Summer is here for good so I thought to myself, why not write about one of the beautiful gems of the Aegean Sea. I also want to share my source of inspiration behind the title which is no other than my Uber driver Sergio originally from Peru. He picked me up at Boston’s Logan airport and when I told him I had just flown in from Greece his reaction genuinely made my day: “I don’t know much about history, he confessed, but isn’t that the place where all the gods used to live?”

Nisiros, located between Kos and Tilos, is a small chunk of land that according to greek mythology was created by Poseidon. Gods and Titans were at war. Zeus wanted to reclaim power from his father and the other titans who dominated earth. Cronus cunningly stole primacy from Uranus by severely wounding him with a scythe Earth had made for this purpose. During this period which is known as the ‘clash of the Titans’, an episode takes place in the Southern Aegean Sea where Titan Polivotis had found refuge from Zeus’ revenge. Poseidon then grasped a small piece of land from Kos, also known as the island of Hippocrates, and striked the chastened Titan who would eternally remain trapped under it. Legend has it that the roaring sound of the island’s volcano is no other than the enraged Titan’s desperate attempt to free himself from his doomed fate. “Don’t worry you’ll be safe and sound down there!”

Did you know? If you visit the Acropolis in Athens, you will have the chance to see a carving of Poseidon swinging the rock at Polivotis on the eastern metope of the Parthenon temple which is decorated with scenes from the infamous Titanomachy.*

*Titanomachy: composite greek word consisting of the words titan and machi: battle.

Photo: The crater of Polivotis. View from the caldera.

Mandraki, Nikia, Pali, Emporio, its four bulwarks. Nisiros could be an exciting and refreshing daily excursion accessible by sea from nearby islands such as Kos- a more popular destination- or Tilos, leaving you with nothing but colorful, delightful and vivid memories. I would recommend two days for a normal pace. Navigating your way there, it shares its territory with its sibling islands- Rhodes, Kos, Astipalaia, Karpathos  and a handful more- in the Southern Aegean Archipelago, the Dodecanese.* Combining natural beauty, slightly altered by human intervention, local gastronomical temptations, hot springs for relaxation and physical well being, adventure for the Indiana Jones types and even spiritual havens to those who seek god’s blessing in every corner of the earth, this minuscule seaborne volcanic landmass will surprise you with its sophisticated niches. The only thing you have to do is put a map on the table and start planning!

*Compound greek word: dodeca= twelve + nesos= island, interpreted as the twelve islands. Dodecanese islands: Rhodes, Kos, Leros, Patmos, Kasos, Karpathos, Astipalaia, Tilos, Kalimnos, Nisiros, Simi, Kastelorizo.

To be continued...