Tilos Island of the dwarf elephant
Overview & Reasons to visit
Tilos is a small island in the Dodecanese lying to the south of Kos and west of Rhodes. It has seven castles,a ruined village,a number of good beaches and a small but picturesque beach resort. It is 100% self sufficient in electricity due to solar and wind generation combined with 2 accumulators to store power.
Locally produced products are used to good effect in the local tavernas .The island has a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere with a limited number of visitors
How to reach
Tilos does not have an airport so access is by ferry from Piraeus,Kos or Rhodes.
Star Gems ferry Panagia Εvaggelistria runs from Kamiros Skala on Rhodes.Blue Star service departs from Piraeus or you can use the return voyage to get to Tilos from Kos or Rhodes.
SAOS Stavros stops at Tilos on its regular round trip from Kos or Rhodes.Dodekanisos Seaways run a regular service to Tilos either from Rhodes or Kos
As always most ferries don’t run everyday and some services reduce or stop out of season
Travelling Around
Tilos is a small island with just one main road so transport options are small, car & scooter hire is available and there is a regular bus service between Livadia and Megalo Chorio and a once a week service to the Byzantine monastery of Agios Pandeleimonas. See link below for 2024 timetable.
There are numerous good walks on the island.
Sights & Beaches
Livadia beach is a good pebble beach close to all the amenities of Livadia and is rarely busy.Eristos is a long curving sandy beach with a couple of tavernas and relaxed atmosphere.Lethra is a small pretty pebble beach only accessible by foot it is about 45minutes walk from Livadia.Agios Antonios is a sand/pebble beach at the far north of the island with no facilities here
There are seven castles on the island the largest of which is above Megalo Chorio. The monastery of Agios Panteleimon is situated on the north west coast and is the setting for a celebratory feast on 27th July
History
In prehistoric times a species of dwarf elephants lived in the vicinity remains of which were found in Charkadio cave, located about 2 km to the south of the village of Megalo Chorio. Examples of the skeletons can be seen in the museum near Megalo Chorio.
Tilos initially allied with Athens in Hellenistic times. The Romans and later the Byzantines ruled the island which was affected by an earthquake in 551 AD. The Knights of St John took over the island in 1309 and the castle above Megalo Chorio was constructed by them. The Ottomans ruled after the fall of Rhodes in1522 until the Italian occupied the Dodecanese in 1912.
After the Italian surrender in 1943 the Germans took over the islands . Along with the other Dodecanese islands Tilos became part of Greece in 1948.Many of the inhabitants left the island in subsequent years.
Links
Link to Elephant Museum
Link to 2024 Bus timetable
Article describing Green initiatives making Tilos 100% sufficient