Holidays in Greece

As the end of February starts to approach I'm starting to think about the warmer seasons and especially about my next holidays. And as much I consider the various destinations, one place seems to come to my mind: Greece. So far, I've been to Greece on holidays three times and I visited the islands of Thira (or Santorini), Karpathos and Lefkas. Santorini, being a vulcanic island, is very impressive and stunning. Lefkas has beautiful beaches and sceneries as well, but my favorite would have to be Karpathos.

Karpathos is part of the Dodecanese group of islands and is situated between the islands of Rhodes and Crete. It's a long and narrow island with a mountainous spine. The north is slightly green while the south is rocky. Because of its geographycal position, Karpathos has always been a little bit isolated and away from the "action", so in the past a lot of the inhabitants emigrated to the USA. That's why you will see a lot of American car plates on the island, especially in the summer season. The island is not that overcrowded with tourists either (mostly they are Germans and Scandinavians), so you will find a spot on the most popular beaches even in the high season.

What are the sites of interest on the island? First of all, if you are looking for traces of the Ancient Greece civilization this is not the place for you. Karpathos has virtually no archeological sites. Karapathos is an island with the most beautiful beaches (they are mostly gravel beaches). The water is crystalline and turqouise (a shade I've only seen on postcards). Apella beach is the most well known, but the beaches of Ahata and Kyra Panayia are almost as beautiful (and easier to reach). You can reach the beaches by car or by boat.

The capital of the island is Pigadhia, and here you will find all the major hotels of the island. There is not much to see in Pigadhia but you can find everything you need.

Apart from the beautiful beaches, Karpathos is famous for the village of Olymbos in the far north of the island. Olymbos is an isolated village in the mountains that can be reached either by car following a quite tortuous road or by sea with the excursion boats that depart from Pigadhia on daily basis. I recommend the latter option even if the sea is often rough, but it's definitely worth seeing the island and Olymbos from the seaside. The boats will take you to the small port of Dhiafani and then you'll reach Olymbos by bus. The trip by bus is an adventure for itself, and if you suffer from fear of heights try not to look outside your window during the drive.
Olymbos is really something special. It's a traditional Greek village where tha inhabitants are still dressed in traditional clothes and speak an ancient language (that can be heard anywhere else in Greece). Unfortunately, because Olymbos has become more accessable over the years (the road has been reconstructed in 2006-2007) it will loose most of its traditional isolated charme.

The center of Karpathos is well known for the excellent tavernas you can find and the fine dishes of Greek cuisine you can eat. I would recommend two tavernas in Pigadhia as well (Iy Orea Karpathos and To Ellinikon). The food on Karpathos is really good and with moderate prices.

Another thing I forgot to mention is the strong wind of Meltemi that blows on the island (especially in August). It is especially strong on the southern part of the island, so if you like windsurfing visit the Amfiarti region (near the airport).

In the end I must mention the Karpathians! They are really friendly and nice people that make you feel welcomed.

So, from tomorrow I'm starting to put my money away to return this summer to Karpathos!