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... REGION: Macedonia ... Island of Thassos The emerald island of Thassos – mythical land of the Sirens – rises out of the sapphire waves like a jewel in the Northern Aegean. Brimming with history and tradition, the island delights the visitor with its natural beauty, the constant interchange between green and blue that one meets at every comer and cove. Its lush vegetation – woods thich with plane trees, oaks, cedars, chestnuts and pines – never ceases to astonish, and the terrain, rich in marble, takes on shapes and contours encountered nowhere else. In the northeast, the scenery is wild; its steep, green gulUes and amazing coastline contrast sharply with the serene landscape of the southwest part of Thassos, where land and sea join in unruffled shallow bays. After the pleasant boat ride from Keramoti or Kavala, the traveller disembarks at Limenas, the starting point for getting to know the island. Limenas or Thassos, the island’s capital on the northern shore, stands on the site of the ancient city. The island’s illustrious past has left its mark in the marble ruins and monuments that can still be seen today on the outskirts of town. Among the most interesting are the ancient Walls, which encircled the entire city (7th – 5th century B.C.), the Acropolis, the Agora, the Theater, the Temple of Pythian Apollo and the Choregic Monument in the garden of the Sanctuary of Dionysos, to mention just a few of the attractions. Also worth a visit, the Archaeological Museum contains pottery of various periods, statues, architectural components and coins, among other exhibits. The Vayi Museum in Potamia is also open to the public. One of the first things that strikes the visitor on setting foot on Thassos is the islanders’ intense devotion to tradition. This is immediately apparent in their buildings but also in their way of life, and particularly noticeable in the mountain villages of Theologos, Prinos, Panayia and Paries. Here looking at their houses or observing a few of their daily customs or part of a religious festival is like peering into the past. The houses with their high thick walls and flower gardens are turned inward, shutting out the rest of the world, a hold over from the days of pirates and other marauders. On the other hand, the enclosed wooden balconies and slate roofs are authentic examples of local folk architecture with several elements borrowed from Epirus and Macedonia. Beautifully in tune with their surroundings, the islanders keep up their age – old legends, manners and customs. The festival held in the village of Limenaria, on the third day after Easter, is just one example of how the traditional ways are carried down from generation to generation. The villagers celebrate by dancing a local dance in costume, the men wearing breeches and black twin – peaked caps, while the women are decked out in long silk skirts, silk shawls and fur-trimmed pelisses. But Thassos has many other surpises in store for the visitor: Drives past echanting coves, opportunities for all kinds of excursions – whether to the sea or to the mountains – promising peace and relaxation in a splendid natural environment. The beaches at Makriamos (5 km. from Limenas), Archangelo, Aghios loannis, Limenaria, Potos, Pefkari, Aliki, Kinira and Skala Marion lure one for a swim in their cool, refreshing waters.

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