Karpathos Island Holidays
The island of Karpathos is the second largest in size out of the Dodecanese islands, and is located between the islands of Rhodes and Crete.
The island is one with a very rich history that dates back from prehistoric times. Remains of settlements over 6000 years old were discovered on Karpathos.
From the writings of Homer, we know that the island was reported as being "the island of winds", and visitors today will quickly discover just how true this description was.
Karpathos is an island that has successfully managed to maintain the traditional customers throughout the years, and provides a landscape of extreme contrasts as the rich and green mountains blend perfectly with the golden coloured sandy beaches and the blue waters of the Aegean sea. The waters around Karpathos are so clean that the Mediterranean seal Monachus-Monachus chose to live here.
The capital and harbour of the island is Karpathos, or Pigadia, as it is also known. Here you can see a wonderful array of traditional houses, and also the ruins of the Cyclopean walls, and the beautiful church of Agia Kyriaki. From the church, visitors can enjoy some truly exceptional views.
There are some very lovely coastal villages scattered all around Karpathos, such as Ammoopi, Arkasa, Lefkos and Makris Gialos. All of these are very popular places, and make both ideal destinations on Karpathos, as well as being very nice to take a passing visit through.
The charming Mesohori, that literally hangs above the sea, and the mountainous village of Olympos are both very impressive. Their unique architecture and authentic atmosphere and hospitality makes them very welcoming places to visit.
Karpathos is a very popular island for alternative holidays, and there are many wonderful caves and natural paths that cry our to be explored. With the luscious scenery and wonderful colours, the island is a nature lovers dream.
There are several local folklore festivals that take place annually on Karpathos. These are well worth attending should you be on the island when they take place. At these festivals you can enjoy traditional music and dance, and see the women of the villages wear their traditional costumes.
For visitors to the island, there is a lovely selection of accommodation available including hotels, rooms and studios to let. There are also many delightful tavernas, cafeterias and traditional ouzeries where you can enjoy a tasty meal and drink. Several of the tavernas here offer a wonderful selection of fresh sea food, as well as some special local cuisine.
There are boat connections with Athens at the port of Pireaus, as well as the popular island of Crete, via Agios Nikolaos and Sitia. There are also boat connections with the nearby islands of Rhodes and Kasos. The airport at Karpathos caters for both domestic and international flights, when there are many charter flights arriving and departing from here during the summer season.