Islands
that invite us along with the gods to take an imaginary voyage
through the waters of the Aegean, to places in close
contact with the dream, legend, poetry, and brine that adorn
the olive trees of Mytilini, the vines of Samos and the mastic
trees of Chios.
Here
Europe is just a stones throw from Asia and history is
interwoven with legend. It was here that Icarus fell into the
sea during man's first attempt to conquer the sky.
Here you find the natural surroundings that call forth poetry,
not in the sense of versification but of true creation .
Here
you see beautiful Neoclassical houses next to crystalline water,
here folk art has done wonders with wood, clay and colour, reaching
its peak in the paintings of Theophilos.
Here philosophers like Pittakos once governed, and governors
like Polykrates philosophized.
The vines of Samos provided nectar for Olympos.
Today
its fresh fish and aromatic ouzo provide pleasure, not just
for the gods but for all who visit. Here, apart from the larger
islands of Lesvos, Samos, Chios, Limnos, and Ikaria, you'll
also find countless smaller ones little jewels like Fourni,
Inoussai, Psara, Lipsi and many others.
Here youll find early Christian churches and country chapels
with dazzling white belfries. Here blinding white coexists with
grey dry stone walls, cool mornings with hot noons, tranquil
days with windy ones, fishermen and poets, who from Homer, Sappho
and Alcaeus down to Seferis and the living Nobel laureate from
Mytilini, Odysseas Elytis, have written about and been inspired
by the Aegean.