Page 121 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

A hidden cove with sparkling turquoise water on Sámos

THE NORTHEAST

AEGEAN ISLANDS

Although the islands in the Northeast Aegean are
neighbours, all with lively fishing industries and
sharing a common history of rule by the Genoese,
they are culturally distinct, encompassing a range
of landscapes and lifestyles. Sámos and Híos were
prominent in ancient times, although few traces of
that former glory remain. Sámos became a major
maritime power, conquering the surrounding
islands – and making inroads into the Cyclades –
under the tyrant Polykrates in the 6th century BC.
Ruled by the Byzantine Empire, followed by the
Genoese and then the Ottomans, Híos became rich
off the production of mastic resin. Its preeminent
monastery, Néa Moní, was one of the most
influential in the Greek Islands, accruing wealth
and power over hundreds of years. Similarly,
Límnos was ruled by both the Genoese and
Ottomans. Its volcanic topography led to
mythology labelling it as the landing place of
Hephaistos, the metalworking god cast out of
Olympus by Zeus. Nearby Lesvos, the third-largest
Greek island, was a popular holiday destination for
ancient Romans, as well as home to Sappho, one of
the greatest poets produced by ancient Greece.
Today, the islands remain distinct, with some
islands – like Lesvos – particularly known for the
eccentricity of its residents.
121

120-121_EW_Greek_Islands.indd 121 27/11/2018 17:20