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Location |
Kalamos is not a common island. It has 20qm² surface and its highest mountain is 200m. It is a mountain range floating in the sea, with the north side of the island full of vegetation, with pine trees reaching to the sky. There grows a special local species of pine trees. They grow everywhere on the island, even on the most rugged places, creating a unique scenery that strikes the eye from a distance. There live about 530 inhabitants. During summer the number increases, since relatives and friends spend the summer there.
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The centre of the island is the harbour of Kalamos in the east. A lot of boats moor there, either to visit the island or to find shelter from bad weather. The construction works to widen the harbour will increase its capacity as well as facilitate sea transport. A caique from and to Mytikas, in the mainland is the only means of transportation for passengers as well as for various goods.
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Sightseeing |
Kalamos is a simple, rural island. Stone houses looking over the harbour, built almost next to each other, with narrow alleys. The road from the harbour to the village goes uphill and has a lot of twists and turns. The few vehicles are used mainly for transportation and drive very carefully in the narrow streets. A new road that starts from Kalamos and goes uphill through an amazing pine forest ends at the other hamlet of the island, called Episkopi.
There a few houses that are inhabited only during summer. It seems as if time has stood still there.
There is a new small port which the inhabitants use for mooing their boats, a necessary transportation means here. Mytikas in the mainland is only 10minutes away by sea. Nearby lie the remains of the fort of Kalamos, called Kastromonastiro. Only parts of the high walls with their beautiful arches can be seen now.
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Little is known about this impressive monument. It is said that the mother of Karaiskakis -the hero of 1821 Greek War of Independence- is buried here. The fort is integrated in a restoration program. On the other tip of the island lies Porto Leone, a picturesque small bay. Venetians gave the bay this name while mapping the area. Nearby lies also an old bridge that must have been built centuries ago. The pine forest is one of the rarest. It is said that such a forest exists only on Sporades, in the Aegean. The forest is dense, green and vivid. It is a habitat for many species of birds. The road from Kalamos to Episkopi leads also to a very small beach called Aghios Konstantinos. There stands the beautiful chapel of Aghios Donatos, a saint worshipped mainly in the Ionian region. It is stonebuilt and has got a tilled roof.
It stands there alone with the dense vegetation keeping it company. However it will soon need to be restored in order to remain in a good state. One of the oldest churches on the island, the church of Aghios Ioannis, is almost half in ruins. However a marble stone on which one can read the date "1648", refers probably to the consecration year. Other churches are the church of Aghios Minas, the church of Episkopi, and the church of Aghios Georghios. In the interior and to the south the mountain is lower, facilitating this way the soil cultivation. In the past there were vineyards as well, today however you can only see the dry stone walls that used to keep the soil together.
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In Agriapidia stand three windmills, that were used to grind the wheat of the region. The beaches on Kalamos are mainly pebbly beaches with crystal clear water, accessible usually from the sea. Myrtia and Asprogiali lie near the harbour, further south lie Agriapidia, Pefkoi and Kefali, whereas in the west lie Kedros, Alexaki, Kipoi and Trahilos. The island has also got caves worth visiting. The road to Kalamos did not change the landscape. It is ideal for hiking.
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Entertainment |
There are traditional tavernas where you can taste food and wine. We recommend the traditional fish dishes and you should certainly try the fresh fish and the various seafood.
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Beaches |
Kalamos has mostly got pebbly beaches with crystal clear water accessible mostly from sea. Near the harbour you will find Myrtia and Asprogiali further south lie Agriapidia, Pefkoi and Kefali, whereas in the west you can visit Kedros, Alexaki, Kipoi and Trahilos.
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Transportation |
For those of you who don' t have a boat, there are caiques from and to the mainland (the coast of Mytikas) on a daily basis
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View forecast from meteo.gr
