Leros

Leros is an island of unexpected faces. Arrival is by ferry from Kalymnos, and the first sight is of Lakki — a port town built in the 1930s by the Italian occupiers, with monumental Italian Rationalist buildings and palm-lined avenues that look like a film set from another era. It is one of the strangest and most beautiful townscapes in Greece. From Lakki the road climbs through the green heart of the island, past olive groves and wild thyme, to the castle of Panteli, which crowns a high rock and gives a 360-degree view over the bays and the sea. Below it, the village of Panteli and the town of Agia Marina spill down to the water, with tavernas and cafés along the quay. Alinda offers a long, sheltered bay to swim in, and Xirokambos in the south a peaceful curve of sand. And everywhere runs the Leros spirit — warm, wry, and deeply rooted, an island that has known hardship and beauty in equal measure and wears both with grace. Leros is not the island to visit for nightlife or long white beaches. It is the island to visit for character, for flowers, for blue bays, and for the company of its people.

Leros was known in antiquity as the island of the goddess Artemis, and its ancient history is bound up with the sea — the island's name appears in the poetry of Homer and the history of Athens, whose fleet often sheltered in its deep bays. In the Middle Ages the island passed between Byzantines and Venetians, and its great castle, first built by the Knights of Saint John in the 14th century, still dominates the skyline. Leros was ruled by the Ottomans from the 16th century, but its most dramatic chapter began in 1912, when Italy took control of the Dodecanese. The Italians made Leros a major naval base, and in the 1930s they built the town of Lakki (Portolago) in the rationalist architectural style — its vast public buildings, hospitals, and residential blocks are now prized as one of the best surviving examples of Italian colonial architecture. During the Second World War the island was bombed heavily, and in 1943 it was the scene of a bitter battle between Italian-German and British forces. After the war Leros was united with Greece in 1947. In the decades that followed, the island became home to a controversial psychiatric hospital, a chapter that the community has worked to overcome; today Leros is a quiet, proud island, increasingly discovered by artists and slow travellers for its beauty, its history, and its warm-hearted people.

Leros has no long sandy resort strips, but its sheltered bays make it one of the best swimming islands of the Dodecanese. Alinda, on the west coast, is the classic beach: a long, gentle bay of sand and shingle, protected from the wind, with tavernas and tamarisk shade — perfect for families and for long, lazy swims. Xirokambos, in the south, is quieter and wilder, with a beautiful curve of sand. Panteli and Agia Marina have small beaches right in the villages, ideal for a quick dip between meals. Gourna and Blefouti are hidden coves that stay almost empty even in August. And the little islet of Agios Isidoros, joined to Panteli by a stone causeway, is a lovely spot for a swim with the castle above you. The water of Leros is clear and calm — the island's geography keeps the worst of the wind away, which is why the sailors have always loved it.

Leros food is the honest cooking of a fertile, sea-loving island. The island's gardens and orchards supply the tavernas with tomatoes, artichokes, and greens, and the olive groves of the interior produce a fine fruity oil. From the sea come the fish of the Dodecanese — grilled grouper, red mullet, octopus, and the tiny fried shrimps — served with the island's white wine. The local specialities include pitaridia pasta with a rich tomato and goat sauce, and the sweet fritters and honey pastries made for festivals. For a real taste of Leros, find a taverna by the water at Agia Marina or Alinda, order the catch of the day and a plate of island greens, and finish with the local honey and a glass of wine as the boats rock in the harbour.

May, June, and September are the sweetest months on Leros: warm, green, and uncrowded, with the bays at their calmest. July and August are busier but still peaceful by Greek standards — Leros has kept its character, and even in high season you can find a quiet beach. Spring is the island at its most beautiful, when the slopes are covered in wildflowers and the air smells of thyme and jasmine. Autumn lingers warm into October, and the island's mild winters have long drawn visitors who come for the light and the solitude. Whenever you come, give Leros a few days — it is an island that rewards unhurried exploration.

Leros is reached by ferry from Piraeus in about eight hours, and from Samos, Kalymnos, Patmos and Kos. Flights from Athens also serve the island's airport.

A car or scooter is the best way to explore, though the main towns of Agia Marina and Panteli are walkable. Do not miss Lakki — give it a full morning to wander its extraordinary buildings, and visit the small museum that tells its story. The climb to the castle of Panteli is steep but essential, best done in the late afternoon for the light. Take a boat trip around the island's bays if one is running, and to the nearby islets of Arki and Lipsi. The island's food is excellent and honest — eat by the water, order the fish, and allow the slow rhythm of Leros to set your pace.