"Treasure Island" in Greece

Treasures and archeological relics are “hidden” on the most mysterious island of Greece.

“Nisos Proti” (“Νήσος Πρώτη”) is an islet in the Ionian Sea, located near the village of Marathopoli or Marathos. It has an area of 3 sq. km., and according to the 2001 census – the real population is 4 inhabitants.

Proti Island, formerly part of the province and today the Trifilia region, is located at a distance of approximately 2 nautical miles or 3702 meters from the harbor of Marathopolis.

“Nisos Proti” is mentioned in ancient writings due to the fact that in the 7th year of the Peloponnesian War (425 – 424 BC), near it, on the island of Sphacteria, the Spartan troops stopped (Thucydides IV 13). There are also references to this by Stravo (Στράβωνα) and other ancient authors.

According to local legends, in the past the island was a refuge for sailors, a lair of pirates, Saracen corsairs (Κουρσάρων Σαρακηνών), who hid their treasures here.

Today, however, the islet has an important archaeological significance: the ruins of a Mycenaean or preclassical acropolis with a wall and a round turret, as well as wishes for good navigation for ships carved in the rocks, have been preserved on it.