North Aegean Islands are unique. They are located at the intersection of three continents - Africa, Asia and Europe. And it is precisely due to this feature that very bright cultures, interesting traditions and way of life have been formed in their territories. It is important to note that Turkey owns only two islands - Gokceada and Bozcaada, which in Greek are called Imvros and Tenedos. All others belong to Greece.
Lesbos
If you talk about the Aegean Islands, then you need to start with the largest of them. And that is Lesvos, which covers an area of 1632.81 km². Here's what you should know about him:
- The oldest human settlements on Lesvos were formed 500-200 thousand years ago.
- The first known settlements date back to the beginning of the third millennium BC.
- The oldest native of the island, whose name is known all over the world, is the poet Terpander (VIII century BC).
- In the Middle Ages, Lesvos was captured by the Genoese and transferred to the possession of the Gattilusio family.
- In 1462 he came to the islandOttoman Sultan Mehmed II. He took over Lesbos.
- In 1912, the Greek Aegean fleet, commanded by Pavlos Kountouriotis, recaptured the island.
Today Lesvos is a popular resort where people from all over the world come to indulge in beach holidays and enjoy the sea. Here, by the way, it is inexpensive even for a Russian tourist. Prices for accommodation in budget hotels start from 1,300 rubles.
Lemnos
The second largest Aegean island. It covers an area of 477.58 km². And very few people live on it - about 17,000 (according to the latest statistics, 2001). And here are some interesting facts about this island:
- In Greek mythology, Lemnos is known as the island of the god of fire - Hephaestus.
- It is of volcanic origin. Lemnos is composed mainly of tuffs and shales.
- Mirina is the capital of the island, where more than 1/3 of its population lives. The city, by the way, was named after the wife of the first king of Lemnos.
- The main attraction of the island is Poliochni, a city of Hellenic civilization, which has been awarded the status of a European Cultural Park.
Interestingly, among the Greek islands, the Aegean Lemnos is one of the most obscure. This is known to connoisseurs of a relaxing holiday, who come here for peace and solitude. Lemnos has many beautiful beaches and coves. Prices, as in Lesbos, are low - the cost of accommodation in hotels starts from 2,000 rubles per day.
Thassos
You can not ignore this Aegean island. It is the third largest, and its territory is 380 km². Here are the most interesting things about this island:
- Thassos has a he althy and pleasant climate. Even Hippocrates once praised him.
- In the 15th century, the Ottomans conquered this island, but the Turkish colonization practically did not affect it. In 1912, he moved to Greece.
- The island is so small that you can drive around it in a day on a motorcycle.
- Thassos is only 12 kilometers away from mainland Greece.
Like many other Aegean islands, tourism is well developed here. There are many good hotels with the same low prices as in the previous resorts already mentioned. Thassos is usually chosen for family holidays, as there are very few nightclubs and noisy establishments, but there are many clean sandy and pebble beaches.
Gökceada
This is, as mentioned at the very beginning, the Turkish East Aegean island. It occupies an area of 286.84 km², and about 8-9 thousand people live in this territory. Here is what this island is interesting for:
- Initially Gokceada was inhabited by the Pelasgians. This is a people that existed before the Mycenaean civilization. But in the fifth century BC, the Persians captured the island.
- At the beginning of the last century, 97.5% of the inhabitants of the island were Greeks.
- In July 1993, Turkish citizens from the mainland began to move to Gokceada. This led to a mass migration of the Greek population. At the time of the 2000 census, there were only 250 people among all the inhabitantsturned out to be Greeks.
- The main local attraction is the medieval castle in Kaleköy.
- An extinct volcano is located in the south of the island. It is also the highest point of Gokceada.
Tourism is not developed here, as all visitors prefer to go to the popular resorts of Turkey.
Samotrucks
This small Aegean island of Greece covers an area equal to 177.96 km². Samothraki is very small, and only three thousand people live on its territory. And then, the majority - in the largest city called Kamariotisa. Here's what to say about him:
- You can drive from one end of the island to the other in just 15 minutes by car.
- The highest point is Mount ΣάΜος reaching 5,000 feet. At all times, she acted as a marine landmark.
- Samothrace has long been famous for the Kabir mysteries (worships). They took place in the so-called Sanctuary of the Great Gods. Today this place is known as Paleopolis.
- In 70 BC Samothrace became a province of the Roman Empire.
- It was on this island that the statue of Nike of Samothrace was found in 1863 and is now kept in the Louvre in Paris.
Despite the fact that Samothraki is very small, beach and ecological tourism is developed on its territory.
Agios Efstratios
The area of this island is only 43.32 km². On Agios Efstratiosan arid climate reigns, it itself is a rocky area composed of volcanic rocks. There is very little vegetation here, which is due to the origin of the island.
Agios Efstratios is isolated and not officially used for tourism purposes. Agriculture is also poorly developed here - few crops are grown. Most of the locals are engaged in fishing, as well as the production of cheese and wine. And by the way, only 3-4 hundred people live here.
However, this is not some unsociable wild island. Agios Efstratios is very beautiful and neat. He welcomes his guests with white houses, quiet harbors and numerous vineyards. There is only one city here - Hora. It has several restaurants, taverns, guest houses and small hotels. There are also interesting places. This is the cave of Agios Efstratios, where the patron saint of the island, the Byzantine church and the sea gorges Tripya Spilia and Fokia have long lived.
Bozcaada
At the end of the story about the North-Eastern Aegean Islands, I would like to dwell on about. Bozcaada, owned by Turkey. It is very tiny - its area is only 36 km². However, this Aegean island has an interesting and rich history, despite its size. Here are some fun facts about Bozcaada:
- Only five kilometers separates it from the coast of Asia Minor.
- Bozcaada was the base of the Russian fleet during the blockade of the Dardanelles.
- 10 km from it are the Rabbit Islands, which are strategically important (right next toentrance to the Dardanelles).
- Winemaking is well developed on Bozcaada.
- Many tourists come here for diving.
Well, as you can see, even such a small island is of some interest. There are still quite a few of them in the Aegean, but all of the above are the most famous, so it was impossible not to tell about them.
