Ikaria

Ikaria is the majestic island of the Eastern Aegean Sea and the home of the mythical Ikaros. Here you will find wild beauty, breathtaking panoramas, fresh mountain air, therapeutic hot springs, truly unspoiled seas and friendly people. Ikaria has remained true to herself and to the ways of her people- the Ikarians. Tourism on Ikaria is unimposing for all and reflects an “Ikarian Balance” between nature, freedom, time and development.

Samos

Samoss location played a great role in its development. It lies in the Eastern Aegean, very close to the coast of Asia Minor, in the heart of Ionia, almost midway along the sea route that links Greece with Anatolia, the Black Sea, Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean. The name Samos is most probably of Phoenician origin. Over time, however, it had many other names : Anthemis, Dryousa, Doryssa, Kyparissia, Imvrasia, Melamphylos, and Parthenia. Great intellectuals and artists were from Samos. The mathematician-philosopher Pythagoras, with his celebrated theorem, the cornerstone of geometry, along with Rhoikos and Theodoros, the architects of the Sanctuary of Hera and pioneering sculptors,and astronomer Aristarchus, are the best known. The capital, Samos Town or Vathi, is built on the verdant slopes that surround the island’s deepest bay. It has retained its individual appearance, with its attractive neo-classical houses, old mansions with pastel facades.

Patmos

Patmos is of volcanic origin and has a much-indented coastline. An isthmus only a few hundred meters wide, on which the islands harbor lies, separates the north end of the island from the southern half. The “Jerusalem of the Aegean” is one way of describing Patmos or Patnos, as it was referred to in one 5th century inscription. It was here that St. John the Theologian was exiled between 95 and 97 A.D. and was inspired to write the Book of Revelation or Apocalypse.

Kos

The island of Kos is famous as the birthplace of Hippocrates, the father of medicine, Kos is also known for its lovely, gentle scenery. It is both lush and fertile, with an abundance of springs and streams, gorgeous beaches and a marvelous climate. The two most important sites of Kos are: 1) The Asclepeion of Kos, When referring to Asclepeia we mean the sacred hospitals where the methods of Asclepius were applied for the treatment of the ill. The Asclepieion of Kos was the best and most famous of its time, to which many students of medicine and patients from all over the world visited. It is located three kilometers from the modern capital of the island, Kos town. 2) The Hippocrates plant tree, it is believed that Hippocrates planted this tree more than 2,400 years ago. It was one of the locations Hippocrates favored to teach medicine to his students.

Simi

According to Homer, Simi contributed three triremes (i.e. warships) to the Trojan War. Simis reputation for shipbuilding survived from that remote period down to the end of the 19th century, when the island had some 30,000 inhabitants, prosperous as a result of commerce and sponge fishing. Today it builds only fishing boats and small caiques and the population does not exceed 4,000 – most of them engaged in fishing or sponge diving. Apart from the peace and typical Aegean island beauty which Simi has to offer, there is a Byzantine castle above the town containing a church, dedicated to Our Lady, with fine murals. Near the church are the remains of an ancient temple of Athena. However, the best known sight of the island is the Bay of Panormitis with the Monastery of St. Michael, dating from the 18th century. The carved screen inside the church is covered with votive offerings in gold and silver. The monastery of the Archangel Michael Panormitis is one of the island’s most famous landmarks, built in the early 18th century overlooks a beautiful bay. The entirety of Yialos, the main port of Simi, has been declared a protected architectural treasure, and for good reason. This pristine port with its extraordinary array of neo-classical mansions is a large part of why Simi is known as “the jewel of the Dodecanese.”

Rhodes

Rhodes is the third largest Greek Island and, officially, the sunniest place in Europe. The city is among the finest, not only in Greece but also in the whole of the Mediterranean. It is situated at the islands most northerly point and ringed by sea on the east and west. Rhodes (Rodos in Greek) combines the cosmopolitan character of a contemporary city with the picturesque of a medieval town, giving the impression of having been untouched by the passage of time. Rhodes has a many of sites to offer its visitors, listed you will find the three most important: The ancient city of Rhodes was built amphitheatrically, before the port of the modern city, in 408 BC by Ippodamus. The roads were decorated with statues, the most beautiful being the statue of Ploutos. In the city stood magnificent temples, the most prominent being the temples of Helios and Isis. Ancient Kamiros, brought to light by excavations in 1929, was one of the three powerful ancient cities of Rhodes. It was called “The Greek Pompeii” because nobody knows how the city was deserted and buried underground. The magnificent Venetian Castelllo Castle dominates the traditional village of Kritinia. Built by the knights in the 16th century BC on a precipitous cliff to fortify the western coast of the island.