Attractions to Visit in Tilos, Greece
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Like most places in Greece, Tilos has an enchanting quality that draws people in. The sun shines most of the year, the weather is beautiful, and there plenty of things to do. You’ll want to spend plenty of time at the beach, but there are other things to do here, too. Here’s a look at some of the best attractions to see while on Tilos:
Charkadio Cave
Charkadio Cave is at the center of Tilos Island, 2 km south of Megalo Chorio. The cave is where the first fossilized teeth of dwarf elephants were found, making it an important paleontological site. It is thought that the elephants inhabited the island 45,000 years ago until about 4,000 years ago. Charkadio Cave was discovered in 1971 by a speleologist and geologist by the name of Nikolaos Simeonides.
Excavations would find more items including stone hunting tools, pottery, and fossils of turtles and deer. The findings from Charkadio Cave are housed in the Paleontological Collection in Megalo Chorio on the island of Tilos. As a site of great importance, you will want to see it during your visit to Tilos. Located above Charkadio Cave, the Castle of Messaria is the ruins of a medieval fortress that you can explore while in the area as well.
Lethra Beach
If you follow a walking route from Livadia on the island of Tilos, you will find Lethra Beach. From the harbor at Livadia you will pass the Ilidi Rock Hotel and follow a path for about an hour. Before arriving at Lethra Beach, you will pass by Ruth’s Rock where you will see a stone with an inscription reading “She loved this place.” Ruth’s husband laid the stone there after she passed away in 1988 and people passing by often add pebbles.
You will also pass the small Red Beach, which features a reddish colored sand. Off the beach there is an island called Gaidaros, meaning “Donkey Island.” Lethra is a beautiful beach that is perfect for swimming and snorkeling. There are no facilities at the beach so you’ll want to come prepared with your own supplies, including water.
Monastery of Agios Panteleimon
Located on the slope of Kryallos Hill, 7 km west of Megalo Chorio, is the Monastery of Agios Panteleimon. The monastery was built between 1470 – 1480. The fortified monastery is surrounded by a stone enclosure. There is a three-storey defensive tower on the southeast side. Renovations were done to the Monastery of Agios Panteleimon in 1703 and 1912. In the nave there are hagiographies that date back to the 15th century. One of these represents the founder of the monastery, the monk Ionas. Wall paintings are impressive to see as is the wooden iconostasis of 1714.
Paleontological Collection
The Paleontological Collection of Tilos is an important and interesting attraction that should be on your list when visiting the island. Here you will see the findings from the excavation of Charkadio Cave In addition to the dwarf elephant fossils, pottery pieces, and tools, you can view drawings and photographs from the excavations. If you enjoyed visiting Charkadio Cave, you will want to head here to view the collection of findings. If you view the collection first, head over to the cave to see where they all came from.
While on the Greek island of Tilos, you’ll want to do at least some of these activities.
Categorized in: About Tilos, Greece, Greek Travel Guide
This post was written by Greek Boston
