Travel guide NorThern Islands Of The Aegean Sea

The islands of the North Aegean do not meet the cliché that is too often associated with the Greek islands: pebbled rocks, made of arid rock. If the Cyclades are like that, it is not the case of the whole North Aegean, very green and wooded. Oaks, pines, olive trees, tamarisks, mulberry trees, plane trees or eucalyptus bring here freshness and serenity.

With the exception of the Sporades, the islands of the region face the great Turkish neighbor. Whether Chios or Samos, which are only a few steps from the Turkish coast, or the more distant islands, they have all been marked by their proximity to Asia Minor, benefiting from the sea routes to become rich, or receiving asylum seekers.

We all know this cliché of the Greek islands: a small port, a white chapel and languid cats. These felines are indeed everywhere, especially near the fish taverns that border the ports of the North Aegean. If you give them a few bones at the end of the meal, try to do it discreetly, to avoid the reproachful eye of the manager.

These two iced drinks, symbols of summer in Greece, are often confused. Theespresso freddo is prepared on the basis of a double espresso Italian style, while the frappé is a dilution of Nescafé to which milk is sometimes added. The amount of sugar varies according to each person, from the very sweet glyko to the sugar-free sketo, through the moderate metrio.

You will be greeted everywhere with a geia sas, pronounced "ya sas", to welcome you and say goodbye. Sometimes a simple geia, more familiar and friendly, can also suffice, once the relationship is somewhat established. You will use this greeting in many ways, and very often during your stay. A must remember!

The port, in Greek: it is a central place for all the islands, especially for the most isolated ones of the North Aegean which do not receive ferries from Athens or the neighboring islands every day. When the boat arrives, the excitement, or the sadness of leaving each other, rises: each departure is a little heartbreak, each arrival promises a new adventure.

Once in the North Aegean islands, we understand that Greece was the country of mythology. We imagine everywhere gods loving, angry, jealous, hedonistic... in a word: passionate! The islands of the North Aegean often have mythological origins, which will allow you to revise your classics, in Lemnos, Ikaria or Samos.

Who thinks of the sea, thinks of fresh fish... In the Greek islands, this is not necessarily the case, because not all waters are full of fish. The North Aegean is lucky: its waters are full of fish and shellfish. Whether it is the tuna of Alonissos, the lobster of Fourni or the sardines of Lesbos, the amateurs can be reassured.

As we know, time takes on a different value in the Greek islands. In season, almost all the schedules are flexible and depend as much on the number of people and customers as on the mood of the moment. You have to accept it, rather than get upset: it is part of the experience. So take your time, quietly, and learn to live siga siga!

The sirtaki is - wrongly - considered a traditional Greek folk dance: in reality, it was created for the film of Mr. Cacoyannis, Zorba the Greek, in 1964. The real folk dances of the North Aegean are numerous: you will have the opportunity to join in during the many summer celebrations, the panigyria.

A tavern on the Aegean Sea, that's about what happiness in the North Aegean can be summed up. You can eat home-made, traditional and simple dishes at any time. Not to be confused with a restaurant, estiatório, a little more sophisticated, or with an ouzeri, dedicated to the consumption of ouzo that is accompanied by mezzes to share.

The North Aegean islanders are proud of their traditions which have been maintained due to their relative isolation. These traditions are diverse and specific to each island. Take the time to discover them, whether at the Skyros Carnival, in the villages of Mastichochoria in Chios or in Ikaria where you will observe the century-old art of living.