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| The Dodecanese |
 The Dodecanese (Dodeka-nisa, meaning "twelve islands") Hellenic islands in the Aegean Sea, at the borders of Europe. 163 islands and only 26 are inhabited. Part of the Aegean Civilization conserve their heritage. Even the smallest inhabited islands boast dozens of Byzantine churches and medieval castles. The twelve islands; successfully infuse modern elements into a traditional setting.In some isolated villages, you can witness a world unto itself, where residents preserve tradition almost religiously. Each island shows great folkloric and architectural interest. You will find here a wonderful blend of architectural styles of eastern and western cultures. All villages preserve intensively the traditional dodecanesian style. Almost every island has its Classical remains, its Crusaders, Castle, and its traditional villages.  Rhodes (Rodos), which for millennia has been the island from which the region is controlled. Of the others, Kos is the historically most important; the remaining ten are Astipalea, Kalimnos, Karpathos, Kassos, Kastellorizo, Leros, Nisyros, Patmos, Simi, and Tilos.Wander in narrow cobbled lanes, chat with islanders sitting under a red bucenvilia at a tavern tasting local delis and sipping ouzo or let your heart leap up when you behold the porhyr sun disk diving into the Aegean Sea. "The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware." Henry Miller |
