Get to know Karpathos, the beauty of Dodecanese (by Greeks)

Karpathos is the second biggest island of the marvelous Dodecanese. It is famous for its beautiful beaches as well as its astonishing villages.

There are many different legends about the name of Karpathos. The dominant one is based on Greek Mythology. To be more specific, citizens of the island loved their island so much that wanted to move the Greek Gods there. So, the legend says that they kidnapped the Gods and as a result they were named "Arpatheoi" (which means kidnappers of the Gods). Later, the name changed to "Karpatheoi" and ended up being "Karpathioi" (the modern name for the citizens of Karpathos).

Reasons to visit Karpathos

First of all, it's the perfect place to relax wandering around its beautiful narrows and also to explore the graphic villages and learn about the countless local traditions. Of course, you will enjoy a rejuvenating swim in Karpathos' crystal clear waters! For your information, the most popular beaches are the following: Apella, Damatria, Amoopi, Achatta and Diakoftis.

As for the various settlements of Karpathos, we have to mention that the total number is immense. More specifically, the biggest one is Pigadia (or Karpathos) and Aperi, Menetes, Othos, Arkasa and many more follow!

The sights are not only beaches... but Karpathos is well-known for its rich history, which can be unveiled in the Museums of each area. The most significant museum is the Archaeological Museum of Karpathos. Moreover, the Folk Museum, located in Othos, is really interesting, since you can marvel at a karpathian house, which is traditionally one-room seperated in two with wooden raised floor and ornated walls with dishes, glassware, crewels and rugs.

Of course, we can't forget mentioning food!

The traditional dishes of Karpathos are: makarounes (fresh pasta served with buttersauce and cheese), manouli (goat cheese), stuffed zucchini flowers, psilokouloura (biscuits), xerotigana (crispy fried dough with honey), zibilia (sweet pies) and spoon sweets.

To be honest, we were amazed by the similarity between Karpathian and Cretan traditional dishes. For us, that's another reason to try Karpathian dishes, since they remind of us of childhood memories.

Remember to visit:

Panagia Larniotissa Monastery

From there, you can marvel at whole city's view as well as the view of many beautiful villages.

The magical Olympos

It is a beloved place both by locals and tourists, where someone can gaze at Agean from up high and enjoy the untouched beauty of Olympos' difficult terrain. It is important to mention that the road that connects Olympos with the other parts of Karpathos island was built in 1980.

The stunning island of Saria

The island of Saria is currently uninhabited but it's totally worth visiting (via a small boat) for a pleasant trip and of course for a swim in the turquiose waters of its wonderful beaches!

The adventurous paths 

Karpathos is famous for its paths, which are 50 in total. Most of them pass through many small settlements of the islands. Those of you who love adventure and exploration, your trip to Karpathos will be a trip you that will stay forever in your mind! 

We partnered with Apolis Beachscape Hotel and we are giving you the opportunity to win 3 stays in the magical Karpathos! Click here, to visit our instagram page and enter the giveaway!

Keep traveling!

All photos were captured by Apolis Beachscape Hotel.