Korikion Antron
On the heights of Mount Parnassos lies the cavern of Panas, the Greek god of the mountains and the forests. This cave is accessible via a hiking trail and as soon as you enter, you feel a heavy, eerie atmosphere surrounding you. You can almost hear the clamors of the ancient residents of Delphi, who sought refuge in this cave during the invasion of the Persians around 480 B.C.
Moonrise over Serifos
Picture this: it’s the 14th of August in 2019, the full moon is rising over the horizon on the Aegean Sea, everyone is eagerly longing for the annual “panigiria” summer feasts and spending quality time with their family on this very special day for Greeks. No virus, no grief, no restrictions whatsoever. Life was good.
Dancing Cedar Tree
This cedar tree trunk in Chrissi island, Crete, resembles a woman in a dress dancing vigorously and confidently. Nature takes a human shape and reminds us that beauty and art can be found everywhere, even in the most improbable places.
Inside a Karpathian Household
Parents and children used to share rooms like these on Karpathos, sleeping in one big space. The parents slept on an elevated floor where they used a wooden ladder to get up to, which was still under the same ceiling, though. Everything inside the house was handmade and the walls were decorated with colourful porcelain plates, pictures of the family and the ancestors, embroidered linens and souvenirs from overseas travels.
The Iron Mines in Serifos
The Mines in Serifos will always be a reminder of endless mythical tales and wealth, but also of despair and pain. They are the reason for Serifos’ important status among the islands in the Ancient times (it even had its own currency in antiquity which depicted a frog, the island’s mascot animal). They’re also the cause of the death of many people who worked there in inhumane conditions during the 19th and 20th century. Today, an eerie stillness reigns in the mining sites - a heavy burden for us to discover.
Harvesting the Honey in Serifos
July is usually honey harvest season on Serifos, if there's been enough rainfall. Harvesting the honey is no easy business and Nikos knows this too well. You have to respect and take good care of the bee for it to reward you with its sweet, liquid gold. The bees on Serifos know how to tame the scorching sun and the strong meltemi winds and collect that precious thyme and wild lavender pollen.
Elder Archontoula of Karpathos
In previous decades, life in the village of Olympos on Karpathos was very harsh and some unwritten laws were not meant to be broken. Archontoula’s ancestors allegedly committed acts which were frowned upon and this resulted in her living a life in exile, in solitude. She has been living on her own in a remote area in the mountains of Karpathos for almost the entirety of her life, and she is now 84 years old.
Night in the Mountain of the Gods
As the night falls at the Muses Plateau, 2,650m over sea level, a new world emerges above you. You watch the sky, the endless stars and constellations, and you feel as if the Gods will descend to the Earth and tell you their secrets. You witness the life around you go to sleep and then wake up. You’re the last one to bid farewell to the sun and the first to greet it again in the morning as it rises from the East. Hiking and camping on Mount Olympus is, in my opinion, the ultimate mountain adventure in Greece.
The Sunrise behind Tourlitis Lighthouse, Andros
Andros boasts the only lighthouse in Greece which is built on a rock, which has guiding sailors to this day since 1887. Wake up early and you’re in for a spectacular sight, as the sun rises behind the lighthouse and over the horizon on the Aegean Sea.
Three Pines, Skopelos
This incredibly picturesque spot in Skopelos was one of my favourite ones when I had the chance to visit and discover the island. A big part of the surrounding area is now, unfortunately, charred pine trees due to a forest fire that occurred a few years ago. This spot, however, remained intact. Skopelos is gifted with lots of surreal coves, cliffs and secluded beaches for a calm vacation.
Rapentosa Waterfalls, Mt Pendeli
I took this shot back in May 2020, a little while after the first lockdown was finally over. The people of Athens were starting to miss and appreciate nature more than ever before; bike shops and hiking equipment boutiques were out of stock as Athenians reunited with the surrounding nature. Mount Pendeli, in Northern Attica, offers plenty of options for outdoor activities.
Summertime in Limeni
Summer in Limeni, a classic family-friendly destination in Southern Peloponnese, is the epitome of the Greek summer narrative: eating fresh fish by the sea, diving in crystal clear waters, watching the sunset and rejoicing with family.
Stefanos Addimando
Stefanos Addimando is a travel photographer, instagrammer (@stef_greece) a hotel owner and a member of the Tourism Committee of the Municipality of Serifos. He promotes Greek tourism through his Instagram account of over 137,000 followers from all over the world. His photographs have been published in magazines including National Geographic Travel Spain; Travel + Leisure; and Air Baltic’s in-flight magazine.
