Sightseeing

Panagia Spiliani is one of the most popular monasteries of the Aegean islands. It takes its name from its location, as it is situated in the cave of a hill overlooking Mandraki. To reach the monastery, you have to climb 130 steps from the temple of Potamitissa.

The tradition of the monastery is particularly interesting. In 1400 AD, a farmer brought an icon of the Virgin Mary to the temple of Potamitissa. A few days later, however, the icon disappeared and was found in a cave on the edge of a high cliff. This was not an isolated incident, as it was repeated several times. As a result, the villagers erected a church in this sacred cave.

The image of the Virgin Mary plays an important role in the lives of the villagers, as they turn to her for both happy and sad events. Agios Nikolaos is depicted on the back of the icon and the Virgin Mary with the Child on the front, while the entire icon is made of silver.

Every fifteenth of August, the feast of the Virgin Mary, dozens of believers from all over the Dodecanese come to venerate the icon. The image is surrounded by thousands of believers, which confirms its great value. On this day, the biggest festival on the island takes place with traditional food, dancing and music, which lasts until the early hours of the morning.
 

Nisyros has a multitude of small villages that are well worth a visit. Nikia has a very special place among them. What will you find there? Unique architecture that reflects the island's tradition. If you want to feel the pulse of the island's history, you will come into contact with it during a walk in Nikia. You will not see any cars on the road, as they are not allowed. So you have the opportunity to walk through the narrow streets of the village and reach its characteristic square, where there is only a church and two cafés. Nikia looks like an uninhabited place, but that is precisely what makes it so charming and special. Nikia also offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the volcano, especially of its largest crater, Stefanos.

There is no more suitable place than Nisyros to host the unique Volcanological Museum of Greece. It is a very interesting experience that you rarely get to do on vacation. You will have the opportunity to discover the history not only of the island volcano, but also of the active volcanoes of Greece and learn facts about their structure, their processes and their role in the environment. In the exhibition area of the museum you will find all the rocks of the caldera, the volcano of Nisyros, as well as rocks from various volcanoes. The Volcanic Museum is located in the village of Nikia and is one of the attractions you should not miss.

Another museum that proves the great history of Nisyros. The Folklore Museum will impress you from the moment you enter. It is located in a two-story 18th century mansion with amazing architecture in Mandraki.

The interior of the museum represents a traditional Nisyrian house. It includes all the rooms, i.e. the kitchen, the oven and the bedroom or sleeping chamber. In this area there are two storage rooms, the cellar and the caravan, where the inhabitants stored clothes, quilts and anything else they wanted to keep. The atmosphere created by the strong element of tradition will transport you to another time. As you make your way from room to room, you will discover ploughs, sickles, hand mills and other objects of folk art. You will have the opportunity to admire unique embroideries and textiles as well as rare photographic material of people who held a very important position in Nisyros society.