​Wellness Trips in the Mediterranean

Nisyros is one of the Dodecanese islands located between Kos and Tilos. Nestling among the hills in the Northwest of the island lays the main town and port of Nisyros, Mandraki.
The island has 1000 inhabitants, who lives in the 4 cities of the island, which is about 41 sq. kilometers (25 sq. miles). The city Mandraki is where majority of the population lives and is a busy little town, with whitewashed houses, as well as quite a few traditional natural stone houses. The center of the town boasts a charming square where locals and tourists sit in the evenings to enjoy the culinary delights in the many taverns.
 

History:
The island was originally called Porphyris (Red Island) after the red color that was produced here by boiling a special shell. People from Asia Minor settled on Nisyros in the 2nd Millennia BC, and from an early stage they traded with the surrounding islands and Crete. In 1312 the knights of St. John took hold of the island and two years later, the Venetians settled here. Pirates kept raiding the island and several fortresses were built as a response. Nisyros was taken by the Turks in the early 16th century, and was given to the Italians in 1912. It was finally liberated in 1948, after both German and British soldiers had occupied the island during World War 2
Mandraki is built below the imposing rock where the Monastery of the Panagia Spiliani stands. The Castle of Spiliani dominates the harbor from heights of 150 meter (164 yards), a memento from the knights passing. The view from here is unique revealing the harbor, black volcanic rock shores and the islets of Gyali, Pergousa, Strongyli and Pachia in the background. In the Castle`s courtyard stands the monastery of the Panagia (Virgin Mary) the patron saint of the island, on the same site where around the 4th century B.C the walls of the old city and remains of temples and ancients cemeteries used to exist
 

What to see:
The buses that travel to the volcano starts of from the waterfront, while travelling to the mountainous picturesque village of Nikia, we meet the impressive volcano crater in the area of Lakki. As we approach the crater the vegetation almost disappears and the scenery becomes dry and wild. The island`s centre is the semi-active caldera formed by the volcano`s eruption 24.000 years ago, covering the sides of the island with layer of pumice stones 100 meters (110 yards) thick. One of the three volcano craters- with a diameter of 260 meter (284 yards) and depth of 30 meter (33 yards) – reveals itself creating a feeling of awe to all those present. The path trails down to the crater-bed where sulfur steams out of little holes from the earth, which the locals call “xefisistres”. To see the volcano you will have to wear mountain boots or shoes with thick soles because of the high temperatures developed at the bottom of the crater.