Kassos Hotel
Recommended Hotels:
Angelica's Apartments
Nearby Locations: Karpathos hotel, Kos hotel, Kastelorizo hotel, Rhodes hotel, Leros hotel, Patmos hotel, Tilos hotel, Kalymnos hotel
Related:
Kassos
Rent A Car
A few words about Kassos:
Kassos (ΚΑΣΣΟΣ
in Greek) is one of those
typically Greek islands, the ones we picture when we imagine the real,
traditional, untouched Greece. The pace is slow, and if you like relaxing, this
is one of your best bets. With only two taxis on the island, you'll get lots of
undisturbed sleep, with the exception perhaps of a donkey or rooster. You'll be
close to nature and those clear, blue waters.
Because of its isolation, the island has always been poor. The men try to manage
on fishing or working on ships, and many hope that the tourism will increase.
You'll find that the people are very friendly, but the only ones that speak
English are usually those who have been forced to work abroad.
History
Kassos is first mentioned in
Homer's
Iliad where
the Greeks go off to fight in Troy. The island has also been called Amphe, Achne
and Astravi. The name Kassos comes, according to legend, from the island's first
inhabitant, who was a Cretan prince. This indicates that the Minoans were
amongst the first to settle on the island.
In the 8th century BC it was conquered by Rhodes, and 300 years later it became
member of the Athenian League when war against the Persians united almost all of
Greece.
During the Middle Ages Kassos
belonged to the Venetians, but it was really a pirate nest. When the Turks ruled
the island in the 18th century, it was reputed as a flourishing island with a
strong commercial fleet. Ironically for the Turks, this helped greatly in the
war of Independence that started in 1821, since the island contributed to the
Greek side with a fleet of over 80 ships.
Sadly, this didn't help the island, since almost everyone died during the war:
either as fighters, or when the Turks slaughtered the inhabitants. The Turkish
rule here didn't end until 1921, when the Italians took over.
Kassos was finally freed in 1948. By then, the island was totally impover-ished,
and it is not until lately that the island has started to come alive.
Greek Hotel Bookings - All rights reserved