Karpathos Island Dodecanese Greece

the island's port and capital, is beautifully sheltered in mountain ringed Vrontis Bay, with a long sickle of sandy beach which stretches out to the north. Karpathos town slopes up from the harbour in a mix of red tiled roofs and balconied apartments.
It offers every facility a visitor may need as well as hotels, rooms tavernas and bars. In Karpathos Town there is a small museum with early Christian baptismal font, ceramics and coins.

Karpathos' old capital is the seat of the Karpathos and Kassos island Archbishop. Most of the houses belong to people lived in the States. There are remains of a Byzantine cemetery where the Cathedral now stands. An unpaved steep road leads to Achata -a quiet pebbly beach-, to Kyra Panagia and Apella beach.

is prettily situated on the coast with beautiful views across Kassos island. On the headland are the remains of the ancient capital Arkessia where a Mycenaean acropolis with Cyclopean walls stands on a rocky headland known as Paleokastro. In the same area there are the ruins of Agia Sofia -an early Byzantine church- and Agia Anastasia church with traces of mosaic pavements.

is Karpathos' second port with increasing popularity but life is still slow. There is plenty of rooms to stay and eat. There are boat trips to various near beaches, even to the inhabited in the summer only by shepherds islet of Saria. The main site -Palatia- of Saria is situated in the only bay on the east coast. The remains include some marble architectural fragments and pottery.

is a small fishing harbour with sandy beach, few tavernas and a couple of rooms.

is said to be the jewel of the island. Lefkos has three horseshoe bays of white sand and a wealth of pine trees. Rooms, apartments, hotel and tavernas are available.

this beautiful village, (350 meters altitude) has some old hilltop houses and a small folklore museum. Ag. Mama and Panagia churches are worth a visit.

(or Elimpos) is sited on the slopes of Profitis Ilias and is the island's beauty spot. It is one of the most striking villages in Greece, cut off the rest of the world until a road connecting the south and the north part of the island was finished in 1979. Olympos still seems caught in a time wrap, the inhabitants speak a dialect with traces of ancient Dorian Greek and Phrygian origins. Women wear their traditional costumes (fine handmade goatskin boots, intricately embroided jackets, scarves and pinafores, heavy collars of gold coins). They bake bread and Greek style biscuits (koulouria) in outdoor communal ovens from flour ground in the village's medieval windmills. Transport within the village is done by donkeys and even if people are now getting used to visitors, life still goes on, women carrying reluctant goats from the port up the hill, people carrying faggots on their hands. Olympos is still a very picturesque place, worth a visit village offering excellent views. There a few rooms, a couple of pensions to stay, and plenty places to eat. Try makarounes a local dish of home made pasta with onions and cheese.

is situated in 500 meters altitude and offers the best view towards the sea and the south eastern part of the island. In Othos there are traditional Karpathian houses and one of them has been preserved as a craft museum. Gallery Hapsis exhibits witty naive paintings of Karpathian life. Othos produces fine sweet red wine named as Othitiko. Neighbouring Pyles village has excellent views to the sea.

is the ancient Phrygian city. Agios Ioannis chapel hosts a great festival between 27-29 of August, where everyone sleeps out, roasts meat over an open fire and dances. It is the largest event in Northern Karpathos.