Listed 4 sub titles with search on: Main pages for wider area of: "TILEVOIDES ISLANDS Island complex IONIAN ISLANDS" .
KALAMOS (Island) IONIAN ISLANDS
Kalamos is not a conventional island. It is a tall mountain range
which floats on the sea, its northern side overgrowing with towering, thick pine
trees. It is obvious to even the non-specialist visitor that these pines are of
a special species.
They perch everywhere, even at the most precipitous points, sprouting
from the rocks and reaching as far as the edge of the sea, as though they insisted
on demonstrating their superiority over the place.
Even at the first sight from a distance, then, Kalamos captivates
with its unusual, wild landscape. Kalamos has a surface area of around 20 square
kilometres and a highest mountain peak of 200 metres.
There are around 580 permanent residents, increasing in the summer
when friends and relatives visit the island.
The centre of the island is the port of Kalamos, which is on the eastern
side. This is where many people sailing the Ionian moor their boats in order to
visit the island, enjoy some seafood at a seaside taverna or seek refuge from
bad weather.
Work being carried out for the widening the port will increase the
number of boats that can be moored here and ease sea transport, which is the island's
only means of communication with the rest of the world. A caique makes four to
five connections to and from Mytika daily in the summer, bringing passengers and
all types of goods to cover the needs of the island's few residents. The island
has a simple, rural atmosphere.
The houses of Kalamos, clambering high above the port, are stone-built,
most with tiled roofs, built tightly-packed next to each other and intersected
by narrow, winding lanes.
The road which connects the port with the village rises quite steeply
and has many bends. The few cars, used mainly for transporting goods, drive carefully
along the narrow roads. A new road starting at Kalamos ascends high into the mountains
and passes through an amazing pine forest, terminating at the island's other small
village, Episkopi.
Here the few houses, worn by time, are used as summer residences,
drawing their owners to Episkopi each year. It is as though time stopped 50 years
ago. The residents' boats, a vital means of transportation and communication with
the rest of the world, are kept at the small, new port. Episkopi is only ten minutes
from the port to Mytika
on the mainland coast of Aitoloakarnania...
On the other side of the island is Porto Leone, a charming, little
bay so named by the Venetians who first drew up the maps of the area. Nearby
is an old bridge built many centuries ago. The pine forest is very rare and the
only other forests of this type are found on the Sporades
islands in the Aegean Sea. It is a thickly-grown verdant forest, powerful and
vibrant and home to many species of birds. The road from Kalamos to Episkopi also
leads down to the little beach of Ayios Konstantinos. Here, right in front of
the waves, there is a small and pretty private church dedicated to Ayios Donatos,
a saint encountered mainly in the Ionian Islands. Built in stone with a ceramic
tile roof, it stands alone with only the thick foliage to keep it company; soon
it will be in need of care, however, in order to protect it for the future.
Ayios Ioannis, which is one of the oldest churches on the island,
is almost completely ruined. A plaque still remains with an inscription (1648)
of the date when the church was most likely built. Other churches are the church
of Ayios Minas, the church of Episkopi, and Ayios Georgios in the cemetery.
The island has long been farmed. Its mountain is lower in the centre
and towards the south and is much easier to farm at this point. In the past there
was also vine cultivation, but all that remains of this today are the walls that
were used to hold the earth in. There are many olive trees and three windmills
at Agriapidia, where
the whole harvest would be gathered. Kalamos has small, mainly pebbly, beaches
with brilliantly clean waters, access to which is mainly from the sea.
Near the port are the beaches of Myrtia and Asproyiali, whilst further
south are Agriapidia, Pefkoi and Kefali with Kedros, Alexaki, Kipoi and Trachilos
to the west. The island also has some interesting caves.
The road that goes from Kalamos to Episkopi has not had much of an
effect on the landscape and is ideal for all those who delight in rambling through
a beautiful natural environment. The island has only a few cultural monuments.
It does, however, have a remarkable natural landscape and an atmosphere which
transports the visitor to eras long gone. ve a remarkable natural landscape and
an atmosphere which transports the visitor to eras long gone.
This text is cited April 2004 from the Prefecture of Lefkada URL below, which contains images
KASTOS (Island) IONIAN ISLANDS
Kastos is a low-lying, long and narrow little island covered in olive
trees and at which dozens of boats sailing over the Ionian Sea moor safely each
day. It is also an excellent place for fishing. It has only fifty permanent residents,
which rises to 500 in the summer when friends and relatives gather here.
Kastos has a greatest width of 900 metres and a surface area of six
square kilometres. It has many low hills, the tallest of which is no higher than
150 metres. The island's west coast is rugged, whilst the east coast has many
small beaches, which can be accessed from land or the sea. These are Ambelakia
and Fyki in the south, Vali, Koilada, Ayios Aimilianos, Limni, Kamini and Vrisidi...
There are only a few roads on the island, and it is for this reason
that there are no cars. The distances are very short and the people move around
on foot and, of course, by boat. Every resident of the island has his own boat
or small speedboat. The Saracene bay, the natural bay on the west of the island,
also has a small mole which makes anchorage possible even during bad weather,
so that the island will not be cut off by the strong southerly winds...
At Kalikerimi there is an olive grove with very old olive trees. They
are tall with thick trunks and giant roots which indicate that they must be several
hundred years old. At Ayios Aimilianos, a little to the north of the port of Kastos,
there is a small cave, Fokotrypa (Seal Hole). It is around 30 metres deep with
a little sand within it. From its name we can conclude that in the past seals
would seek refuge here. The island's pathways provide for pleasurable walks and
are generally quite accessible and straight.
The view from the pathway along the ridge which goes towards the north
is exceptional. In addition, the small road which was recently built provides
for a delightful stroll through the verdant landscape, which exudes a sense of
peace and calm. The ancient remains at Vigla are evidence for the possible relationship
of the island with Meganisi
and Kalamos from ancient
times (the Tafios islands).
Kastos is linked by caique with mainland Greece. There are a few connections
each day to and from the coast of Mytikas
on the other side of the island, which is also Kastos' central marketplace. The
caique is the island's only connection to the outside world. The island has fanatical
supporters who come here each summer to pass a few carefree and peaceful days
in an atmosphere that is different and in an environment that is still clean and
unpolluted, as though it were located on the edge of the world.
This extract is cited April 2004 from the Prefecture of Lefkada URL below, which contains images
KASTOS (Village) IONIAN ISLANDS
The village of Kastos is built around the harbour in an amphitheatre pattern.
The houses, most of which are boarded up, are very spread out on large plots of
land and surrounded by olive trees, giving a feel of comfort and openness. They
are all two-storey, made of stone and with red-tiled roofs and wooden window-shutters
painted in different colours. Many of these houses have large balconies with large
doors leading onto them. This picture exudes the comfort of earlier days, and
a visitor who comments that it is reminiscent of Greece in the 1960s would be
quite justified. The village has a few restaurants which specialise in seafood,
serving the fresh fish trawled up by the island's fishermen. A proper water supply
system was recently installed on Kastos, thus easing the lives of the residents.
This extract is cited April 2004 from the Prefecture of Lefkada URL below, which contains images
MEGANISSI (Island) IONIAN ISLANDS
Meganisi is a small island covered in vegetation lying to the east
of Lefkada with an area of almost 20 square kilometres and a permanent population
of 1,200. It lies at a distance of four nautical miles from Nydri,
with which there is a daily ferry-boat connection. It has three villages, Vathy,
Katomeri and Spartochori,
and three quaint ports, Spilia
at Spartochori, Atherino at Katomeri and Vathy. The island's capital is the village
of Katomeri, which is located high above Vathy and is also the seat of the Municipality
of Meganisi.
In ancient times Meganisi was probably known as the island of the
Tafiots. This name appears for the first time in Homer, probably taken from the
myth of Tafios, son of Poseidon and King of the region. Homer mentions that, when
he left for Troy, Odysseus
entrusted King Mentor of the Tafiots with his ships.
Other people believe that Meganisi was the island of Asteria, which
is also mentioned by Homer. On Meganisi there are still several bays in which
ships sailing over the Ionian Sea can find shelter. These include Ambelaki, Balos,
Platiyiali, Svourna, Kolopoulos, Dichali, Limonari, Elia, Limni, whilst there
are also caves in the south-east of the island. The most noted of these is the
so-called Cave of Papanikolis. This is a cave situated in the sea on the island's
south-west coast; it is around 30 metres deep and has sand in its interior. Tradition
has it that this was one of the hiding places for Papanikolis' submarine, so that
the enemy would not spot it.
It is also said that during the period of Turkish rule a priest (papas)
and his students sought refuge here in order to save themselves from the pirates.
Other interesting caves are the Giovani cave, a little further above the Cave
of Papanikolis, and the Daimonas cave. These beautiful caves can only be reached
via the sea. Every day, small caiques come here and to the island's surrounding
sandy beaches, giving the visitor to Meganisi the opportunity to view this exceptional
scene, with the sheer, hanging cliffs. The villages consist of small farmers'
houses, many of which are stone-built.
The pretty little streets, tiny like 'kantounia' or alleyways, evoke
other eras and the few cars which exist on the island, as well as the small bus
which serves all the island's residents and visitors, are careful when moving
around. Spartochori is built above the port of Spilia on high cliffs with an exceptional
view. The area is a luscious green. Pine trees reach out until as far as the edge
of the sea and provide the perfect shade for walking. The ascent up the footpath
from the port to the village high above is made easier with the help of some small
steps. Somewhere in the middle of this walk there is a small opening onto the
Cave of the Cyclops, which is still unexplored.
Many locals believe that this cave is very large and it is quite likely
that the area took its name from the cave, as 'spilia' means cave in Greek. Katomeri
is three kilometres further down.
The small and spartan, clean little houses also provide the stamp
of the rural life of the village's inhabitants. Those who have stayed are farmers
and fishermen, whilst those who left were expert boatmen and sea captains. Olives
and vines are the main cultivations here as well. Large olive groves, such as
the Misoi olive grove, with giant olive trees which grow on the plateaus and on
slopes fixed with dry stone walls so that they will hold well in the earth, everywhere
fill the landscape. The area thus once had many olive-presses, both privately
and cooperatively owned, only a few of which survive today. There is, however,
one machine which still operates normally. This is the Zavitsanos olive-presses
in the village of Spartochori. The Municipality of Meganisi has recently undertaken
to restore the horse-drawn olive-press of Panoutsos at Vathy and to turn it into
an industrial museum.
Many abandoned windmills are scattered around on the high peaks over
which the winds blow; these were at their most glorious in an earlier period,
in the 19th and 20th centuries. Most of these are on raised areas above the port
of Atherinos. They are situated at points where they will be found by the south,
west and east winds. These mills were all privately owned and usually took the
nicknames of their owners, such as the mills of Bakolas, Patsis or of Hymos. One
of these, Paliomylas (Old Mill) still stands proudly, solidly built in stone,
even though its roof is missing. There are many, around forty, threshing floors
here still, located high up, made of stone and remnants of the old farming life.
They were worked non-stop, so as to separate the wheat from the other produce.
One of these is the Konidaris threshing floor. The island's little water was drawn
from wells which were opened at various points on the island. Today only a few
wells are still in operation, although they stand out for their artistic quality.
Most of them are built in stone and have very low circular walls with
small openings above. The well of Ferentinos at Spilia as well as Rementanis'
well-known one are typical. The island has many valuable Christian monuments.
The small monastery of Ayios Ioannis Prodromos (St John the Baptist) is built
on the pebbly beach on the west of the island. It may no longer have any fine
wall-paintings or architecture to show, but it does have a great history. Without
having been fully confirmed, tradition has it that the monastery was founded before
1477. It is said that it was destroyed by pirates who then threw the Saint's icon
into the sea, from where a fisherman dragged it up in his nets. In 1800, the monk
Ioannis Patrikis, who was from a rich family and much loved on Ithaki and also
on Meganisi, which he visited often, sent a nun over to rebuild the monastery.
The nun made constant appeals for money, along with her assistant
the Meganisian Vasilis Politis. It is said that for this purpose they even reached
as far as the Tsar of Russia. The monastery was finally rebuilt and the nun remained
there until her death. Her grave lies between the foundations of the old and new
walls of the sanctuary. It is believed that the church of the cemetery of the
Ayioi (Saints) Constantine and Eleni, which belongs to the parish of Vathy, was
built in 1620 and the style of the wall-paintings generally fits in with this
date. It is a single-aisled wooden-sculpted church with a built iconostasis.
Sections of a wall-painting representing a horse-backed saint, Ayios
Georgios, were recently found under a thick layer of plaster. There is evidence
that monks lived here before the church was built. In 1790 the shipowner Malamas
restored the temple and donated the land to the cemetery. The new windows which
were opened during the restoration destroyed a part of the wall-painting of Ayios
Georgios. The church of Ayios Nikolaos is also ttached to a cemetery and was recently
restored. It is located in the area of the plain, a little outside of Bosoi, and
dates to the early 19th century.
Meganisi is an island full of unadulterated natural beauty, it is
hospitable and peaceful, without many cars and noisy activities.It is ideal for
walking along the many footpaths which cover the island and the narrow roads which
have little traffic. And it is especially ideal for all those who seek simplicity
and authenticity. The Meganisians, who love their island, are respectful towards
the environment and take good care of it, preserving its features unadulterated.
activities.It is ideal for walking along the many footpaths which cover the island
and the narrow roads which have little traffic. And it is especially ideal for
all those who seek simplicity and uthenticity. The Meganisians, who love their
island, are respectful towards the environment and take good care of it, preserving
its features unadulterated.
This text is cited April 2004 from the Prefecture of Lefkada URL below, which contains images
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