Page 194 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

27 depicting their wares mark
them out. Back down on the
NÍSYROS shoreline, the hub of nightlife
is Lefkándio district, which has
The main attractions in the
ΝΊΣΥΡΟΣ several bars.
town are the dramatic Castle of
the Knights Hospitaliers, built
g @ Mandráki harbour n www.nisyros.gr in 1325 atop a cliff, and the
EXPERIENCE The Dodecanese Mílos. Its 1,400-m- (4,594-ft-) high peak erupted and on a hilltop and dating from
Nísyros, an almost circular island, is on a volcanic line
gleamingly white Panagrías
Spilianís monastery, perched
that passes through Méthana, Santoríni, Póros and
around 1600. Inside the latter,
collapsed around 27,000 years ago, leaving a huge
a finely carved témbion holds
caldera. Everything flourishes in the volcanic soil here,
a Russian­style icon, decked in
and Nísyros is incredibly lush and green with terraces
gold and silver, of the Panagía
of olives, figs and almond trees contrasting with the
and Christ. The Folklore
strange grey and yellow moonscape of the craters.
Museum, on the way up to the
traditional island kitchen, a
1
octopus and tomatoes.
collection of local photo­
Mandráki with strings of drying onions, castle, has a reconstructed
graphs and embroideries. The
A maze of lanes converge at
By day, the island is swamped Platía Iróön, with its war Archaeological Museum,
with visitors from Kos (p186); memorial. Other roads go
but it becomes quiet once the south, away from the sea,
excursion boats have left. past the kípos (public
Boats dock at Mandráki, the orchard) to Platía
capital, which has tavernas, Ilikioménon, the main
accom modation, ticket agen­ square, which is
cies and buses shuttling shaded by a giant
visitors to the caldera. The ficus. Shops often
town’s narrow two­storey resemble houses
houses have brightly painted but traditional
wooden balconies, often hung painted signs

The Castle of the Knights
Hospitaliers overlooks
Mandráki, where octopus
dry in the streets (inset)
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