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Modern Description: Southeast from Zephyría the road continues to the south coast at Palaiochóri, a tiny settlement on a shingle beach backed by low cliffs, whose name, meaning ‘old town', refers to an Early Christian settlement on the site, which was already ‘old' by the time Zephyría was settled in the 9th century. The cliffs have many colours of volcanic rock and there is once again considerable geothermic activity. There is a fumarole with visibly escaping steam from a gash in the hillside in the field to the righthand side as you descend to the shore: other fumaroles and springs are concentrated around the far end of the second smaller bay to the west. Beside one of the tavernas on the shore is an area of sand which is so hot from the underground heat (in excess of 100°C) that it is used for slow-cooking meats in terracotta vessels.

Info: McGilchrist's Greek Islands

(From McGilchrist’s Greek Islands, © Nigel McGilchrist 2010, excerpted with his gracious permission. Click for the books)

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