Tilos, one of the Dodecanese archipelago islands, is a very interesting and appealing destination which offers a wide variety of attractions at every season of the year. This island has a population of less than 600 inhabitants and is one of the most charming and picturesque spots tourists could meet in the Dodecanese.
The name of this island, Tilos, has its roots on a tale from the ancient Greek mythology. According to what it is said, the sister of the Telchines, called Halia, had a son with Helios and named him Telos. When he grew up, Telos needed medicinal herbs to heal Halia who was sick, and he decided to come to Tilos for them. Once his mother healed from these medicines, Telos returned to this island and built a temple for Neptune and Apollo. According to the experts, the name of this island would have derived from this son of Halia, Telos.
This island is characterized by having red lava sands, mountains, and volcanic lowlands. On one of the mountains of Tilos, called Mount Profitis Ilias, there is a very interesting construction tourists should make sure of meeting while being in the island. This construction, known as the Monastery of Ayios Pandeleimon, is an antique building which counts with several interesting events in its history.
The capital of Tilos, called Megalo Chorio, is located towards the north eastern side of the island. This town was founded during the 19th century next to the place where the former capital, known as the city of Telos, used to be. Within this area, visitors could meet several ruins from the ancient city of Telos, being this considered one of the main attractions of the island.
The Kharkhadio Cave is other place tourists should make sure of visiting while being in Tilos. Several archaeological excavations took place in this cave and its surroundings, bringing to the light a variety of interesting discoveries, such as unique objects from the Neolithic period and bones of anciently extinguished animals. Besides this, tourists should also try to visit the Harbour of Livadhia, an important commercial centre of Tilos located towards the southern area of the island.