Besides the myth of the ill-fated Icarus, who got hubris and flew too near the sun with his wings made of wax, the island is known as the red rock. During the communist period thousands of left-wing party members were sent here in order to weaken the Communists. Many of them stayed on the island for the rest of their lives. There are lovely sandy beaches at the resort of Armenistis, two of the best in Greece.