Islands of the Mediterranean : in pictures

Abstract

What Mediterranean island would you visit in order to see a nuraghe? On which one would you hear Europe's only Semitic language? Where is the legendary site of the birth of Aphrodite? From what island does mayonnaise take its name? Where can you find 3500-year-old plumbing that could still be made to work? In what strait does the current change direction so often that legend has it that Aristotle committed suicide because he could not explain the change? You will discover the answers in this book, along with many other facts about the blue Mediterranean's sun-bathed isles. With the help of over 100 photographs and a concise text, you will "visit" the large islands of Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, Crete, Corsica, Euboea, Majorca and Rhodes. You will learn new things about such smaller but no less famous islands-Malta, Elba, Capri and Corfu-and discover a host of less familiar ones-Hydra, Delos, Formentera, Monte Cristo, Gozo, Krk and Kythera, to name a few. Much of the early history of Western man unfolded on these beautiful islands and along the sea routes connecting them. Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Normans, Crusaders, Arabs and Turks have all left their mark-the islands are studded with ancient fortresses, temples, monasteries, palaces and cathedrals. Nearly all are mountainous and all share the delightful Mediterranean climate dry and crisp, with the tang of the sea mingling with the scent of lemon, lavender and pine. Yet each island has its individual building style, dialect, customs and traditions-each is a small world of its own. Students, tourists and the general reader will find in this book a comprehensive introduction to some of the world's most enchanting islands.