Andros, the second largest island in the Cyclades after Naxos, has a long maritime tradition. For many decades, the island’s economy has relied on men who loved the sea and travelled to the ends of the earth.
Those who stayed behind, together with the island’s women, worked in livestock farming and cultivated the land. The Andros lemon is one of the most emblematic products of the fertile Livadia valley.
From the 17th century until the mid-20th, large quantities were exported throughout the Mediterranean, Central Europe and Russia. Every year, a Lemon Festival is held in the town of Andros.
"We celebrate the fragrant lemon of Andros, which is renowned. Many women and local associations come with their own homemade products," Laskaró Stefanou, appointed cultural councillor of the Municipality of Andros. (source in Greek), told Euronews.
"The lemon is the gold of Andros. There were years when people lived off lemons; now that is no longer the case. But we want to preserve our tradition, which is why we come every year," said farmer and cook Charikleia Daniolou.
