Here’s the second in a three-part travelogue of several Greek island gems “off-the-beaten path” in the Aegean and the Ionian.

Samothrace: Verdant and utterly …mysterious

The northeast island of Samothrace is graced with a particularly beautiful and lush landscape, owing to fertile land, abundant mountain springs, micro lakes and towering peaks. For decades Samothrace has been known locally as a “camper’s paradise”, whereas its crystal clear waters and sandy beaches are also well regarded.
The island is also noteworthy for its antiquities. As most classicists known, the “Winged Victory” (Nike) was discovered on the isle in the 19th century.

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The Sanctuary of the Great Gods, located on the island, is one of the principal religious sanctuaries of the ancient Greek world. The site was celebrated during classical antiquity for its “mystery cult”, known as the “Cabeiri”.

Limnos (Lemnos): Home of the Aegean’s golden sand dunes

Another island in the northeast Aegean, Limnos is easily accessible and makes up for its distance from other destinations with more than two dozen sandy beaches and a variety of stone-built settlements.

Limnos also features something cherished by its recurring visitors, a very calm and relaxing environment for enjoying one’s holiday.

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The fortress of Myrina is one of the island’s man-made highlights, built during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Andronikos I in the late 12th century A.D. While there, a visitor can’t help but notice the nearly four dozen deer roaming within the structure’s premises.

Paxoi-Antipaxoi: With the trident and bear as its symbol

Located seven nautical miles south of the major Ionian island of Corfu, this small island chain is considered as a “boater’s paradise” in the Ionian. As opposed to the often arid landscape so reminiscent of the iconic Cyclades islands in the central Aegean, Paxoi-Antipaxoi are covered with pine trees, olive groves and a variety of other lush flora.

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According to Greek mythology, the small isles were created when Poseidon used his trident to break off a piece of Corfu, which he later used in as a … “lover’s sanctuary” when intimate with the nymph Amphytriti. That’s how the trident came about as a symbol, whereas the bear was used in the past to describe — often pejoratively — the residents of Anti-paxos, although the animal is now a symbol of the isle.