The island of Leros has its own special charm with its combination of natural beauty and local architecture. The traditional houses, neoclassical mansions, and Italian buildings harmonize well with each other as they are all flat roofed and built in straight lines and rectangular shapes. The stony farmhouses are simple and austere. They gleam with their white colour, composing an irresistible picture. Tradition is omnipresent in Leros, not only in its architecture but in its customs and manners as well. The island's captains and fishermen started a tradition of organizing little feasts and later bigger festivals. These festivals were dominated by the sounds of dulcimers, bagpipes, lyres, lutes and violins. The local dances are slow, lively, and quick. The most important of them are: The "Isos", the "Stavrotos", the "Pasoumaki", the "Syrtos", and the "Balaristos". The island's cultural groups try to preserve the local customs. They organize plays, folk music and dancing festivals, naval games and soccer matches every summer. In these festivals, the members of the musical and dance companies are dressed in traditional attire. Their costumes are in the Dodecanese style but are more severe concerning the colours and trinkets.