THASSOS
an untouched oasis
NICKNAMED “GREECE’S EMERALD ISLAND” IT OFFERS AN INCREDIBLY VARIED FLORA AND FAUNA:TORQUOISE-WATER BEACHES, RED-SANDED BEACHES, MOUNTAINS, A STUNNING NATURAL POOL, WATERFALLS, ANCIENT OLIVE GROVES, FORESTS, THE RENOWNED THASSOS MARBLE THAT FORMS SPECTACULAR SCENERY.
DUE TO ITS SPECIAL LOCATION, MOST OF THESE SPECIAL ECO-SYSTEMS ARE UNEXPLORED AND REMAIN UNTOUCHED BY TOURISM.
THE AUSPICIOUS SETTING’S BENEFITS ARE NOT LIMITED TO THEIR BEAUTY: MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY HAVE VARIOUS HEALTH BENEFITS. THE WATER AND THE AIR HAVE SPECIAL CHEMICAL CONCENTRATIONS THAT DOCTORS IN THE WORLD RECOMMEND TO VISIT THASSOS TO AID RESPIRATORY, METABOLIC AND FLUID-RETENTION-RELATED ISSUES.
the history of Thassos
THASSOS’ HISTORY IS ALSO DEEPLY INTERTWINED WITH ITS EXTRA-ORDINARY NATURE AND PRISTINE BEACHES.
ACCORDING TO THE LEGEND, THE ISLAND WAS NAMED AFTER THASSOS, THE SON OF THE PHOENICIAN KING AGENOR. THASSOS WAS SAID TO HAVE JOURNEYED ACROSS THE SEAS IN SEARCH OF HIS SISTER EUROPA, WHO HAD BEEN ABDUCTED BY ZEUS. HE WAS SO CAPTIVATED BY ITS CHARM AND RESOURCES THAT HE DECIDED TO MAKE IT ITS HOME.
THE ISLAND'S WEALTH WASN'T JUST IN ITS BEAUTY BUT ALSO IN ITS ABUNDANT NATURAL RESOURCES. THASSOS BECAME RENOWNED FOR ITS GOLD MINES AND MARBLE QUARRIES. AROUND THE 7TH CENTURY BCE, SETTLERS FROM THE ISLAND OF PAROS FOUNDED A COLONY ON THASSOS, MARKING THE BEGINNING OF A PROSPEROUS ERA.
BEFORE EMBARKING ON THEIR JOURNEY, THESE SETTLERS SOUGHT GUIDANCE FROM THE FAMED ORACLE OF DELPHI. THE ORACLE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE PYTHIA, DELIVERED A PROPHECY THAT LED THEM TO THE ISLAND OF THASSOS. INSPIRED BY THE ORACLE'S WORDS, THE PARIAN SETTLERS BELIEVED THEIR NEW HOME WOULD BRING PROSPERITY AND SUCCESS, WHICH INDEED IT DID.
UNDER GREEK INFLUENCE, THASSOS FLOURISHED. THE ISLANDERS BUILT MAGNIFICENT TEMPLES, DEDICATED TO GODS LIKE APOLLO AND HERACLES, WHOSE WORSHIP WAS CENTRAL TO THEIR SOCIETY. THE ECONOMY THRIVED ON THE TRADE OF MARBLE, WINE, AND HONEY.
GREEK SETTLES WERE NOT THE ONLY ONES ATTRACTED BY THASSOS’S BEAUTY. LEGENDS ALSO SPEAK OF THE MYSTICAL MERMAIDS OF THASSOS, WHO WERE BELIEVED TO INHABIT THE SURROUNDING SEAS. THESE ENCHANTING SEA MAIDENS, WITH THEIR MESMERIZING SONGS AND ETHEREAL BEAUTY, WERE SAID TO PROTECT THE ISLAND AND ITS INHABITANTS. SAILORS AND FISHERMEN OFTEN REPORTED SIGHTINGS OF THESE MERMAIDS, ATTRIBUTING THEIR SAFE VOYAGES AND ABUNDANT CATCHES TO THE MERMAIDS' BENEVOLENCE. IT IS THOUGHT THAT DURING ANCIENT GREEK HERO ODYSSEUS (ULYSSES)’S LEGENDARY VOYAGE RECOUNTED IN HOMER'S EPIC, HE MIGHT HAVE ENCOUNTERED THESE VERY MERMAIDS, WHOSE ENCHANTING VOICES ARE SAID TO HAVE BEEN THE SAME SIRENS HE CLEVERLY EVADED.
ADDING TO ALYKI’S UNIQUE CHARM, WHERE OUR HOUSES ARE LOCATED, IS ITS DEEP HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. MILLENNIA AGO, THE PHOENICIANS QUARRIED AND LOADED THASSIAN MARBLE ONTO THEIR SHIPS HERE. YOU CAN SWIM IN THE CRYSTAL-CLEAR WATERS BESIDE THE SUNKEN QUARRY, WHERE SEAWATER MINGLES WITH FRESH SPRINGS, OR VISIT THE ROMAN THEATRE, DATING FROM 197 B.C., AND EXPLORE THE RUINS OF BYZANTINE CHURCHES BUILT UPON ANCIENT ROMAN TEMPLES, ALL WHILE ADMIRING THE STUNNING VIEWS OF THE OPEN NORTHEASTERN AEGEAN SEA.
ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT SITE ON THE ISLAND IS THE MONASTERY OF ARCHANGEL MICHAEL, PERCHED DRAMATICALLY ON A CLIFF OVERLOOKING THE SEA. FOUNDED IN THE BYZANTINE ERA, THE MONASTERY IS DEDICATED TO THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL, WHO IS SAID TO HAVE APPEARED TO A MONK AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO BUILD THE MONASTERY IN THAT VERY SPOT. THE MONASTERY HAS HISTORICAL TIES WITH THE MONASTERY OF PHILOTHEOU ON MOUNT ATHOS AND IS HOME TO A SISTERHOOD OF NUNS. IT REMAINS AN IMPORTANT PILGRIMAGE SITE, OFFERING BREATHTAKING VIEWS AND A SERENE ATMOSPHERE FOR CONTEMPLATION.
TODAY, THASSOS REMAINS A JEWEL OF THE AEGEAN, WHERE THE WHISPERS OF ITS HISTORY BLEND SEAMLESSLY WITH THE NATURAL BEAUTY THAT HAS CAPTIVATED HEARTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR MILLENNIA. THE ISLAND'S STORY IS ONE OF RESILIENCE, BEAUTY, AND A TIMELESS CONNECTION TO THE LAND AND SEA THAT SURROUND IT. AND, AS THE LOCALS SAY, IF YOU LISTEN CLOSELY TO THE WAVES AT NIGHT, YOU MIGHT STILL HEAR THE ENCHANTING SONGS OF THE MERMAIDS, GUARDIANS OF THASSOS’S ENDURING MAGIC AND REMINDERS OF ITS LINK TO THE EPIC JOURNEYS OF OLD.