fishing village — World News, Travel and Social Action

Greece’s natural beauty and history extends far beyond the well-traveled islands of Santorini and Mykonos.

The isolated Vlacherna Monastery off the coast of Corfu.. Daniel Solabarrieta. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Though Greece has 6,000 islands and islets, only 227 of them are inhabited. Many are famous for picturesque beaches and nightclubs that welcome more than 34 million tourists every year. It is no surprise that the country is a favorite for travelers looking to explore the natural beauty of the Mediterranean, to learn more about the ancient civilization that once called the islands home or just to escape the monotony of everyday life. However, there is much more to the country than its white stucco buildings and tzatziki including cliffside monasteries, man-made lakes, and hidden fishing villages just waiting to be discovered.

1. Monastery Republic of Mount Athos, Chalcidice

The holy monastery at Mount Athos. Maite Elorza. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Located on the northern Greek peninsula of Chalcidice, Mount Athos is home to twenty ancient monasteries that date back to Byzantine times. Known to locals as the “Holy Mountain,” the recognized heritage site is off limits to women and children, but is home to approximately 1,400 monks. Its religious significance stems from legends that the rock face was once the location of a sanctuary of Zeus, but the mountain was also subjected to a number of attacks and attempted invasions over the years. The mountainous state officially became an autonomous region on October 3 ,1993and legally lies under the religious jurisdiction of the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church from Constantinople.

2. Lake Doxa, Corinthia

Artificial Lake Doxa in western Corinthia. Ava Babili. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Surrounded by fir-tree covered mountains, the man-made Lake Doxa was built about fifteen years ago to help counter the high water levels. These tides also caused the Monastery of Agios to relocate at the center of the lake, and now appears as though it is floating on the water’s surface. The lake is in the village of Archaia Feneos which is located at the base of Mount Cyllene, the supposed birthplace of the god Hermes. According to popular Greek myth, there is also a subterranean canal underneath the lake that was dug by Hercules as one of his Twelve Labors.

3. Klima Fishing Village, Milos

The colorful fishing village of Klima. Ioana. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Located on the volcanic island of Milos, the tiny fishing village of Klima has an extensive history that stretches all the way back to around 3,000 BC. The island was occupied by Athenians, Macedonians and Romans over the next few centuries, each leaving their own architectural mark. Visitors can still see remnants of aqueducts, catacombs, theaters and even ancient gymnasiums. After its eventual liberation in the Greek Revolution, the population of Milos began focusing on agriculture and fishing, leveraging the unique volcanic soil and rocks to build garages and houses (known as “syrmatas”) that would protect them from bad weather. Many of the fishermen painted their doors and balconies with bright colors, giving the village its picturesque facade.

4. Voutoumi Beach, Antipaxos

The isolated Voutoumi beach on Antipaxos Island. Ari Bakker. CC BY 2.0.

As the smallest of the Ionian Islands, Antipaxos’ beaches are popular among locals from the neighboring islands of Paxi and Corfu but are relatively unknown to foreign tourists. Voutoumi beach is the largest of these and has some of the clearest waters in the Greek archipelago. It is also the preferred destination for private yachts because of its isolated location in a hidden cove on the north eastern side of the island. In fact, the pebble beach is so secluded that there aren’t any shops aside from a local tavern on a nearby hill that serves traditional Greek snacks. There are also a number of smaller coves that are easily reachable from Voutoumi by boat.

5. Melissani Cave, Kefalonia Island

An overhead view of the Melissani Cave. jordeangjelovik. CC BY 2.0.

Kefalonia is conversely the largest of the Ionian Islands and is home to an underground grotto located 20 meters (roughly 60 feet) below the surface of the Earth. The Melissani Cave is made up of two rooms, one of which is bright and sun-lit while the other is fully roofed with dark stone stalactites. The chambers are connected by a pool of water that runs about 30 meters (about 90 feet) deep. Legend has it that the cave is named after the nymph Melissanthi who perished in these waters after being rejected by the satyr god Pan. Excavations carried out in the 1950s and 1960s discovered small terracotta statues in the cave depicting the myth and commemorating her unrequited love.

6. Ancient Greek Ruins, Delos

Ruins of the House of Cleopatra on the island of Delos. Bgag. CC BY-SA 2.0.

The island of Delos was once the religious epicenter of the Cyclades. It is now home to a large collection of archaeological ruins that commemorate Artemis and Apollo, the Olympian twins that are believed to have been born on the island. There are also beautifully preserved remnants of civilization from the archaic, classical and Hellenic periods in the form of ceramics, statues and mosaics. En route to the island’s highest point at the summit of Mount Cynthe is the ancient theater district and temples dedicated to the Egyptian deities Isis and Serapis. In fact, many foreign gods have dedicated shrines on Delos because it was a crucial trading port and hosted many sailors from overseas.

For centuries, Nazaré, Portugal was a traditional fishing village; until it made its way on the big wave surfing map. Now, it’s what many consider to be the Mecca of surfing, drawing crowds from across the globe.

Luis Ascenso from Lisbon, Portugal, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Historically, big wave surfers gravitated towards the waves found in the surfing communities of Hawaii and California. Locations like Jaws, Mavericks, Shipstern Bluff and Mullaghmore were thought of as the best of the best. However, it wasn’t until recently that Nazaré, Portugal made its name as a surfing destination. Nazaré’s beach of Praia do Norte has all the elements for disaster—a deep underwater canyon and currents of waves that collide into one, breaking towards the coast of monumental cliffs. Surfing there, in the winter especially, was long thought to be impossible. It wasn’t until 2010 that someone was daring enough to surf the uncharted waters and alter the history of Nazaré forever.

Just a few meters off the shore of Praia do Norte is the Nazaré Canyon, an underwater submarine valley 3 miles deep. When water currents move through the valley, they get compressed and begin to move faster. When these currents collide with the local water current, they forge waves upwards of 10 stories high. Among villagers, the waves in Praia do Norte were forbidden. Many had loved ones who died at sea, and they taught their children to avoid the huge waves. So in 2010, when Garret McNamara first arrived, locals were apprehensive about getting behind him and his mission to ride a 100-foot wave.

It took five years for McNamara to take up an invitation from Dino Casimiro, a local bodyboarder who worked to publicize Nazaré’s waves. When he first laid his eyes on the view from the cliff, he told The New York Times, “it was like finding the Holy Grail.” He’d spend the next year preparing, studying the rhythm of the waves, and developing a safety system with his team of jet-ski tow-riders and spotters on walkie-talkies. Finally, in November of 2011, McNamara conquered a 78-foot wave, earning him a Guinness World Record, and serving as proof that Nazaré’s waves were real and surfable. From that moment on, every big wave surfer in the world wanted their shot to make a name for themselves at Nazaré. Today, at least 20 professional surfers stay in Nazaré during any given week in the winter, including men and women like Justine Dupont, Lucas Chianca, and Kai Lenny.

In 2013, the town’s current mayor Walter Chicharro was elected. Chicharro worked with McNamara and Casimiro to capitalize on their waves’ fame and invested in the professionalization of the surfing scene. The World Surf League now hosts an annual big wave surfing challenge event every winter, a time that Nazaré’s 10,000 locals were accustomed to having to themselves. In additon, Mayor Chicharro opened the town’s 17th-century lighthouse, Farol Da Nazaré, both as a museum showcasing the town’s history and as a space to view the waves. According to an article in The New York Times, about 40,000 people visited it in 2014, while more than 220,000 entered the fort in 2018.

Today the town is used to the presence of surfers; even the local fisherman welcome them thanks to the business they bring. Joao Carlines, a retired fisherman, told reporters that “Surfers have a different relationship with the sea, but I’m happy the town’s become known for surfing because it means we have people coming here in the winter.” While the elusive 100-foot wave has yet to be ridden, rest assured that it will be one day, and it will be in Nazaré. In anticipation of that day, surfers and their fans will continue traveling to the seaside village in hopes of witnessing the historic event for themselves.