Kárpathos

Area of island: 332 sq. km/128 sq. mi

Chief town: Kárpathos (Pygádia)

Kárpathos (Italian Scarpanto), a long narrow island in the Dodecanese extending for some 48km/30mi from north to south, forms, along with its neighboring island of Kásos, a transition between Rhodes and Crete.

Picture - A view over the Karpathos coast.

View a slideshow of Karpathos Pictures

A rugged and infertile range of limestone hills, rising to 1,220m/4,003ft in Kalí Límni, extends along the whole length of the island. The coasts mostly fall steeply down to the sea, with small sandy beaches edged by numerous caves at the south end of the island, on the west coast round Arkása and on the east coast at Pygádia. The inhabitants' main sources of income are stock farming, cabinet making, wood carving and the hand-woven cloth and embroidery produced by the women.

The island was originally occupied by settlers from Crete, followed by other settlers from Argos; thereafter it became subject to Rhodes. It had four ancient cities - Arkesia (of which there are scant traces) at the south end of the west coast, Poseidon at the south end of the east coast, Thoantion on the west coast and Vrykos at the north end - and gave its name to the sea between Crete and Rhodes, the Karpathion Pelagos.

There is an airfield 16km/10mi south of Kárpathos town. Regular flights Kárpathos-Rhodes, 1-3 daily; Kásos-Kárpathos, daily; Kárpathos-Sitía (Crete).

Regular boat services from and to Athens (Piraeus), weekly (26 hours); also from and to Crete. Local connections in Dodecanese: Rhodes-Khalkí-Kárpathos-Kásos.

Related Attractions

Karpathos Town (Khora), Greece

The island's chief town and principal port is Kárpathos, a modern foundation situated in a wide bay near the south end of the east coast on the site of ancient Poseidion.

The town was built primarily with funds sent home by immigrants to the United States and it does not reflect the local architectural style found in the other villages.

Olympus, Greece

A rewarding trip from Kárpathos (by bus or taxi) is to the typical old mountain village of Ólymbos (beautiful views; windmills, still operating), in the northern half of the island; it can also be reached from Diafáni, near the north end of the east coast. The inhabitants of Ólymbos still wear their richly embroidered traditional costumes, and the village's traditional wedding festivities, lasting three days, are famed throughout Greece.

Olympos National Park

The Olympos National Park was established in 1938 in Pieria. It is 3,998 hectares/9,875 acres. Special features include alpine vegetation.

The park is also known for its walking trails.

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Aperion, Greece

Apérion is an interesting village located northwest of Kárpathos, chief town of the island of the same name.

Sariá

Off the northern tip of Kárpathos, separated from it by a channel only 100m/110yd wide, is the island of Sariá (area 16 sq. km/6 sq. mi; alt. 565m/1,855ft), the ancient Saros. On the south side of the island are the remains of a Byzantine town.

Messokhóri

On the northwestern coast of the island is Messokhori. Here visitors will find an original Karpathian house. The house has typical wooden decoration and pebble floors that form a mosaic.

Surroundings

Kasos

Area of island: 65 sq. km/25 sq. mi

Chief place: Fry

The island of Kásos (Italian Caso, Turkish Kasot), southwest of Kárpathos, is rocky (numerous caves), barren and without any sheltered anchorages. Its inhabitants live by farming (in the north) and boat building. Throughout its history, Kásos has shared the destinies of the neighboring island of Kárpathos. After the war of liberation, Albanian sponge divers settled on the island.

The chief place on Kásos, Fry, in the south of the island, lies above the landing stage on the site of the ancient city. Off the north coast of Kásos is the little island of Armathia, now deserted, which has a sandy beach.

There's an airfield 1km/.75mile northwest of Fry. Daily flights Rhodes-Kárpathos-Kásos; also connection with Sitía (Crete).

Weekly boat services from and to Athens (Piraeus) and Rhodes. Local connections in Dodecanese: Rhodes-Khalkí-Kárpathos-Kásos; also with Crete (Sitía and Aàyios Nikólaos).