Telos Attractions Tílos

Area of island: 60 sq. km/23 sq. mi

Chief place: Megalokhorió

Tílos (Italian Piscopi) is a bare and rugged island in the Dodecanese (Southern Sporades), lying half way between Rhodes and Kos. The inhabitants make a modest living from farming, on terraces which have been laboriously built up over the centuries, and fishing. Throughout the island's history its fortunes were closely linked with those of Rhodes.

Tílos also has a number of other ruined castles and some 25 churches, chapels and monasteries of the 13th-18th centuries, most of them in a dilapidated condition.

1.5km/1mi northwest of Tílos lies the little island of Gaidouronísi (lighthouse). 3km/2mi southeast is the island of Antítilos.

Megalokhorio, Greece

The chief place on the island of Tílos, Megalokhorió, lies above the bay of Áyios Antónios on the north coast. It occupies the site of ancient Telos (some remains of walls). On the hill of Áyios Stéfanos, to the north of the village, is the medieval Kástro, built on ancient foundations, with a handsome church (16th C. frescoes).

Megalokhorio (literally " Big Village") lies in the interior to the north of the island. It is built like an amphitheater.

Livadiá

South of Megalokhorió on the road to Livádia, Tenos' port, are the ruins of the Venetian castle of Mesariá. Nearby is the Kharkadió Cave, in which the bones of prehistoric dwarf elephants were found.

Mikrokhorio, Greece

In the center of the island of Tílos lies the deserted village of Mikrokhorió.

St Panteleimon Monastery

At the northwestern tip of the island of Tílos is the early 18th century monastery of Áyios Panteleímon.

The monastery has been declared a monument to be preserved. The feast of Áyios Panteleimon takes place in the monastery on July 27 every year.