Leros Island

Leros has played a significant role in Greek history due to its strategic position in the Aegean. Known as the island of Artemis, its early inhabitants included the Phoenicians, Kares, and Leleges. The island participated in the Trojan War and developed strong cultural ties with Miletus, leading to its capture by the Persians in 494 BC. During the Peloponnesian War, Leros supported the Athenians but later fell under Spartan rule. Over centuries, it transitioned through the eras of Alexander the Great, the Romans, and Byzantium. In 1309, Leros was occupied by the Knights of St. John until the Turks took control in 1522. The island enjoyed partial autonomy under Ottoman rule, maintaining its administration until the Greek Revolution of 1821, when it briefly gained freedom and became a naval base for the Greek Navy.

In 1912, Italians occupied Leros during the Italo-Turkish War. Despite local efforts for autonomy, Italian control persisted through World War I and was confirmed by the Treaty of Lausanne. During World War II, Leros was heavily bombed by British and German forces. The Battle of Leros in 1943 led to its capture by German troops, remaining under occupation until the war’s end. After World War II, Leros was under British administration until it was integrated into Greece on March 7, 1948, ending 600 years of foreign rule. The island has since been a part of modern Greece, contributing to its rich historical tapestry.

I arrived on the island of Leros almost by chance, carried by the capricious winds of the southern Aegean. I had been sailing the Mediterranean waters in my yacht for ten years when I stumbled upon this hidden gem. My profession as an audiovisual producer required me to anchor occasionally in a safe port, from where I would depart to film commercials in various destinations. On one such occasion, an unexpected assignment took me to Jamaica, but first, I had to dock the boat on the nearest island. That’s how I discovered Leros and found an authentic treasure.

The kindness of the islanders, the dreamlike landscapes, the exquisite cuisine, and the authenticity of an island that has remained untouched by mass tourism; I don’t know which of these factors, or perhaps the combination of all of them, made me fall deeply in love with this place. After traveling half the world, I felt that I had found my corner on the planet and decided to anchor here, in this haven.

Later, I discovered an old farmhouse by the sea and transformed it into the home I had always dreamed of. I named it Anna’s Katikia in honor of my mother and my granddaughter. Today, I continue to sail during the spring and summer months, and I work with my audiovisual production company. I have also made several videos for the municipality of Leros that I exhibit here. However, during the winter, my home is Leros, for here I found my paradise.

1 Video: Tour of the island of Leros (Video made for the city council of Leros)
Leros (Greek: Λέρος), also called Lero (from the Italian language), is a Greek island and municipality in the Dodecanese in the southern Aegean Sea.

2 Video: Leros Military History (Video made for the foundation: lerosmilitaryhistory.com)
This is a short video showcasing the reach, WWII military history of the Greek  island of Leros. The  island’s strategic location and its magnificent, natural harbour of Portolago (nowadays Lakki,) the largest natural harbour in the Mediterranean Sea, made it an ideal naval base.

3 Video: The Lerians (Video made for the city council of Leros)
Homely people, warm, open-hearted and hospitable, the Lerians always loved their place and everything that connected them to them.

4 Video: Leros Gastronomy (Video made for the city council of Leros)
The leading role in your gastronomic experience of Leros will be the island’s housewives, in the cafés and the taverns, where the tastiest and simplest food is served. The island’s culinary feast is based on regional products, fresh fish, various pies, patties and tartes, the delicious local myzithra cheese and thyme honey.

5 Video: Lakki Leros Arquitecture (Video made for the city council of Leros)
Lakki Leros architecture in the Aegean there is a place the like of which you will hardly find. A small coastal village that looks like a De Chirico painting or a Fellini film set. Unknown and at the same time familiar, old and at the same time modern. Lakki of Leros is unexpected: an entire, almost untouched, Italian town of the 1930s, “planted” on an Aegean island. An architectural treasure that was saved until today probably by luck.

6 Video: Leros Yachting (Video made for the city council of Leros)
Leros is an attractive destination for sailing, every summer hundreds of yachts approach the jetties and moorings of the island. Most of the sailing boats come from the coasts of Turkey, Kos and Samos.

7 Video: Diving Leros (Video made for the city council of Leros)
Over the last years, Leros is gradually developing as a popular scuba diving destination in the Aegean Sea. Due to the rocky coasts, the clean water, and the old shipwrecks in the surrounding sea bottom, Leros’ diving is attracting many scuba divers from over the world. Popular Leros diving sites are the large Queen Olga Destroyer at the port of Lakki, the Anti-Submarine ship in the bay of Partheni and the wreck of German bomber Henkel-111 in the bay of Blefouti.

8 Video: Cycling Leros (Video made for the city council of Leros)
The peculiar morphology of Leros is suitable for those who like mountain bike. All over the Island one can follow either asphalted or mountain routes.

9 Video: Leros Culture & Tradition (Video made for the city council of Leros)
The island of Leros is characterized by its great folklore tradition which is revealed in the majority of religious feasts and festivities organized in the villages of Leros once a year. These celebrations are held in honor of the patron saints where old customs and age-old traditions are revived.