Aghios Efstratios, Greece

Agios Efstratios (Saint Eustratios) is a very quiet, isolated, unvegetated and small island between the islands of Limnos and Lesbos in the Northern Aegean.

Agios Efstratios is around 30 km South of Lemnos and 200 km far from Athens.

The locals call the island "Ai Stratis". The island takes its name from the ninth-century monk Saint Efstratios, who lived and died as an exile there. The inhabitants of Agios Efstratios will proudly show you his supposed grave inside a cave.

It is around 42 km² large.

The population is approximately 300 people. Climatic conditions on the island are arid with little rainfall during winter months and long hot summers. Local topology is mostly rocky with scarce and low vegetation. The island is surrounded by rich fisheries which are being exploited by local fishermen.

In the Medieval times, the island received the frequent attacks of pirates.

From the 1930s and the mid-1970s, it was used as a place of exile. Many communists were sent there during that period, including the world famous political activist and music composer, Mikis Theodorakis, the composer of music for Zorba, the Greek.

In 1968. an earthquake demolished most of the houses, which were replaced by concrete prefabricated buildings.

Jimmy Tsiblis the famous greek artist spent part of his life at Agios Efstratios. Tsiblis lived there as he was president of the Opera House located in the small island for a period of 12 years.

Agios Efstratios is the only small island in Europe with an Opera House.

During his stay Jimmy Tsiblis composed the collection of poems "To Telos Tis Arhis" ("The End Of The Start"), refering to the political prisoners during the 1930s.
Agios Efstratios will appeal to visitors who appreciate the simple, healthy life away from crowds and close to nature. With its lovely beaches alternating with steep rocks, is the ideal place for a stress-free holiday, for relaxation and meditation.

There is only one village on the island, also called Agios Efstratios, which still retains its old Mediterranean charm.

Only a few tourist facilities can be found on Agios Efstratios, including some rooms to rent, traditional coffee shops and taverns. It isn’t developed in terms of tourism at all and that is why you can have relaxing holidays there.

With a colourful array of buildings and houses, and a very friendly and hospitable environment, the island welcomes many visitors each year who are seeking something different from their Greek island holidays.

It has pleasant sandy beaches, many sea caves and small churches dotting its hills, and is ideal for those who desire quiet holidays on an island with minimal tourist traffic.The island has volcanic soil with its largest plain in the northeast section. Much of the coastline is dotted by cragged rocks and sea caves.

In fact, Ai Stratis is regarded as an extension of the Sea Park of the Northern Sporades island chain. A large section of the land on the island belongs to the Aghioreitika Monasteries of the Monasteries of Megisti Lavva, Dionysiou, and Karakallou which rent the land to the locals.

Fishing boats, transport day-trippers to even the remote beaches for a day of sunbathing and swimming. There are small pensions and rented rooms available, mainly in the port, as well as some taverns and cafe-bars.

There are many beaches for that small island: Agios Antonios (Saint Antonios), Agiou Dimitriou (Saint Dimitrios), Ai Nikola (Saint Nicolas), Trigari, Ftylio, Lidario, Tripiti, Gournias, Kalami, Mouroulia and Alonitsi

The main beaches are Agios Antonios, Lemonies and Avlakia.

Camping is free.

The small size of the island makes it one that is perfect for exploring, and those who enjoy trekking will find some excellent routes along which to explore the island and it's magical scenery.

Agios Efstratios can be reached by small ferry from Myrina - ferry Aiolis- (2 hours) either with ferry boat from Lavrio port (8 hours) or Kavala (7 Hours) or Myrina (1 hour 15 minutes).

Hotel Blue Palace, Thassos

Beautiful hotel at Tripity beach, 4* Blue Palace, (Thassos island), will be ready at May, 1st. Hotel offers swimming pool (in the garden of 550 square metres), one indoor swimming pool with jets and jacuzzi, waterslides, 2 restaurants - 1 indoors and a taverna on the beach, weekly quizzes and cabaret, lounge with TV, bar area, beach bar, tennis, pool table, table tennis,gym, sauna, whirlpool bath and steam bath...

Samothraki island (Samothrace)

"Long a vacation secret of the northern Greeks, Samothrace (or Samothraki) is beginning to open to international tourists—particularly those who enjoy nature in its wilder forms. According to Homer, Samothrace was the island from which Poseidon watched the fall of Troy."

Edward Batchelder

S




















"It is one of the last truly virgin islands of Greece, where modern civilization has made an exception and hasn’t ruined its natural beauty. Samothraki is an island that wins you over with only one visit and will enchant you with the crystal waters of its waterfalls, its lush vegetation as well as its imposing mountain Saos. From the peak of this mountain, Fengari, Poseidon reputedly watched the development of the Trojan war."

Samothraki a place of rough beauty and rich Mediterranean variety.
The island lies about 30 km in the Southwest of Alexandroupolis. The size is 180sq.km.Alexandroupolis is the port where you can get a ferry to the island. It is en eliptical island very mountainous and the highest peak of the mount is Fengari. It is the highest mountain in the Aegean at 1611 meters. It's an amazing view when you approach from Alexandroupolis and you see the islands shape appear from the haze.


Even though Samothraki has many natural beauties and charms to offer its visitors, it has stayed away from tourist expansion. This only makes it more beautiful. Because the island is off the beaten track it is relatively difficult to reach for tourists, so allmost all of the visitiors are Greeks. But the island has many things to offer for someone who decides to go there for vacations.

The main port of the island is called Kamariotissa and is located on the northwest coast of the island. It has an adequate tourist infrastructure, a bus station, and is the base for the caiques to the southern coast, the sand beach of Pachia Ammos, and the waterfall at Kremasto Nero (Hanging Water), also in the south. This is a small village that consists mostly of a long narrow main street that runs along the harbor's edge. Here you'll find a string of cafes, restaurants, nightclubs, occasional shops offering souvenirs or beach essentials, a few banks, the island's only internet café, and most of its car and motorcycle rentals. Kamariotissa is, in summer, non-stop traffic. There are hotels and apartments in town, but Samothrace's beauty lies along the north shore.

If you head out of town on the main road for about 14 km, you will come to Therma. It's the alternative nightlife spot on the island and the site of the island's mineral springs, that attracts both the elderly and infirm and the young and New Age-ish.

The main town, Chora, is six kilometers inland from the port, and has a lovely, quiet, and picturesque atmosphere. It is concealed in a natural amphitheater in the mountain—a better to hide it from pirates during the medieval period. It's a small and charming town of narrow streets that twist their ways up and down along the hillside, and the central section offers a number of popular restaurants, Greek-style kafeneion with their tables spilling out onto the street, and trendy Western-styled cafés, many with beautiful views over the sea. There is also island's small hospital, folklore museum, and the ruins of a fort.
The entire island displays a raw and wild beauty, with and sheer drops into green gorges, creating waterfalls and natural pools. Much of the southern portion of the island is inhospitable though outstanding for its natural beauty. The southern coast is reached by caique, an excellent way to see some of the rugged beauty of the island. Its nearly 3,000 inhabitants concern themselves primarily with farming, fishing, and tourism. On Samothraki you will find nature at its best, with outstanding landscapes and marvelous walks, hot springs at Loutra on the northeast coast, and wonderful archaeological sites, the most important of which is the Sanctuary of the Great Gods.

Finally there are the beaches, although stoney and pebbly, they are beautiful and very clean.
Pachia Ammos i the most famous beach on the south shore about 15 km from Kamariotissa. The beach offers 800 meters of sand and protected swimming, offering a beach bar, an excellent fish taverna, fresh-water showers, and chaise lounges with sun umbrellas. The beach is accessible by bus from Kamariotissa.

Kipos lies about 18 km east of Therma on the north shore road, and also can be reached by bus. It offers very comfortable sunbathing, crystal-clear water for snorkeling and diving, and an strong dose of peace and solitude (although there is a small food stand).

The Vathos beach can only be reached by tour boat or several hours of hiking from Pachia Ammos. Nearly the entire north shore of Samothrace functions as a beach. The road follows the sea closely, and there are innumerable quiet spots where visitors pull off and walk down to claim their own private pebble beach nestled in the curve of the shoreline.

There are many archaeological remains worth visiting on the island.

Samothraki's ancient site is at Paleopolis. The Sanctuary of the Great Gods can be found there. It is one of the most evocative ancient sites. The rites performed here remain unknown to our date, and this mysticism prevails throughout the whole island.


Samothraki became worldwide known after the beautiful statue Victory of Samothraki which now decorates the Louvre Museum. The statue was discovered in 1863, made of marble and is thought that has been created as a monument for an important Greek naval martial victory. It is a female winged body that descended from the sky in the prow of a boat. Its feathers look like tearing its dress, which "is caressed" softly by the wind, showing off its strong body and its legs, while the drapery of its dress give emphasis in swirling movements. Niki of Samothrace is an unimpeachable sample of the sculptures of Hellenistic period. The name of its creator is unknown.

In July and August it may be somewhat difficult to find a room, so do reserve it in advance. Almost all the big hotels have been built in the 80s with a very sensitive notion to their environment. But they are a bit expensive. Yet, you can find places such as rooms or domatia for every budget category.

Most hotels are at Kamariotissa, Therma and Palaiopoli, while rooms are let at Hora and Karyotes. There is also a camping site at a short distance from Therma.

Some of the famous products of the island are olives, olive oil, cottage cheese, honey and goat meat. Hora is well known for its walnut and apricot traditional preserves. There is fish but mainly what you may find is goat meat like the tasty semi-savage goat on the spit which is something that the visitors have to try.

All the island is very green, you can see there plenty of valleys full of oak and plane trees, thick forests of olive trees, very dense shrubbery, and beautiful wild flowers.

There is plenty of water on the island, there are many waterfalls that flow into deep cold pools, like Fonias and Gria Vathra, that are very nice to bath on the hot summer days.

The island is very rich in animal life. In the many springs you can find many kinds of frogs, toads, and turtles. The meadows are also rich of butterflies. Plenty of goats on the rocky mountainside are clanking their bells in the form of an idyllic melody.

Some of pictures I borrowed from www.samothrakiphotos.com. Take a look at this beutiful blog about Samothraki with hundreds beautiful photos...