Location

Karpathos

An island of unexplored heights and delicious depths

Karpathos is an island of wild, untouched beauty in the Dodecanese, sculpted by winds, customs and centuries-old traditions.

The second-largest of the Dodecanese islands has no equal. Karpathos holds on dearly to its past in its ancient acropolis, caves, churches and even its traditional dress. The setting is dramatic in all the best senses of the word: striking vistas from untouched, clifftop and mountainside villages that defy gravity and a fearful hammering from the wind to keep a vigilant watch over the Aegean.

On Karpathos, you’ll discover an island with its soul very much intact, with living traditions, people of real character, musical skills passed down the generations and legendary festivals – untarnished by modern fads. Are you in the mood to discover one of the hidden gems of the Dodecanese?

Source: Discover Greece

OUR BEACHES

Apella beach

You’ll immediately fall for Apella. The colours and above all the ease with which you can have your every need catered for make Karpathos’ premier beach one of the most popular on the island. And yet, you’ll still feel like you’ve found a hidden escape.

Beaches all around you

Then again, with so many beaches there’s plenty of competition on Karpathos. There’s Ahata, with blue-green water and fine pebbles, and the much-photographed Kyra Panagia (more sandy and organised and with plenty of tavernas) right next door. Further north, there’s the tranquility of Agios Minas and, to the south, Ammopi (fully organised and ideal for families).

EXPLORE KARPATHOS

HEAD TO OLYMBOS, A TIMELESS VILLAGE IN THE NORTH

Exposed to the winds, the village of Olymbos balances like a tightrope walker on a rough-hewn, remote ridge in northern Karpathos. Its houses spill down the slope seawards, tightly bound to each other and rooted in the rock. This wild place kept pirates and marauders eager to plunder Karpathos at bay, and it still resists intrusions by today’s more peaceful invaders. Just what you’d expect from a town that has been defying the tides of time since the 9th century

TRAVEL THROUGH THE COLOURFUL HISTORY OF KARPATHOS

In a single glance, you can take in a wealth of clues as to the cultures that have had an impact on Karpathos island. Among the significant sights and attractions are early Christian churches, ancient Vroukounta and Arkesia; the castle and the acropolis at Aperi; the Roman cistern at Lefko; and the beehive tombs at Karpathos town and Arkasa. And then there are the more recent structures left by the Italians, such as bridges, aqueducts, wells, windmills and the outdoor ovens of Olymbos. Don’t miss this opportunity to travel into Karpathos’ past.

DISCOVER MANNERS AND CUSTOMS ALIVE AND UNSPOILED

It’s as if time has stood still on Karpathos where you will find a Greece straight out of a bygone era. Many women still wear traditional dress, while men harvest their crops with scythes. Men and women sit separately at village festivals, where musicians play the bagpipes, lyre and lauto, crafted on the island, and sing in the style of their ancient ancestors. In northern Karpathos, you’ll find even older, sometimes strange customs still practised faithfully. The festivals of this island have to be lived to be believed.