The Island of Thasos and its History
Thasos, the northernmost of the islands of the Aegean Sea, is of volcanic origin, mountainous, and of great natural beauty. Situated close by the mainland, its nearest point is 10km from the mouth of the Nestos, and it thus faces the boundary between Macedonia and Thrace.
Boats at the harbour of Thasos
Politicaly the island forms an eparchy of the Macedonian nome of Kavala. Its area is 399 sq. km; almmost circular in shape, it has a lenght from N to S of c 24km and a width of c 19km. Its highest point is Mt. Hypsarion (1142m), nearly in the centre. The mountain sides are covered with forests, pines, planes, and chestnut trees predominating; the timber has always been in demand for shipbuilding.
The population of ca. 18,000 is distributed between the capital Limenas and ten other villages, of which the most modern is Limenaria, on the SW coast, where zinc workings are exploited. In the coastal areas tobacco and olives are cultivated. A road encircles the island: otherwise the only means of communication is by mule track. There is good water in the island. The marble quarries of Thasos have always been famous; the gold mines earned in antiquity for the island the epithet of 'golden'. Minerals worked today include silver, antimony, and zinc.
From Limenas, an asphalt road leads in 35 minutes past a classical cemetary to Makri Ammos, a pleasant beach with several tavernas.
The delightful inland villages can be easily reached. The road rises through pine-woods, and, crossing a ridge, emerges on a ledge (with a view of the beautiful Bay of Potamia). 5km Panayia has a square with two gushing fountains, shaded by plane-trees. 6.5km Potamia, slightly larger, with steep stone streets and old Turkish houses, is a starting-point for the ascent of Mt Hypsarion (1142m) in 2-3 hours.
The road, now part of the island round (92km), continues down the E coast. The island abounds in unexcavated Hellenic and medieval remains. On Cape Pirgos, in the NE, are some remains of an ancient lighthouse inscribed as his own tomb and memorial by one Akeratos. Vestiges of ancient Koinyra may be found farther S. At Aliki are ancient marble quarries, an Archaic sanctuary and two excavated basilican churches. The best preserved of many Hellenic towers is near Thimonia, the greatest concentration of them near Astris; they were probably for defence against pirates. Beyond Astris the road passes the Theologos turn before reaching (54km) Limenaria, a centre (ca. 2,000 inhab.) of cadmium mining. Theologos, in the Dipotamos valley below the S slope of Hypsarion, was the medieval capital. In Theologos there is the house of Mehmet Ali's youth survives and remains of a castle (Koufokastro) crown a hill to the SE.
From Limenaria the road follows the W coast passing many small pensions and camping places amid the pines. Ormos Prinou, incorrectly but more usually called Prino, is ca. 16km short of Limenas (by bus).
The beach of Aliki in Thasos
