Seriphos

Cyclades


"A setting to shoot a thriller". That's what a friend said as the ship was aproaching the port of Seriphos. The island, from a distance, was looking dry, treeless, almost frightening and inhospitable for any living creature.

In fact Seriphos has a lot of springs, and water running through lush creeks with turtles and frogs. Legent has it that the frogs of Seriphos are mute, but that is not true at all. As you walk through any valley with a small pool, the frogs start croacking surprising you all at once. The only ugly living surprise on Seriphos is the millions of mosquitos that will attack the unprotected. Don't set foot on Seriphos without mosquito repellent.

Hikers are going to be busy walking on Seriphos for at least two days.

The first one-day walk will take you to the agricultural and serene side of Seriphos, through villages, monasteries, and old paths. Mark S. dubin in his book "Greece on Foot" has described this route in detail.

The second 8-hours' walk is going to take you to the ex-industrial side of Seriphos, to the area of the mines, at the south-west. From the port take the road to Koutalas beaches. Then from behind the abandoned mansions, head north ascending the marked goat-path to the hill top. There you will meet the ancient marble tower Aspropyrgos. From here you can either continue to Megalohorio from the road, or take the path to the east that will lead you to Seriphos town.

porto_catena_or_koutalas
The port of Koutalas, as seen while ascending to Aspropyrgos (above).



taxiarxon_fortified_monastery

The Taxiarhon Monastery, as seen by Giuseppe Gerola, on June 14th, 1910. This fortified monastery was built in mid 17th century C.E., and became vary famous, and consequently very wealthy, during the following centuries. You will meet the monastery halfway your hike (see first walk above) between Galani and Kalitsos villages. The monastery is abandoned today, so if you want to see it, you will have to ask the island's priest for the keys.


A Selected Bibliography Concerning Seriphos

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1904

Bent J. Th., Aegean Islands,
chapter I, p.1-20

Dubin M.S., Greece on Foot,
1986, p.170-173

Ermano Armao, In giro per il Mar Egeo con Vincenzo Coronelli,
1951

Gerola G., Serfino,
Annuario della R. Scuola Archeologica di Athene, vol.III, p.203-241, 1921

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�������� �������� ���������� �������, 1961, �.484-486

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1987

O Connor V.C. Scott, Isles of the Aegean,
1929, chapter XVI, p.328-334

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1978

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������� �������� ������������ ������������, ���.�, �.205-211


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