Greece has over 100 inhabited islands. One of them - with a view of the Anatolian coast - is truly special. It covers only 64 km² and has about 500 residents. But what makes it special? Hunting has not taken place on Tilos since 1993, and this is with the explicit will of the local population. Those familiar with Greece know about the general Mediterranean hunting pressure: literally, everything that moves is shot at. But on Tilos, time runs differently. The then-mayor managed to secure international support through the establishment of an "Important Bird Area," integration into a NATURA 2000 area, and a LIFE project from the European Union. Additionally, in recent years, there has been talk of a Tilos Nature Park. Although it has never been legally established due to bureaucratic hurdles, it lives on in the minds of the people. Tilos has few significant architectural sins. You can feel the commitment of the island administration right at the harbor entrance in Livadia, where information about the prevailing natural and cultural values is already available. A Tilos Park Association takes on this important task as an NGO with an information center, and hotels provide relevant informational material. Tilos has a certain charm. There is a sense of creativity in the slowness that feels detached from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. And visitors must "earn" this experience with a longer journey - and that is a good thing. In return, one experiences a certain authenticity in daily actions and senses the preservation of a unique identity, which sets Tilos apart from many other Mediterranean islands. For me, this realization culminated in the words of a local resident: "I love this life; I come from the island.".