A small unspoiled island with beautiful and picturesque sandy beaches, ideal for peaceful vacations close to nature and to warm and simple people.The island is 21 nautical miles south of Limnos and is 49 square kilometers in area. There are many caves in the uninhabited south part of the island creating a natural and ideal refuge for seals and other species of the sea world.

HOW TO GET THERE

BY FERRYBOAT : From Rafina all the year round the distance is 120 nautical miles and the time 12 hours.
From Kavalla and Limnos all the year round. To both Kavalla and Limnos there are air flights from Athens.
During summertime however there is ferry connection with all the other islands of the area including Patmos.

HISTORY

This beautiful island has no impressive history. It seems that it was inhabited for the first time during the Mycenean Period and its first name was Neai. During the Turkish occupation years, when pirates and Turks were rampaging in the Aegean, particularly during the Russian-Turkish wars of 1768-1774, the island was completely deserted, finally to be re-inhabited again in 1912 when the island was reunited with Greece together with the rest of the Eastern Aegean islands.

AYIOS EVSTRATIOS is the port and only village on this island of 250 inhabitants. Picturesque white houses sit amidst the vine-trees, which create shade together with the hanging grapes and the lemon and orange trees in the yards of the houses.

There are no cars or buses . The only means of transportation is "on foot" and by boat on which one can sail all around this dreamy island with no noise or toxic waste to pollute the atmosphere. One can visit by boat the clean and isolated beaches such as the one near the village, or St Antony's, St Demetrios (10 minutes),Trigari, Lidario (30 minutes), St Nicholas, the rocky beach of Gournia and Tripiti, all to the South of the island. To the North the beaches of Mouroulia, Panaghia, Kalami, and the panoramic beach of Alonitsi which is 2 kilometers of sand and is opposite the small island of Velia (one hour).

WHERE TO STAY

THERE is one pension with rented furnished studio apartments all the year round and a few rented rooms. You must certainly book before going if you intend to stay.

WHAT TO EXPECT

IF you are tired of living with noise, too much of civilisation, too many people around, toxic atmosphere, stress, pressure, hurrying up, and you would prefer to stay for a short or long period away from it all, close to nature, in a quiet, peaceful spot where you can enjoy crystal clear sea and maybe meditate where one is alone with God and nature, don't hesitate to come here.

THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE.

By Lelia Mitsides
Copyright: Hellenic Electronic Center