A stone in the sea. A crossroads of empires. A sanctuary of memory.
Once a thriving maritime hub, Kastellorizo was home to 10,000 souls, trading with Alexandria, Marseille, and Smyrna. Today, only a few hundred remain—but the island’s heart beats louder than ever.
Listen to this episode of the English-language show “Infinitely Curious” with Katerina Batzaki for a journey through time—from Ottoman courtyards and mandolin melodies to wartime exile and diaspora resilience.
The episode’s guest is historian and author Nick Pappas, whose book chronicles the island’s dramatic transformation between 1890 and 1948—a story of hope, loss, and rebirth.
What does Kastellorizo teach us about identity, belonging, and survival?
And how does a nearly forgotten island become geopolitically vital once more?
Produced and presented by Katerina Batzaki
Sound design by Nick Savorginakis
