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Sunday, April 12, 2015

Lemnos: Home to Greece’s Unique Desert

People who have not visited the beautiful Greek island of Lemnos may think that it is a place of exile, a place resembling the moonscape, but that is only because they had not had a chance to explore the majestic island. Lemnos is a magical place. A small island in the northern Aegean, the place where the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa meet. Another reason why Lemnos is so special is that according to several people the island is the home of the only European desert. On the north side of Lemnos, in an area called Gomati, visitors have the chance to witness a unique and unexpected sight, a small desert. The 7 hectare area is located away from the sea full and it’s full of sand and dunes constantly changing shape, just like in the Sahara desert, depending on the direction of the wind. The sand dunes, also known as “Pachies Ammoudies,” are by far the most attractive element of the island Limnos. The sand dunes, were created by natural erosion caused by the prevailing winds blowing across the sea. The ever-changing terrain and landscape of the sand dunes accompanied by the deep-blue colors of the Aegean Sea make for an unforgettable sight. Furthermore, the area’s flora mostly consists of beautiful white lilies also known as pancratium maritimum, while sand-friendly vegetation such as osier, thyme, oleander and wild olive trees encircle the sand dunes. It is worth noting that the landscape’s uniqueness has led many film and commercial directors to shoot scenes in the small Greek desert.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com