An island of the Dodecanese in the south eastern Aegean Sea, between Crete and Rhodes, Karpathos is steeped in tradition. Homer’s words and pirate stories still survive in this land and the mountainous village of Olympos is one of the most stunning destinations in Greece.
Karpathos is divided in two parts, the rugged north and the fertile south, connected by a road constructed as late as 1979. Due to its remoteness the island preserved a unique dialect with many Homeric elements. Traditions here still hold fast despite the onset of tourism. Olympos, the old “capital” of Karpathos, was built in 1420 and is today a protected area with its old windmills, its traditional houses and narrow streets.
Saria, a small island at the north of Karpathos, used to be a pirate base as was Vrontis Bay. There are plenty of sandy beaches to be enjoyed starting from Ammopi, south of Pigadia, and moving on to Apella and Arkassa. There are also plenty of naturist beaches, such Ammopi, Golden Sands and Lefkas.
Many of the people of Karpathos have moved abroad and Karpathos is reputed to be receiving more money from its emigrants that any other Greek island. Many expatriates return to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption on August 15 and many have returned and invested in the island.
