: Will there be any church festivals this year? What kind of protocols will they have to follow? I like to believe that the festivals will take place.

My attachment to Karpathos doesn’t go back years, and I don’t know it like the back of my hand. Yet, oddly enough, it is the only place I genuinely miss. Legend has it that the island’s first residents were not called Karpatheoi but Arpatheoi, or “God-Grabbers,” as an overzealous love for their island prompted them to kidnap the gods from Olympus and bring them here. If it’s true, they were doing them a favor. If you were a god, this is exactly where you’d want to have a summer

home, somewhere wild and inaccessible.

Not to mention that they’d feel right at home with an “Olympus” of sorts right here.

Karpathos’ Olympos is a village that, for centuries, was a self-governing matriarchal community, practically shut off from the rest of the island with no road access or power until the late 1970s.

Late afternoon is the best time to visit this colorful medieval village, when it’s winding down and you get the calm you need to really observe this different world and take in those stark figures in traditional dress, with work-hardened hands and weather-beaten faces going back to their baking, their weaving and their other tasks.

By the time I make my way to the taverna Mylos to watch the sunset from the last working windmill in Olympos, the people of the village will be in bed. As I leave, the light from small vigil lamps in front of religious icons flickers through the windows of the darkened one-room

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The younger generation in Olympos honors the town’s traditions as well.

houses, harking back to a time when the village was illuminated only by oil lamps.

My plan for my next visit to Karpathos has been ready for some time – I will do things I didn’t do before and repeat the ones I did – even though I know that there’s absolutely no sense in planning. The days will simply work themselves out, starting with the important things: What time will the bonetis, a dense cloud that descends on the mountains of Karpathos, cover the sky? Will we watch it do its thing from Menetes, munching on sesame bread rings from the bakery? Is the wind right at Afiarti for surfing? How many portions of dolmades does Marina have left at her taverna in Finiki? How much fish did the Ai-Giorgis caique bring in for the taverna Folia in Spoa? Will we go straight from the beach to the village fair, or shower and change first?

SWIMMING AND STORIES A quick bag check before we head to the beach: Sunscreen, water flask,

mask and snorkel – check; hiking boots – someone is bound to tell us about some amazing trail that cannot be missed – check; knife – for the watermelon that will quench my thirst and will taste like the best I’ve had all summer – check.

Flashlight and spare batteries – I have a hunch we’ll end up hanging out at Aghios Minas well past midnight – check. (Okay, it’s not a hunch; it’s a certainty.)

On my last visit, we sat down one evening with an old sea dog who knows every inch of the island and we counted its beaches: over 100. Karpathos is big enough to find isolated beaches like Araki even at the peak of summer, but small enough that you’ll be remembered by people you said hi to earlier in the day. They might even share a story with you. In Aperi, they’d talk about its famous stonemasons and the beautiful villas they built there; in Pyles, you’d hear about its reputation for turning out teachers; in Menetes about the Folk Art Museum, which is in a former ossuary;

KARPATHOS IS BIG ENOUGH TO FIND ISOLATED BEACHES LIKE ARAKI EVEN AT THE PEAK OF SUMMER, BUT SMALL ENOUGH THAT YOU’LL BE REMEMBERED BY PEOPLE YOU SAID HI TO EARLIER IN THE DAY.

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and in Arkasa about the local talent for writing mantinades.

If you get chatting with a local, there’s a good chance you’ll get invited to their home even before they even get to know your name. Their homes are like museums and you’ll be treated like a long-lost niece who needs to learn about the family history through the embroideries that adorn the bed-sofas and the stories of the people in the sepia photographs. You’ll hear about the grandmother who was brought over from Kasos as a bride and had to learn to make her dolmades the local way. You’ll be told about another ancestor whose 144

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beehives were destroyed by the Italians to make way for a gun battery, and the account will be full of such raw emotion you’ll think it happened yesterday.

Making any kind of appointment is a waste of time. At night, we’ll meet somewhere in Pigadia. Someone will mention Saria and the next morning we’ll drive all the way north to the coast opposite that uninhabited islet. When we get there, I’ll tell myself that I don’t deserve a swim just yet and I’ll turn my back on the beach and head up to Palatia. Lost among the ancient fortifications, I’ll imagine Saracen pirates running around the ruins. Two falcons will show me the

IF YOU GET CHATTING WITH A LOCAL, THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE YOU’LL GET INVITED TO THEIR HOME EVEN BEFORE THEY EVEN GET TO KNOWYOUR NAME.

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NOTES • Apella is the island’s most popular beach.

Normally if you wanted to remember it for its beauty instead of for the hassle of finding parking or a spot to put down your towel, you’d have to go early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

• For souvenirs worth taking home, visit Kalliope Pavlidou’s ceramics workshop in Olympos, or stop by the workshop of Yiannis Prearis, the only shoemaker on the island still producing traditional stivania boots.

01. Araki Beach in southwest Karpathos.

02. The Flaskia Gorge is a popular rock climbing spot.

03. Welcoming faces in the small village of Pyles.

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• The island’s most interesting and moving religious festival is that dedicated to Ai-Yiannis, or Saint John, which takes place every August 28-30 beside the cave church at the ancient necropolis of Vroukounta. Groups of worshippers and revelers start arriving in the late afternoon, by boat from Diafani or on foot from Avlona. Behind them, a procession of women come by donkey, laden with blankets and other necessities for spending the night, though few intend to sleep. The cave is bathed in candlelight and the sun will rise to the sounds of the lyre and the tsambouna, a local bagpipe. On the second and third day, the festival moves down to Avlona.

• Karpathos is a well-known trekking destination. One of its more interesting trails starts in Avlona and ends at Tristomo, at the ruins of the old Italian army barracks at Kazarma, after around 3.5 hours. You can download the mobile app Karpathian Paths for more information.

• Want to try your hand at rock climbing?

There are around 240 routes along the coast and in the hinterland that were designed for safe thrills. For expert advice, pick up a copy of Karpathos Rock Climbing Guidebook (climbkarpathos.com).

way to the Edi Gorge and then on to the Chapel of Aghios Zacharias. And there, looking at the sea from the top of the hill, I’ll proclaim “Saria, I have conquered you,” even though I know the real conquerors of that islet are some 2,500 goats stalking bathers on the beach, daring them to eat anything without giving them a taste first.

I’ll swim when I come down, going around the left-hand side of the bay, and through a hole that leads to a cavernous passage. I’ll put on my mask to admire the colorful kaleidoscopic rocks.

It’ll make me yearn for a proper dive, for underwater labyrinths and shipwrecks,

and, if I’m lucky, a turtle or a seal. If not here, where? I make a mental note to call Dinos at the dive center later.

Happiness is driving in a rental car in a cloud of dust to the turquoise waters of Diakoftis; it’s all the small and weird discoveries, like the ancient altar that serves as a baptismal font at the Aghia Sophia Church in Arkasa or the rock and seashell sculptures at Michaliou Kipos Beach; it’s the moment a woman in Olympos puts a traditional scarf on your head and says “Now you’re one of us;” it’s all this and so much more that comes like a dream, shortening the distance between Karpathos and London until the next trip.

• The most famous makarounes sweets on the island are served by Evdoxia in the pretty garden of her taverna on Adia Beach.

The best time to visit is in the late afternoon so you can enjoy the sunset with a glass of wine by the sea. Another good beach-food pairing is a swim at Damatria and a meal of tweaked Karpathos classics at the Poseidon Blue Hotel restaurant. There’s also the beach at Aghios Thoros (where you can give yourself a clay body mask to boot) and the traditional taverna of the same name.

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NOT JUST FOR SUMMER

A year-round destination with exciting new discoveries at every turn, this island rewards those visitors who are willing to go exploring.

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hios is not a place where you go in order to stretch out lazily on the beach. What you really want to do is rack up kilometers on your odometer: from the fragrant orchards and the stately homes of Kampos, to the mountain tracks of Mt Pelineo and the uncharted north, then onwards to the mastic villages of the south, built like fortresses to protect them against pirates. Merchant shipping played a primary formative role in the island’s history, steering its focus away from the lures of tourism and, in doing so, making Chios what it is today: not just a summer love, but a destination for every season of the year, and one that does not take kindly to haste. Vacations here are a journey, and every turn in the road holds some new discovery in store.

I still have vivid memories of my first visit to the island, in 2006. The determination and dedication of the handful of people who, despite a lack of funds and personnel, were doing everything in their power to protect the Korais Public Library – established in 1792 with an endowment from the “Father of Greek Enlightenment” Adamantios Korais, whose family was from Chios – moved me deeply. That trip had also introduced me to the writer Giannis Makridakis, who’d founded the Pelineo Center for Chian Studies and whose projects at the time included recording untold stories from the past, through the accounts of the island’s older generation. As I explored 146

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the island, I discovered the love that the people of Chios have for literature. On my way back to Athens, I could barely lift my suitcase from all the books I had been given as gifts. It seemed every other person I met had written something of their own – novels, short stories, poetry collections – which had been printed in limited runs and distributed to friends.

It would be the charm of the island’s natural environment, fragrant and pure, that would steal my heart away a few summers later – that and its stunning medieval mastic villages (mastichochoria), named thus for the mastic industry that long underpinned their economies. There was Pyrgi, with its “etchings,” the famous black-and-white geometrical patterns on the village houses, formed using the black sand from Mavra Volia and drawn with a fork on a thin undercoat of lime.

In the afternoon, when the midday heat has mellowed somewhat, young and old meet up in its “meadow,” the lively central square. Children play while their elders hang out together until late. There was Mesta, with its shady covered lanes and its stone-built houses, each standing snugly next to the other so that the homes themselves formed the city walls, which meant that none of the back walls in those outermost structures had win-

A narrow street in Pyrgi in southern Chios.

The technique by which they decorate the facades of their homes is unique to Greece.

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HEADING NORTH FROM THE MASTIC VILLAGES, THE ROADS ARE NARROW AND WINDING, AND THE BEST WAY TO APPRECIATE THE SAVAGE BEAUTY OF THIS PLACE IS TO LEAVE YOUR CAR WINDOWS DOWN.

dows. Stroll through these villages, it’s a pleasure to lose your way down narrow lanes before making the obligatory stop at the town square for a glass of souma, a fortified local liqueur made from dried figs. Olympoi and Vessa are two other equally well-preserved walled villages in this part of the south, and they, too, are mastic villages.

Invisible from the sea and constructed like fortresses in order to protect them from raiders, the mastic villages were built by the Genovese expressly for the exploitation of the plant resin that can be collected from the bark of the mastic tree (pistacia lentiscus), renowned since antiquity for its medicinal and pharmaceutical properties, and produced nowhere else in the world but southern Chios. The Chios Mastic Museum, operated by the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation (PIOP), a little further outside of Pyrgi, is an outstanding resource that offers everything you need to know on the subject. If you’re lucky, you might find a local villager who‘s willing to take you to his orchard and show you how they prick the bark of the tree in order to extract its precious mastic tears.

As the day heats up, you might want to head for Mavra Volia, the island’s star beach, which features deep waters and dark pebbles, or its “sibling” Foki, which is right next to it. Locals also love the shallower Avlonia, with its fine shingle – the few beach umbrellas around the food stand attract customers early in the day, so make sure you bring your own with you. If you’re traveling with small children, you can find shallow waters at Lithi, too. The landscape isn’t as pretty here as at the other three beaches, but it has an ace up its sleeve called Kyma: 148

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make sure you try the atherinopita, a savory pie made with fried sand smelts and onions that’s served at this charming little seaside taverna.

Heading north from the mastic villages, the roads are narrow and winding, and the best way to take in the wild beauty of this place is to leave your car windows down. The medieval settlement of Anavatos, perched on a rock, crowns this Wild West-style Aegean landscape. It’s a place with a turbulent history that lets you step back in time as you explore its narrow lanes.

Make a detour for an afternoon dip in the crystalline waters of the leeward enclosed pebbled bay of Elinda, which was the refuge during World War II of the legendary Greek submarine “Papanikolis.”

Another swimming destination is Managros, a vast sandy beach with clear waters.

It is so large and so quiet that you’ll find plenty of space here. Managros is only a kilometer and a half from Volissos, the main village in northwestern Chios, rumored to be the birthplace of Homer. It has windmills and is crowned by a medieval castle. In the pretty courtyard of the eatery Fabrika in Volissos, next to the town’s parking lot, Ms Sofia serves homestyle dishes made using ingredients from her own vegetable garden.

Further north is Leptopoda, a beautiful mountain village where the houses are built so close to one another that, from a distance, they resemble one massive fortification. The village of Aghio Galas boasts a complex of three caves, part of which may be visited during the summer months. This northern part of the island, however, is above all a joy for ramblers.

Choose an itinerary from the network (70 km) of mostly signposted paths clustered around the settlement of Aghiasmata. Seek

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02. Local women in traditional attire in Vessa, one of the mastichochoria (mastic villages).

03. Mavra Volia, the island’s star beach.

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01. A citrus grove in Kambos.

Bleeding the mastic tree for its precious “tears” (above).

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NOTES • Two roads from Ottoman times survive on the island: one leads to Volissos and the other to Lithi. There are also historic routes, such as one related to Drimakos, the leader of runaway slaves on Chios. The Friends of Chios, headed by Giorgos Chalatsis, who, although from Serres, Macedonia, knows the mountains and the nature of Chios like the back of his hand, have done remarkable work restoring the island’s trails (the Amani network, for example). They’ll share their insights with you and you can also join them on their events (chiostrailsfriends.gr and on Facebook Friends of Chios’ Trails).

• The mastic village of Armolia has a long tradition in ceramics. Today, there’s only one ceramist remaining in the village and he supplies his work to five workshops, where artisans paint them by hand and offer them for sale. Particularly beautiful is the work of Melpo Paradeisi-Kosmidi at Lagini (Tel. Perched high upon a rock, the abandoned village of Anavatos takes you back in time.

out the miners’ path, which starts at the cenotaph and the two mining company buildings in Keramos and connects 15 mining sites, passing through the deserted villages of Lardato and Kamini. The more experienced can aim to climb Mt Pelineo (1296m), where, according to mythology, the goddess Artemis competed with the titan Orion in order to establish who was the better hunter.

However you decide to spend your time on Chios, you definitely need to visit Kampos, the island’s sweetly scented garden, with its orange, mandarin and other citrus orchards, 6km from Hora. Here, towering stone walls protect fruit-laden trees from the wind, and conceal two- and three-storied manor houses with cobblestone courtyards, stunning external staircases, arched doors and arcades. It was the Genovese who introduced citrus cultivation to Chios and developed the fertile land and water sources of Kampos, creating a place that has been designated a site of “historic significance” by the Minis150

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try of Culture. At Citrus Estate in Kampos, which is open to visitors, you can taste products made with the renowned mandarin oranges of Chios; these include preserves, Turkish delight, and a thick sugary paste served on a spoon and dipped in cold water, a treat called ypovrichio (“submarine”). Most importantly, you’ll have the chance to walk around a typical estate of the region and visit the museum space on its grounds, dedicated to the history of Kampos and the role of citrus fruit in the island’s commercial development.

Before you board the ferry for Piraeus, which departs from the port in the evening, I cannot think of a better way to say goodbye to this island than by dropping by the courtyard of Hotzas Taverna, provided it opens this summer, and enjoying the timeless specialties of the house that arrive one after the other (the slow-stewed beans with homemade mandarin purée are edible poetry, and they’re not the only such work of art on the menu) until your watch forces you to ask for the bill. If you time it right, you’ll just be able to dash down the hill and catch the ship before it sails.

(+30) 22710.726.34).

• To see Kampos in a slightly different light, head to Apomero (Tel. (+30) 22710.296.75) in the Spiladia area. You can enjoy skillfully prepared treats based on local and Anatolian recipes as you take in a view that includes the citrus orchards, the magnificent manor houses, and the Turkish resort town of Çeşme further away in the distance.

• The Polychoros Aghio Galas (tel. +30 694.533.1354), one of the most remote (and hardest to reach) places on the island, offers another dimension to your visit to northern Chios. Along with a guided tour of the Aghio Galas Caves (in Greek and in English, 11:00-19:00), you’ll have the chance to see two distinctive chapels: that of Panaghia Agiogalousaina, dating from the 12th-13th centuries, with its unique colored iconostasis, and that of Aghia Anna, located on an upper level of one of the caves, which hosts the oldest frescoes on Chios. There are also outdoor activities for children under the plane trees, a traditional taverna, concisely informative exhibitions on various themes (such as the history of the village, butterflies) and an organic vegetable garden.

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MY OWN LESVOS

SARDINES REQUIRE THE BEST KIND OF OUZO, WHICH IS OUZO FROM PLOMARI, ALONG WITH GOOD COMPANY, STRAIGHT TALK AND THE SOUND OF THE SEA.

LESVOS

NO ROCKS IN OUZO Some memories of experiences I’ve had on my island – or how being a local negates any notion of objectivity regarding travel recommendations.

BY Y I A N N I S M A N TA S

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remember the first summer we began swimming at Chrousos Beach.

We would set off from Mesotopos, my village; our car back then was an old Opel station wagon, and it struggled on the ups and downs of a dirt road that seemed more likely to be taking us to some mountain monastery rather than to the sea.

A giant eucalyptus tree by the side of the road at the end of – yet another – bumpy downhill stretch was the signal that we were nearly there. We would park and then walk, down a path past fig trees, reeds and ferns, until we reached the sandy beach. It was a beach with endless sand, where, as the old-timers might put it, “You couldn’t find a stone to crack open a nut.” Or even one pebble to hold down your towel so the wind wouldn’t take it away. Not that we cared: the only thing we wanted to do was to run barefoot in the sand and dive into 152

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the water – the last one in a rotten egg. At the time, Chrousos was the ultimate sanctuary, a great haven of serenity for faithful worshipers of the sea.

More than thirty years have gone by since then, but, as hard as it is to believe, Chrousos Beach has remained nearly unchanged. A few years back, the Maliontas River overflowed its banks. I was afraid that the floodwaters might have washed away the beach, but they didn’t. The only thing that was swept away was the path with the reeds. Other than that, all is good. Yes, more people come to the beach these days, but, as much as we might want to keep it a secret, there will always be space for everyone in heaven. The same food truck is still there, on the eastern end.

Another snack bar opened on the other end of the beach. That’s the extent of the “improvements”. The dirt road remains un-

paved, to remind us that, in life, you have to make at least some effort to get the best things. For me, Chrousos is right there in my top three beaches on Lesvos, alongside Skala Eresou, with its irresistible stretches of sand, and Aghios Isidoros in Plomari.

Writing the word “effort” brings to mind the month of August, the best season for sardines on our island, when you see fishermen not just making an effort but waging battle with their heavy seine nets out in Kalloni Bay. They go out before sunrise on their fishing caiques to catch netloads of this approximately 11cm-long surface feeder while the whole island waits impatiently. Morning fishing in Kalloni Bay is a truly mystical rite, and you’ll count your blessings if, when the fishermen get back to the port of Skala, you’re lucky enough to get some fresh papalina, as we call the local sardine variety in Lesvos. Every taverna worth its name on the island serves them, and grills them as you choose, with oil or with garlic. In Mytilene, we prefer them prepared quite differently: wrapped in greaseproof paper, with two or three layers of coarse salt from the salt marshes

Left: The most beautiful settlement, the most beautiful view, the most beautiful sunset; all in Molyvos.

Right: Ouzo in the glasses and mezes on the plates; a daily habit in Lesvos.

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in Kalloni, and then left to soak for a few hours in water and oil. When they’re ready, you gently pick the sardine up and open it in half from the bottom to the top and that’s it: the ultimate delicacy is ready, and there’s nothing more it needs.

Did I say nothing? That’s not entirely true. Papalina without ouzo is like a cone without ice cream. Sardines require the best kind of ouzo, which is ouzo from Plomari, along with good company, straight talk and the sound of the sea. The rule to remember with ouzo is: “Water, yes, but no ice.” It’s not whiskey, you don’t drink it on the rocks, and, most importantly of all, you don’t drink it alone or without something to nibble on. Sitting somewhere with a view is important, too.

Nothing can steal the show from the views at Molyvos, the most beautiful place on Lesvos, a traditional settlement where, 154

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by law, all houses must be built of stone and wood. You’ll never get enough of strolling its narrow alleys, or watching the sunset from the cobbled pathway that leads down to the port. Believe me, it’s a real “high-definition” sight.

You’ll need a car when you come to Lesvos. The distances are long, and the road from Mytilene to Kalloni may be comfortable – meaning that it’s wide – but the rest of the road network consists of country lanes, which are generally fine but often extremely narrow and require that the driver remain focused. What’s more, you’ll need to drive a lot: to Mytilene, the island’s capital with its mansions, large castle and museums; to Mantamado’s Monastery of the Taxiarches and its koumaradika, or pottery workshops; and to Varia, for the small but engaging museum dedicated to the folk painter Theophi-

los. Next to it you’ll find the bigger, and surprisingly rich, Teriade Museum (museumteriade.com). You should certainly go to Agiasos, the most beautiful mountain village on the island, and to Vatera, for a swim at its king-sized beach. You might even opt to go on a pilgrimage to the Panaghia of Petra, or to Aghios Rafail in Thermi, or to faraway Sigri, with its famed Petrified Forest, which is worth every kilometer of the long drive to get there. You should also visit the small village of Fterounta and see the unusual local stone from which most of its houses have been made, and mountainous Chidira, for some good wine and a stop at Greece’s first digital art museum (jakobides-digital-museum.gr), dedicated to Georgios Jakobides’ work. Don’t forget to visit Skala Sykamias for a glass of ouzo under the mulberry tree, or to head to Aghia Paraskevi for the Museum of Olive Oil Production of Lesvos (piop.gr/en). As for my dear Skala Eresou, a visit there will let you take in all the positive vibes you’ll need for next winter.

01. Beach fun on Aghios Isidoros beach in Plomari.

02. Coffee time in the shade at Skala Sykamias.

03. The snack bar at the isolated Chrousos Beach; like an oasis in the sand.

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You feel so miniscule in front of the gigantic fossilized Sequoia trunk at the Petrified Forest of Lesvos located near the village of Sigri.

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LIMNOS

WINDSWEPT WONDER

Fishing villages and fertile plains give way to vineyards and dramatic landscapes on this northern Aegean island that caters to everyone.

BY NENA DI M ITR IOU

The island’s impressive dunes, an Aegean desert for endless games in the sand.

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Volcanic rocks at Faraklo, a moonscape next to the sea (right).

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our summer fairy tale is written here in neighborhoods with elegant old mansions, on sand dunes, on beaches for all tastes, and across untouched landscapes, grain fields and vineyards.

I first came for the wedding of two good friends, but stayed on for about ten days’ holiday. The only thing I knew about Limnos beforehand was the taste of the local sweet wine and of kalathaki, the delicious, protected designation of origin goat and sheep’s milk cheese. That, and the myth that the god Hephaistos had his workshop on the island and first bequeathed the craft of metalworking to the islanders. The Limnos I got to know was full of surprises and notable peculiarities, which instantly placed it in my personal top 10 holiday destinations. Rich fishing waters and fertile plains give way to vineyards and beautiful hamlets. The locals are discreet, polite and measured.

The place sparkles with cleanliness, and haphazard constructions – which blight many a holiday destination – are few and far between.

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os in Myrina, you cannot help but admire its castle. It is considered the largest fortification in the Aegean and is certainly one of the best preserved. Large steps make for an easy ascent, while at night it is illuminated and resembles a golden crown over the town and the sea. If you climb to the top, you will see Myrina spread out below you like a fan.

From above you also will see that the capital’s beach is divided in two, known as the “Turkish beach” and the “Greek beach.” The latter is frequented by the deer that live in the fort. I was not lucky enough to see them myself, but my friends were treated to the spectacle.

Imagine, deer just a stone’s throw from the beach! The whole island is home to wildlife. I saw wild rabbits hopping along a plateau just off the main highway, an eagle-owl standing in the middle of the road, and snow-white swans and speedy partridges near the Alyki lagoon, a Natura 2000 wetland reserve which plays host to pink flamingos until June. In the villages of Roussopouli and Kontopouli we saw hawks and kestrels.

All of this can be found in the north-

eastern corner of the island, near the ancient theater of Hephaisteia and the Kavirio Sanctuary, two of its most important archaeological sites. Here you will also find the Cave of Philoctetes, an impressive rocky opening in the sea, which you can reach either on foot or by sea (open daily except Tuesdays, 08:00-15:00) to swim in its calm, crystal waters.

At the island’s northeasternmost tip you can watch the most beautiful sunset from the isolated chapel of Aghios Haralambos, beyond the village of Plaka.

If you decide to drive there, you’ll need a long-sleeved top or jacket. The wind blows often and strong on the island – which is the reason Homer refers to it as Anemoessa, the windy island. While you are at it, add a pair of sturdy walking shoes to your packing list. These proved to be our salvation when we visited Ammothines, the “Sahara of the Aegean,”

01,02. Keros Beach can accommodate both skillful surfers and those who simply want to swim in its cool waters.

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close to the village of Katalakkos in the northwest. Shifting brown sand dunes with sparse vegetation create a cinematic landscape fit for your own National Geographic documentary.

We climbed, our shoes sinking in the sand, and descended rolling like barrels.

To wash the sand off, we went for a swim at Gomati, a beach painted in earthy tones, with cool open waters. You will rarely find yourself on a crowded beach on Limnos, and that is one of the island’s great advantages. On July 31, at the height of the season, we found ourselves alone on beautiful pebble beaches with crystalline waters. And there’s a beach for everyone. Those who like activities can visit Keros, home to one of the bestknown surf clubs in Greece. Half of the beach is kept free for swimmers and the rest is used for watersports. At the end of the beach is a small chapel, and the next beach along is Ammolipsies, which is covered in seashells.

At Kokkinovrachos Beach we lay in hammocks drinking mojitos, while on a windy day in the Faraklo Geological Park, the smell of wild thyme tickled our nostrils. The waves crashed on volcanic rock formations, and it felt as if Aeolus, the wind god, was spraying us with saltwater.

At Moudros, the second largest town on the island, there are two beaches, Mikro and and Megalo Fanaraki, which are safe options in all weathers, as they are reasonably well sheltered from the winds, especially if you go inside the Seal’s Cave.

Ramblers will love a morning walk to Panaghia Kakaviotissa, a roofless chapel built inside a cave on Kakavos mountain.

The ascent takes about half an hour, and the view is amazing. Don’t forget to take plenty of cold water, and a camera to photograph the wild goats which rest in the shade of the rock. Near here you will find Kontias, a beautiful village with derelict windmills, a historical home of seafarers.

Kyria Kaity at the San Allote taverna

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The roofless chapel of Panaghia Kakaviotissa in the southwest of the island.

is famous for her meatballs. Visitors will eat well on the island, as local producers supply tavernas with dairy products, pasta, wine, flour and meat, and some of them are real gastronomic marvels.

Ennia Po’chs in Lychna, a taverna-café with a casual atmosphere and experimental tendencies, is well worth a visit.

In the village of Sardes, you can taste rooster with flomaria (a local handmade egg pasta) in the famous Man-Tella taverna, while in Myrina the brand-new Riza gastro-café at Androni offers, in a simple setting, unadulterated flavors courtesy of the island’s best products. We had the perfect breakfast at Pezoula, and all-day hangout serving lalangites – the local donuts served either with honey or in a savory version with local feta cheese and oregano. Here you can also try kaplamas, the Limnian croque madame, with melichloro cheese on traditional village bread with a fried egg. If you are in search of bigger adventures and have access to a sturdy car, you can drive to the Fakos peninsula, an ideal destination for nature lovers, which you reach through Diapori, a small fishing village with repair docks, which is almost always deserted.

MY OWN

PAROS l MILOS l TINOS l SAMOS l HYDRA l SPETSES

Travel writers return to the islands they hold closest to their hearts and share cherished memories, favorite spots and amazing experiences. © MARIA FILOPOULOU, SEA, OIL ON CANVAS 200X250CM, 1998 (DETAIL)

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PAROS

WHITE LIGHT

Just like its blazing sunshine, this island dazzles at first, only later revealing its secrets to those with the eyes to see.

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he sun was languidly rising as I made my way through the narrow lanes of Marpissa, the edges of the village’s white walls worn round by time. I moved under supple arches and over whitewashed pavements, and an unanticipated coolness swept my face, refreshing it. Solitary bougainvilleas and other creeping and climbing plants splashed color onto the white canvas. Feeling woozy from the souma (a local spirit) that had kept us company all night and well into the early hours at Haroula’s taverna, I sought the trail that would take me to the summit of Kefalos and to Aghios Antonios, a twindomed 17th-century monastery with a carved iconostasis dating from 1693. I was bent on experiencing daybreak in the monastery courtyard. I didn’t exactly pull it off, but I did get there in time to catch the morning light bathing the sea and the meadows surrounding the village. The azure of the Aegean Sea spread 162

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A traditional kafeneio on the small square in the village of Lefkes.

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out before me like a warm embrace. The island of Naxos, just opposite, was also waking up, in tandem with us. I took a deep breath.

For an instant, as I stood before the low, stone retaining wall, beneath a Greek flag that fluttered nobly, I was overcome by a sense of freedom. I unconsciously opened my arms, ready to fly to the golden sands of Molos. In the face of the impossible, I shut my eyes. I was transported back to 1537, to a time when Hayreddin Barbarossa, the admiral of the Ottoman fleet, used his forces to subjugate the Venetian leader Bernardo Sagredo and conquer Paros.

Isn’t this what happens with summertime desires, too? They rush in like a torrent, shattering any internal resistance.

This place is an endless story, one passionately recounted to me by my friend Markos, a local. I stood there, encircled by the ruins of the Venetian castle, whose outer wall had been erected by Niccolo I Sommaripa, the onetime Venetian ruler of the island. In its shade grew fennel, oregano, sage and anemones. I could still taste Haroula’s fennel pie.

This is Paros – that is, everything that you cannot see at first glance. The visitor becomes seduced by the nightlife in Naoussa, dazzled by the cosmopolitanism of Parikia, gets trapped in its superficial beauties, but rarely follows its authentic light, which reveals the island’s secrets. This place deceives you and smiles. Paros means nibbling on samphire pickled in local vinegar from the Kamarantho Active Organic Farm; enjoying a four-year-old PDO Malvasia from the Moraitis Winery, accompanied

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IN OTHER WORDS, PAROS IS NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND THE WORDS YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IN ORDER TO DESCRIBE IT TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

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by local graviera cheese; skinny-dipping at Laggeri Beach at high noon, and then extinguishing your thirst with an ice-cold bottle of 56 Isles beer; leaving Tao’s after getting a therapeutic massage and then running with childlike abandon to Ambelas for a dip; or going for a swim at Filizi while your beach book awaits you in the shade of prickly cedar trees. To put it another way, Paros is not being able to find the words you’re looking for in order to describe it to your family and friends.

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The famed Kolymbithres Beach on the island’s north coast.

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THE PARIAN PUEBLOS BLANCOS The Pueblos Blancos are a cluster of white highland villages located in Andalusia, Spain, isolated from the coastal holiday resorts – so what, exactly, does this have to do with Paros? Well, Lefkes, Marmara, Prodromos, Marpissa and Kostos are snow-white villages situated on the eastern side of the island that have remained almost untouched by tourism; even in August, you won’t experience the packed-like-sardines situation so common

in many areas. In Lefkes – a unique village of master marble workers, which served as the first capital of Paros – be sure to drop in for an open-ended visit to at Marigo’s kafeneio (traditional coffee house), with its tables fashioned from olive wood and its traditional chairs, across from Aghia Triada Church. Get some bread for your morning toast from Stratis’ bakery, in operation for over a century now; try some karavoli (large snails) with local garlic dip at Klarinou’s taverna, which stands proudly in the

01. Windswept Pounda Beach is ideal for watersports.

02. Stratis Kritikos at his bakery in Lefkes.

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01. Hiking through the countryside on Paros.

02. An impromptu recital featuring traditional instruments in Christos Square in Marpissa.

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ALYKI MEANS SUMMER From the bay at Monastiri in the northeast – home to one of the most dazzling beaches on the island, one “blessed” daily by the Ai-Yiannis Detis Monastery – all the way down to Faragas Beach in the south, Paros boasts no soaring mountains. It’s as if the therapeutic Cycladic light were pushing the earth downward.

The island is strewn with walking trails, abandoned stone wine presses found right in the vineyards, and white crosses atop blue or white church domes. Other treasures include the captivating ancient cemetery near the port, in use from the 8th c. BC until the 3rd c. AD. Whichever

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village square; and don’t forget to sample the island’s humbler products, too, such as the potatoes at the Aranto taverna, which they produce themselves and which are anything but “just potatoes.”

If you like walking and are in the mood for some exploring, take the Byzantine trail from Lefkes to Prodromos. This route is simply a dream; for an hour and a half, you wander along a thousand-year-old path, traversing age-old olive groves and vineyards. Prodromos, your destination, was built as a fortified town; its walls protected its residents from pirate raids. Here, among tidy courtyards filled with geraniums and jasmine, you’ll find the Kallitechniko Kafeneio, the perfect place for a bite to eat, such as a midday revithada (baked chickpeas) or cooked octopus prepared

by Maria. In Marmara – a small farming village – be sure to light a candle at Pera Panaghia Church, with its icon of Panaghia Marmariani (Our Lady of Marmara), which dates to the 17th century. The village of Kostos, meanwhile, is perfect for an evening stroll. You can imagine the nearby marble quarries, idle now for centuries, filled with workmen as they were in ancient times. The local marble – Paria lithos (Parian stone) – was prized in antiquity and used for such world-famous sculptures as the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and Praxiteles’ Hermes and the Infant Dionysus.

road you take from the interior, wherever the light may lead you, you’re certain to wind up at some beach with azure waters, the coastline’s great wealth offered freely.

I have a soft spot for Alyki, a fishing village in the southern part of the island.

A mere dot on the map, it combines everything that summer means to me: hard-working kaikia (traditional fishing vessels) bringing back fresh fish; a humble pebble beach – Piso Alyki – with tamarisk trees providing natural shade, ideal for reading; and dinner at Saline – a stylish yet unpretentious seafood spot – seated on its atmospheric terrace with its monastery tables and white gazebo.

There you’ll find fish soup made from rockfish, as well as perfectly fresh shellfish, and white wine from Cycladic vineyards. Alternatively, you can head out to sea. The fishing vessel “Rofos,” which belongs to Captain Ilias and sails from the port of Alyki, offers an excursion that drops anchor at fantastic places, including the small island of Panderonisi and the unforgettable Pirates’ Cave. Every time I put on my mask in these waters, I really do feel as though I’m about to find some new treasure.

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MILOS

SWEETHEARTS AND THE SUMMER WIND A journey across time on the beaches of Milos, from youthful island-hopping to family vacations.

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Sarakiniko is not only the most photographed beach on the island; it is also an otherworldly landscape, particulary when illuminated by moonlight.

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first came to Milos in the early 1990s with a group of friends, starting from Kythnos for some Cycladic island hopping. In the two days we had at our disposal on Milos, we managed to visit all of the island’s famous beaches: Sarakiniko, with its lunar landscape; Papafragas, with its three caves, a real must-see; photogenic Tsigrado, where you lower yourself down on a climbing rope; Paliochori, with its fine pebbles and red rocks, and seaside tavernas that bake local goat in the scorching volcanic sand; and Fyriplaka, the prettiest beach on the south coast.

We even saw the seaside hamlets with their boathouses: Mandrakia, Mytakas, Aghios Konstantinos, Fyropotamos, Schinopi, Areti, Fourkovouni and Klima.

The tourist slogan used to promote the island – “Milos is for lovers” – was a real puzzler. What did it mean? A couples’ destination, or the best place to find a mate? Neither of the two worked out for our group, and I remember sunning myself on the beach and expounding my views on how tasteless I found the “lovers” slogan, when I heard someone say, “That’s all very well, but be careful you don’t sit on the zaharopetra (meaning ‘sugar stone’).” According to local lore, when you sit on the distinctive white perlite stones which crumble like sugar, you fall for a Melian, that is, someone from Milos. That day, I scoffed at the

MILOS ...BECAME A HOMELAND BY MARRIAGE, MY COUNTRY HOME, MY VACATION DESTINATION, AND MY SUMMER DREAM IN THE DEPTHS OF WINTER.

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Standing on the shore at Klima, the famous fishing village with its syrmata (brightly colored boathouses) gazing out at the Bay of Milos, you’ll feel as if you are traveling by boat.

young philosopher and his awkward pickup line, but darn if such old wives’ tales don’t have a way of coming true. I was, it appears, betrayed by fate, which is why, some 20 summers later, thanks to dozens of coincidences, my destiny brought me back dressed as a bride, in a boat crossing the calm waters of Adamantas Bay on my way to meet my Melian groom.

Milos ceased to be a memory of

youthful island hopping for me. It became a homeland by marriage, my country home, my vacation destination, and my summer dream in the depths of winter. How many chilly mornings have I spent shivering under my bedcovers, picturing the perfect relaxation of lying under the large tamarisk tree in Psathadika, woken from a summer siesta by the deafening sound of the cicadas?

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Then, dazzled by the strong Cycladic light, stumbling blindly to dive into the crystal-clear waters of the south coast, rockfish darting between the stones and turtles swimming far out at sea?

Being tied to a summer home, much like being in a relationship, required work and patience. On summer mornings, I got used to shoving my plate with Melian delicacies – barley rusk, sundried tomato

paste and xinomyzithra cheese – to the far corner of the table to make room for the large map of the island. The family “skipper” would bend over the map, then do a round of the terrace, walk up to the end of the street to see if there were any waves, and then come back to the table. “Today we have a south wind,” he’d declare, or “There’s a westerly breeze.”

When you have the luxury of swimming at amazing beaches completely sheltered from the wind and waves, it’s doubtlessly true that knowing which way the wind is blowing is important. But it would be so much simpler if there were only four winds, like the cardinal points of the compass, and not twelve, as is really the case. If you aren’t familiar with wind charts (or the family skipper), you might ISL ANDS 2020

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MY OWN MILOS

I EVENTUALLY REALIZED THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS NOT WHERE THE WIND IS COMING FROM; IT’S TO DRIVE FROM BEACH TO BEACH, FROM LANDSCAPE TO LANDSCAPE.

very well be driven mad, as, indeed, I nearly was. It seemed that no matter which beach my meteorologist picked, he nearly always got it wrong! I yelled, I quarreled, I made threats, I left, and, in the end… I discovered it didn’t matter.

I eventually realized that the most important thing is not where the wind is coming from; it’s to drive from beach to beach, from landscape to landscape.

It’s to follow the coastal road that starts at the port of Adamantas and goes all the way to the white sands of Achivadolimni, with its lake, the largest natural wetland in the Cyclades and a key stopover point for migratory birds. It’s to continue to the Rivari lagoon and, from there, with a bit of a walk, to climb to the Chapel of Aghios Nikolaos to get a view over the whole bay, including 172

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Klima with its colorful boathouses, and the two traditional hamlets of Trypiti and Plaka. It’s to stand before the imposing mass of Halakas with the highest point on the island, Profitis Ilias. From there, you can reach the most isolated point on the island, unique Agathia Beach. Alternatively, you can just get lost in the wild interior. On the eastern coast of the island, with eroding stone boulders and not a trace of vegetation, the old mines give the sense of a timeless landscape.

Among the network of dirt tracks, you should look for the road to Theiorycheia and the abandoned mine, the one to Tria Pigadia with its scattered tamarisk trees, and the way that takes you to Kastanas with its colored pebbles.

In short, I realized that the most important thing was simply to explore.

Then came the children. The beach quandary was simplified by the need for the familiar trio of sand, shallow water and a pier for diving. The dream beach for kids on Milos is called Papikinou. The favorite beach of local children and of young visitors, it extends from the port of Adamantas to Vourla, has enough tamarisk trees for shade and perhaps the best taverna on the island in “O Chamos,” an excellent establishment. The map no longer makes a regular appearance at the breakfast table. The children’s wishes and the children’s needs take precedence. This is how I have come to swim almost exclusively at what might be the island’s least charming beach.

Nonetheless, I’ve had the opportunity to explore this unique volcanic island rock by rock and pebble by pebble, by land and by sea. I don’t know if all of Milos is for lovers, because that route, it seems, leads inevitably to Papikinou, but it is certainly the best place in the Aegean for sea lovers.

Papafrangas may not be the kind of beach where you’ll want to spend your entire day at, but it’s definitely a stop you have to make if you’re doing some beach hopping on the island.

MY OWN

TINOS

THE REAL DEAL

The foreign press has characterized this island as “authentically Cycladic” – and they aren’t wrong. Despite the inevitable changes brought on by the passage of time, Tinos has retained its beauty and its soul.

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Tarabados and, beyond that, Kambos, Xinara, Krokos and Koumaros. In the far distance, the mountain of Exomvourgo dominates the horizon.

Do you see this one over here?

It’s feeling sad,” the farmer informs me, kneeling over his as-yet-unripe watermelons. With coarse hands, he carefully tends to the earth around the weak plant, uprooting the weeds.

“And the one next to it – the one that’s in good shape – what is it, Mr Tzortzis?”

I ask him.

“Ah, that one is happy, can’t you see?” he answers, full of enthusiasm.

It’s morning in the meadow around Komi, one of the very few flat areas on the whole island of Tinos. The north wind just manages to slip through the slender canes that demarcate property boundaries, safeguard crops, and create a wondrous canvas of geometric shapes that only the birds flying overhead can truly appreciate. There are vegetables and greens here, artichokes just over there, and potatoes a bit further down.

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heady perfume that wafts down narrow, labyrinthine dirt roads and into country churches like the one near here, dedicated to Aghios Isidoros, the patron saint of farmers. In some fields, solitary pensioners – with time now on their side – carefully cultivate a kitchen garden to supply the family dinner table and those of a few friends. In other sections, the farming is done on a larger scale, and by younger hands; produce from these tracts is usually destined for the island’s street market or even perhaps the markets in Athens.

On the surrounding slopes, stockbreeders call out the typically Tiniot “e-e-e-e-la” (“Come!”) summons to their cows, inviting them to get milked, and the animals descend grandly from crags and dry-stone terraces in search of relief. The karikia (special containers used for storing fresh milk) are put in the shade to await the arrival of the truck from the cheese-making facility of the

Agricultural Cooperative of Tinos. Once they’re loaded onto the vehicle, they’ll travel down the asphalt road that runs next to the meadow, below the section where the cows graze, a road that today, seems to link the present with the past.

This road also happens to lead to the impressive sandy beach of Kolymbithra and to one of the nicest (according to the British newspaper The Guardian) beach bars in all of Greece. At Tinos Surf Lessons and Beach Bar, no structure is permanent. You’d swear the umbrellas were blown there by the summer winds, and that the bar itself – housed in a little Volkswagen van – is just passing through.

Nonetheless, this has become a gathering spot for a new group of visitors, people who ride the waves, care about the environment, meditate, love the arts, and would rather adopt the livestock they see on the island as pets than consume them as food. And while they might gladly take part in the local church festivals,

Mr Christos from Skalado grows all sorts of produce in his garden, which his family processes and sells.

these folks have definitely not come to the island on a religious pilgrimage.

And yet, for Greeks, it’s as a pilgrimage destination that Tinos is most famous. For decades, Tinos has been associated with piety and supplication.

And, let us praise the Lord for that! The flow of religious tourists, pilgrims who come to worship the Virgin Mary at her church, the Holy Church of Panaghia Evangelistria of Tinos – a custom which began, not by chance, during the days of the Greek Revolution – has always remained confined to the main town of Hora. Nonetheless, for many years, this flow of pilgrims acted as a deterrent to other forms of tourism, consequently sparing the rest of the island from overdevelopment. That’s why I like to argue that Tinos was, in fact, literally saved by its Blessed Virgin!

To me, Tinos is its cultural landscape, its natural landscape and its people. It is its inland areas, it is Mr Tzortzis and his

At one of the artichoke farms in the village of Komi, Ms Rafiopoulou carefully harvests the fruit of her family’s labors.

relationship with the land. It is its stone huts, small country churches, terraces and slowly crumbling dry-stone. It is that “e-ee-la” that resonates through the hillsides.

It is its granite landscape around Volax and Falatados, the animal pens with their central monoliths, and the half-hidden detailing on the dovecotes. It’s also the dozens of handmade trails that trace ancient country roads through unexpected landscapes. Tinos is the lesson in architecture offered by its 45 exceptionally well-preserved villages and the cool katoghia (underground spaces) of its homes that continue to conceal treasures. It’s the moaning of the north wind as it slips through the covered alleyways of Tripotamos, Dio Horia and Steni.

I confess that I find it difficult to believe that more than 30 years have elapsed since we as a family discovered the island. Another generation of people was around back then, one tied to the history and traditions of the place.

It was as though things had remained unchanged for centuries, and this, undoubtedly, charmed us as well. We used to enjoy wonderful Tiniot food in Ktikados at Taverna Drosia, which Vassili still runs and at which Ms Rini still cooks, and in Krokos, at Yia Mas, which was run by Ms Youstina and Mr Nikos. We enjoyed delectable fourtalies (omelets), homemade Tiniot cheese, louzes (cold cuts), artichokes in olive oil, gemista (ricestuffed baked vegetables), imam bayildi (stuffed eggplants), pitsounia (squab) and rabbit with onions. All produce was local, of course. And whenever you’d ask for the bill, Ms Youstina would always give you the same reply: “I don’t know…

How much should I say, my dear?… Well, whatever you think is OK...” as though she were embarrassed to ask for money.

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midst of the economic crisis. Necessity spawned innovation. New ventures – such as the Cyclades Microbrewery, makers of Nissos beer, or the Tiniaki Ambelones winery (or T-Oinos) – created local products that went on to garner international awards. The new generation of restaurateurs and producers broke new ground by creating the “Tinos Food Paths,” an inspired initiative that showcases Tiniot cuisine, putting collaboration and sustainability at the fore. With new facilities producing cured meats and cheeses, new shops, new accommodation options for more upscale guests, and award-winning restaurants, tourism took off. This “misunderstood”

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island had now suddenly become “understood” and new admirers arrived, which frightened us somewhat.

However, Tinos is a big island. You can be alone, if you wish. You can find deserted beaches in August, or take long solitary walks on marked trails through beautiful landscapes. You can visit Exo Meri, where marble is king and where magnificent sculptors like Yannoulis Chalepas and Dimitris Philippotis were born, as was the painter Nikiforos Lytras. The Museum of Marble Crafts in Pyrgos, a member of the PIOP (Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation) network of museums, is a great introduction to the world of marble and of marble working. This is a craft which survives to this day: the sound of the mandrakas (a mallet-like tool) can be heard throughout Pyrgos, resounding from marble-sculpting workshops and from the School of Fine Arts.

Faint echoes might even carry as far as the marble quarries and the villages of Marlas, Isternia and Kardiani.

Foreign publications like to present Tinos as the “authentic Cyclades” – and they aren’t wrong. The island has managed to preserve its appearance and its heritage – that is, its trinity of “nature, art and cuisine” – while retaining its soul as well. However, they often forget

Granite boulders near the village of Volax, on one of the island’s signposted hiking trails.

to mention that the visitor who selects Tinos should approach the island with reverence: respect must be shown for people’s beliefs, for the prayers of Orthodox and Catholic Christians alike; for spiritual figures, like the nuns at Our Lady of the Angels; for the anguish and pain often suffered by pilgrims past and present; for the human toil that sculpted the landscape, working marble and other stone; for Aeolus, the wind god who chose Mt Tsiknias as his throne; and, finally, for the Tiniots themselves, who today are fighting to save their island – our island – from the “ambitious” investment plans threatening to convert this handhewn landscape into just another piece of real estate festooned with industrial wind turbines.

“This tomato develops from inside the earth. Do you see how it’s blossomed?

Thirty years using the seeds from my own plants! The earth is the most pleasant thing there is. I’ve loved it, and, in return, the earth has offered me fruit, given me joy. Without joy, without love, there is no life...” After uttering these words, Mr Tzortzis strolls off to water his contented little zucchinis.

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NOTES • If you’re traveling to Tinos with a pet, opt for Rafina as your port of departure. The vessel “Theologos P” has an open garage – your pet can remain in your car – while the Superferry allows animals in its cabins.

• For fresh fruit and vegetables, be sure to visit the little street market in the outer port area (where ships arrive and dock) for farmto-table treasures!

• Information on walking routes can be found at www.tinostrails.gr. If you’re not one for hiking, make sure to drive the Falatados-Agapi road so you can take in more of the island’s beauty.

• In Pyrgos, try to catch a tour the PIOP Museum of Marble Crafts and be sure to visit the house of legendary sculptor Giannoulis Chalepas (1851-1938). You should also see the Ursuline Convent, the Folklore Museum of the Jesuit Monastery in Loutra, and the Costas Tsoclis Museum Municipal Foundation in Kambos. If you love ceramics, there’s an exceptional little museum to be found in Aetofolia. A visit to the Kechrovouniou Convent (also known as Our Lady of the Angels) is always a spiritually uplifting experience.

• Be wary of the north wind, both when driving (especially if riding a motorbike) and when around doors (a draft can slam them unexpectedly).

• Drive responsibly. Cows, goats and sheep can be found on roads, and cats – with no concept of right of way – are common sights in the villages. At night, you might encounter hares, hedgehogs, martens and Eurasian eagle owls.

• Religious festivals and all other public events have been canceled for this year (at least as far as we know, to date). For more information on restaurants, accommodation, museums and much more, be sure to check out the local magazine TAMAtaki!

01. One of the hundreds of private chapels of Tinos, whitewashed and ready for its panigyri, a festival in honor of the saint to which it is dedicated.

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02. Somewhere in the area around Kolymbithra Beach – but that’s as much as we’re willing to reveal!

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SAMOS

BUCKET LIST

An effort to organize the loose ends I have on my own home island: those places, activities and emotions that I yearn to experience as a simple summer visitor.

BY TA S SOU L A E P TA K I L I

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t isn’t easy to introduce your own homeland as a travel destination, trying to see it from a visitor’s perspective. “Like love, a journey expresses an attempt to transform dream into reality,” says the Swiss-British philosopher Alain de Botton. How then can I describe Samos and still ensure that love does not add its own artistic touches of dreaminess, perhaps even of illusion, to the real thing?

How can I speak, for instance, about its vineyards and its wines without bringing up my own grandmother? Every August she used to prepare the necessary accessories for the harvest: a wicker

©PERIKLES MERAKOS

According to Herodotus, the Heraion of Samos, a sanctuary of the goddess Hera dating to the 6th c. BC, was once the largest temple in all of Greece.

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basket, a billhook pruning knife called a katsouni, straw hats and white headscarves to protect us from the blistering sun, sheets of thick tarpaulin where we could set down the plump bunches of grapes until they were picked up and taken to the wine press of the Union of Winemaking Cooperatives of Samos over in Malagari.

What can I write about the stonepaved waterfront at Vathy, which bustled every Saturday night – the locals wryly call this parade of people the “nyfopazaro” or “bride bazaar” – while we sat and watched all the comings and goings from a table at one of the pastry shops in the square with the lion statue? Or about the deeply moving ruins of once-prosperous Karlovasi – the half-derelict mansions and the immense abandoned tanneries – or the seaside promenade there, where,

as a young teenager, I used to see the poet Yiannis Ritsos now and then on his afternoon strolls, sporting a white linen suit and a straw hat?

No matter what I might write about the island I’ve seen and experienced, it will inevitably be colored by the memories of my childhood and adolescence.

So it might be better if I were to say nothing (or very little) about the Samos I’ve enjoyed to my heart’s content, and focus instead on the Samos I long for.

Because there are still parts of the island that remain a mystery to me, and others that, for a number of reasons, I only got to know inadequately and in haste, and that I would now like to know better and enjoy more, deciphering them properly.

I want to see the view from Psili Vigla towards the shores of Asia Minor from the plateau just outside the Monastery of Zoodohos Pigi, under the towering pine trees. I want to go to Aghios Isidoros, a tiny bay at the western end of the island, once home to no fewer than five shipyards employing eighty shipwrights.

Few of these craftsmen are left today to keep alive an industry that has existed on the island for over a century. I’ll ask them to tell me how they feel when they hear the command: “fora volta,” when the supporting wedge that acts as a brake for a newly-built boat on the slipway is removed, and the vessel leaves dry land and slides into the water. I’ll ask them about that moment when the vessel and its master craftsmen are forever separated.

I want to go back inside the Eupalinian Tunnel, the middle section of the 6th-century BC aqueduct commissioned by the tyrant Polycrates and designed by

ŠOLGA CHARAMI

Visiting the ravine and the waterfalls in the area of Potami is one of the most beautiful experiences on the island.

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Eupalinos, an architect and engineer from Megara, for the ancient city of Samos, today called Pythagoreion. I want to get my shoes muddy, and feel the water that drips from certain parts of the roof. I want to walk over trenches perhaps ten meters deep, to run my hands along the rock face carved so many centuries ago. A visit to the tunnel is a unique experience, made up of all of this.

I want to spend an afternoon walking through the dry grass that grows at the Temple of Hera, one of the largest temples in ancient Greece, a site that remained sacred from the Geometric Period to Roman times. Of its original 155 Ionic columns, only one still stands in place today.

I want to see the most beautiful beach (the beach of Megalo Seitani), the most remote village (the village of Drakaioi), and the most beautiful seaside forest of Samos, all by following an 8.7 km hiking trail, one of the many such paths established by Stefanos Psimenos and his colleagues at terrainmaps.gr.

I want to go into the workshop of the ceramicist Emmanuela Macri in the village of Manolates and watch as she casts her spell over the clay, just as her great-grandfather and her grandfather once did, and as her grandmother, her mother and her aunt still do. Then I’ll drop in at one of the village’s little tavernas and have a glass of sekaki (the local name for the white dry wine SAIMANaki, produced by the Union of Winemaking Cooperatives of Samos) while nibbling on traditional chickpea fritters, stuffed onions, savory cheese dumplings known as katoumaria, and paspalas, cured pork flavored with savory – in short, wine meze that have no equal.

I want to go fishing, shortly before sunset, on the dock in the village of Balos, before walking to the small Church of Aghia Pelagia on the other side of the settlement. I’ll dive into the turquoise waters here, and then have a glass of Samos Spritz (made with sweet Samos wine), prepared for me by Evangelia or Nikos at their bar, Esperos Light.

I want to attend a local summer fair, either the one on the Feast of the Dormi182

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MY OWN SAMOS

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tion of the Holy Virgin on August 15, or the one that marks the leavetaking of the feast on August 23. The delicious keskeki (a dish made with kid goat, wheat grain, and onions) will have been slow cooking overnight in the bronze cauldrons, in the courtyard of the church, its heady fragrance whetting appetites.

I want to go all the way to the waterfalls at Potami; it’s strange how I’ve never reached the end of this beautiful and easy trail which starts at the small Church of Metamorfoseos tou Sotiros (its dome rests on ancient columns with superb Corinthian capitals) and follows the stream inside the ravine, under the leafy plane trees.

I want to enter the Grotto of Pythagoras, on the southeastern slopes of Mt Kerki where, according to legend, the great thinker found temporary refuge from persecution from Polycrates, before leaving the island. Once there, I want to summon the strength to climb higher, up the 320 steps leading to Panaghia Sarandaskaliotissa, the small 11th-century church which still features many of its original frescoes. Next to the church, there’s a small cave with stalactites and stalagmites.

I want to walk along the seafront promenade of Karlovasi, shaded by the tamarisk trees, on a day when the etesian wind is blowing hard and the waves are coming all the way up onto the road.

Right down at the edge of the sea, I’ll spot the gleaming stone «throne» of the poet Yiannis Ritsos, where he would sit to enjoy the sunset on calmer days.

01. A refreshing dip in the chilly emerald waters of Makria Pounda Beach.

02. The chapel of Panaghia Makrini, on the western side of Kerki, the tallest mountain on the island.

©OLGA CHARAMI

03. The workshop of Emanouela Makri, a fourth generation ceramicist in the village of Manolates.

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ŠDAGMAR SCHWELLE/LAIF

MY OWN

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HYDRA

THE WAY WE WERE

Maya Tsoclis recalls a childhood of summers spent on Hydra, an island with stories of its own to tell.

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Bilio, hey, Bilio!�

Bilio had the most photographed house on Hydra, just beyond Kala Pigadia. In her small yard you could find every shade of oil paint that the stores on the island stocked so the fishermen could paint their boats. It was a folksy panache of green, red, yellow, blue and pink-covered stones together with flowerpots and old feta tins from which sprung hydrangeas and geraniums, bougainvilleas and night-blooming jasmine. At that time, our neighborhood was still without running water, but we were blessed with wells. Each morning, the muleteers watered their pack animals there, and I remember waking up to the characteristic sound of zinc buckets

©PERIKLES MERAKO

MY OWN HYDRA

01. A signpost now prohibits access to Spilia (Cave), the craggy outcrop from which generations upon generations performed their dives under the critical eyes of tanned “spectators.”

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02. On the charming path connecting Hydra Town with Vlychos Beach, the statue “Boy on a Dolphin” near the harbor reminds passersby of the 1957 film of the same name which was shot on the island.

©MAYA TSOCLIS

03. A beast of burden at rest, with a view of Kaminia in the distance.

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banging against the stone walls as water was drawn. Housewives would come to fill their demijohns, and just remembering them brings sweet thoughts to mind and a smile to my lips.

It’s exactly the same feeling I get whenever I enter Hydra’s port. As much as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the majesty of this amphitheatrical town – the construction of which began in the mid-15th century and started from the highest point at Kiafa, from where it spilled down to the sea as the area became safer – is undeniable. Hydra is one of the few locations in Greece where harmony reigns, and the gaze travels effortlessly. However, if you want to experience the island properly, you have to dedi-

cate some time to walking it – not just because you can’t do otherwise, as the island is car-free, but also for the sheer joy of constantly discovering beauty. Yes, you can, of course, sit at one of the many cafés in the port and see the grand mansions of the great and the good of the island. The homes of Tsamados, Kriezis, Kountouriotis, Voulgaris, Tombazis and Miaoulis recount the history of the island, speak of the untold wealth brought by international trade; they’re a reminder of the privileges bestowed on the island by the Ottoman Sublime Porte and of the island’s involvement in the Greek War of Independence. But around the mansions run alleyways, polished smooth by the shod hooves of the mules, that reward

exploration. Down them, you’ll find small whitewashed stone cottages with flowers in the yard, squares with bushy jasmine, private chapels and stone benches where a weary pedestrian can rest.

Each time I visit Hydra, my pilgrimage takes me to Kala Pigadia and to the little house where I spent my childhood summers. My books are still there, along with some clothes I just couldn’t throw away, and the hibiscus which stubbornly blossoms, awaiting our return. I mount the steps, stand in front of Bilio’s house, which now stands empty, walk the narrow alleys of Kiafa with closed eyes, passing the red house of my friend Pavlina, and under the beautiful, blue-painted archways. From up above the steady hubbub of the port sounds like a whisper. Slowly, I head into the hamlet of Kamini. I walk round the back of the old peoples’ home, kept cool by the giant eucalyptus trees that shade it, and enter a different Hydra, rural, empty of buildings, which extends as far as Vlychos. A dip in the sea, perhaps a little ouzo at the marina with a view of the islet of Dokos, then back by the coast road, running parallel to the sea and the rocks, and the agave plants.

On the other side, I can see the Peloponnese, up on the hills are windmills, and there’s an exquisite smell as the scent of dry grass meets the sea breeze.

I’ve never understood those who complain that Hydra seems small. In its heyday, it was home to 11,000 souls, and, if you listen carefully, it has a thousand stories to tell you that you haven’t heard yet.

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The promenade from Dapia towards the Old Harbor with its 19th-century kapetanospita (Captains’ Houses).

SPETSES

OLD-FASHIONED CHARM

There’s plenty to discover here, and plenty of stylish ways to accomplish that mission as well.

B Y VA S S I L I S M A S S E L O S

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MY OWN SPETSES

The local version of a taxi.

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first visited Spetses in late March, 1996, with a Japanese friend who was determined to set foot on a Greek island despite my warnings concerning the unseasonal timing. It was a cold and overcast midweek morning when our water taxi dropped us off at Dapia, right in front of the then-derelict Poseidonion Hotel. Having just read John Fowles’ “The Magus,” I had painted a mystical image of Spetses in my mind, a feeling that was only heightened by that first impression. The sight of that beautiful but deeply damaged landmark hotel was my first brush with this cosmopolitan island, a beguiling yet also intensely surreal experience. After all, imagine the reaction of the handful of locals going about their business at the sight of a Japanese and a Greek man, perhaps the island’s only visitors that day, landing at the port in what was effectively winter. March is, obviously, not the best month to visit seaside or island destinations, Spetses included.

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transformed from a ruin into a jewel of a landmark, thanks to an incredible restoration carried out by the Vordonis family. On a summer evening, the veranda, with its old-world charm set against the island’s stunning beauty, brings to mind sophisticated seaside resorts on the French or Italian rivieras.

Spetses is a lot of different things.

It’s the island of locals who run around like crazy all summer and while away the winters in abject boredom; it’s the tribes of – mostly Athenian – vacation homeowners; it’s the new arrivals, landing on its shores in every form of sea craft; it’s the day trippers coming over in water taxis or on the “slipper,” as the double-ended open ferry is known; it’s the handful of visitors who come here by private helicopter; and it’s a whole lot more. All these different groups coexist on a well-kept historic island with pockets of incredible beauty and decent beaches with welcoming waters, especially on the side facing the open sea.

The most popular beaches for the

younger crowd are Vrelos and Kaiki, the latter of which is not too far from the main town, in front of the Anargyreios and Korgialeneios College. Literary fans should take the time to visit that school, which retains much of the atmosphere of when Fowles taught here in the 1950s.

The water is also quite wonderful at Aghia Marina (or Paradise Beach), where the Poseidonion has recently taken over the management of the beach bar and restaurant. There are a lot of great places to swim on Spetses that can be reached by sea or by road on scooter or bicycle, including Zogeria, with its traditional taverna; Xylokeriza; Aghia Paraskevi; Aghioi Anargyroi; and Garyfalos.

Despite this selection of swimming spots, beaches are not Spetses’ strong suit. What makes this island special, in my opinion, is its well-preserved architectural legacy, the result of considerable wealth which came first from shipping and later from the reputation of the Anargyreios and Korgialeneios College. The route from the new port to the old one,

©NIKOS ALEVROMITIS/WWW.ALEN.GR

MY OWN SPETSES

One of the old sailing boats that participate in the Andros International Yacht Race (aka Andros Regatta), in front of the landmark Poseidonion Grand Hotel Spetses.

which can be enjoyed by horse-drawn carriage or, even better, on foot, is one of the loveliest in Greece with its well looked-after 19th-century kapetanospita (mansions belonging to sea captains).

There’s history everywhere in Spetses.

The corpse of Paul Bonaparte, Napoleon’s nephew, was placed in a barrel of rum at the Monastery of Saint Nicholas of Spetses in 1827 and kept there for five years. The monastery sits above the Orloff Restaurant about halfway along the route.

The island has been making steady gastronomic progress in recent years.

Tarsanas at the old port, Nero tis Agapis, Orloff and the Exedra, Pachni and Patralis tavernas are just a few of the better options. Also interesting are the dishes from the new French chef at the Poseidonion Hotel. If you enjoy desserts, the French patisserie Vanilia is a well-kept secret located across the street from the derelict yet magnificent house of Sotiris Anargyros, one of the island’s greatest benefactors. For drinks, those in the

know will head to Spetsa, a small bar with great music and an excellent selection of spirits run by the well-traveled Kostas.

It takes time to really get to know Spetses. And yes, it is worth visiting in the winter to explore its nooks and crannies when it’s quiet and green. Spring is also wonderful with its fragrant flowers and summer is best from June to early July and then again from September.

Take the time to walk the narrow streets of Dapia, to buy honey and other products from the small but well-stocked Tzimanis grocery store, to have an oldschool breakfast at Skalakia, to stay in the charming surroundings of the Poseidonion or the beautifully restored Economou Mansion, to watch the annual regatta of old sailing boats and caiques filling the horizon with color, and to watch the sky light up in a thousand colors during the commemoration of the 1822 naval Battle of Spetses.

No matter how often you visit this island, there’s always something new to discover and fall in love with.

THE ROUTE FROM THE NEW PORT TO THE OLD ONE, WHICH CAN BE ENJOYED

BY HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE OR, EVEN BETTER, ON FOOT, IS ONE OF THE LOVELIEST IN GREECE WITH ITS WELLMAINTAINED 19THCENTURY MANSIONS.

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MEDICAL BRIEF

THE GLAND OF LIFE: Some facts about the thyroid

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onsisting of two lobes that are joined by an isthThe physician can document thyroid disease from clinical mus, the thyroid is an endocrine gland located in symptoms and laboratory tests. the lower part of the neck. It produces two active There are three therapies for hyperthyroidism: medication hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), that inhibits the synthesis of thyroid hormones, the adminiswhich have multiple and importration of radioactive iodine and tant functions in the body. The surgery. The choice of the treatthyroid also produces calcitonin, ment depends on a number of the hormone which regulates the factors, including the patient’s level of calcium in the blood. age, thyroid size and frequency The physiological composition of relapse. and rate of thyroid hormone proThe first symptoms of hypothyduction also depends on a basic raw roidism, another thyroid disease, material, iodine. Thyroid hormones may be diminished strength and are very important biologically. fatigue. The effects on the skin There are very few cells in the are dehydration (dry skin), scaly body that are not, directly or inskin and hair loss. The patient directly, stimulated by thyroid also has bradycardia (slow hearthormones. beat), shortness of breath and There are two types of thyroid slow movements and thoughts. disorders: functional disorders, Weight gain may be observed such as hyperthyroidism, hypowithout a corresponding increase thyroidism and thyroiditis; and in food consumption. morphological disorders, such However, the symptoms of as thyroid nodules. subclinical hypothyroidism are Hyperthyroidism, in its typical not always distinct, and may be form, is characterized by particumisdiagnosed as the symptoms larly pronounced and obvious of another disease. symptoms.

To treat hypothyroidism, synPeople with the dysfunction thetic thyroxine is usually admincan be irritable, hyperactive, istered.

PARI RAPTI nervous and emotional.

The thyroid may be impaired Endocrinologist They speak intensely and due to chronic inflammatory disoremail: rapti.clinic@gmail.com quickly change the subject of ders such as chronic autoimmune www.parirapti.gr discussion. They often suffer from thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s thyroidpanic attacks or emotional breakitis, which is one of the most comdowns for no particular reason, mon causes of hypothyroidism. It suffer from insomnia and cannot stand heat. They can also have develops slowly, with no intense symptoms at the beginning. intense sweating and their skin is almost always hot and moist.

The symptoms of hypothyroidism appear mildly and slowly Furthermore, their hair is thin and sparse, while the hands, over the years. when stretched, shake lightly. Also they can have increased The four basic examinations of the thyroid function are heartbeat, dyspnea and arrhythmia, itchiness and eye probpalpation of the neck, hormonal assay, thyroid ultrasound and lems, such as redness, dryness or bad vision. scintigraphy.

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