Odyssey To The Aegean

The Sporades Islands, which include the islands of Alonissos and Skopelo, lie east of the Greek mainland. Prehistoric traces indicate the islands may be as old as Croesus — possibly dating to the Neolithic age. The level of the sea was much lower then and the northern Sporades were directly accessible to animals and hunters. It is widely believed that the islands of Skopelos and Alonissos were settled by Minoans from Crete during the height of that civilization. The first colonists on Alonissos began to grow grapes and the wine become renowned throughout the area.

I recently visited the islands with Art Tours, a firm run by an Indialantic artist named Mary Tsamoutales. Mary, founded her company in 1988 after her artist’s’ eye was dazzled by the island of Amorgos in the Cyclades. Most of her clients are artists, amateur and professional, and she tries to provide them with teachers who use differing approaches to art.

Read the entire article in the September 2003 issue