Karpathos is the second largest of the Dodecanese islands located midway between Rhodes and Crete and is 48km (30.14 miles) long and 15km (9.3 miles) wide with a surface area of 301 sq. km (116 sq. miles). The island extends in a north-south direction where the highest elevation (Kali Limni) goes up to 1215m over the Aegean Sea. The islands shores is rugged and steep with many small bays and stunning beaches while the interior of the island is very mountainous.
Karpathos Villages
Despite having its own international airport Karpathos It is a very traditional island whose inhabitants take care to preserve local traditions. Karpathos consists of 10 villages and all villages on Karpathos keep their traditional style. In the southeast of the island you can find Pigadia (Officially: Karpathos City), capital and main port of the island. The capital is surrounded by the villages of Menetes, Arkasa, Aperi, Volada, Othos, and Pyles. In the North one can find Mesochori, Spoa and Olymbos the last village in the North of the island, of great folkloric and architectural interest. There are two ports in the island; one is in the town of Karpathos and the other in the north of the island next to Olympos named Diafani.
Karpathos Beaches
Karpathos has some of the most beautiful beaches that only very few island in Greece offer such variation in beaches. Clear blue waters, sandy or pebbled, long or small private beaches that meet all tastes. Beaches such as Vrontis (Karpathos), Amopi (Menetes), Kira-Panaghia (Aperi), Lefkos (Mesochori), Agios Nicolaos (Spoa) and Agios Nicolaos (Arkassa) are the most organized with showers, beach beds, and tavernas. Not as much of touristic and rather isolated are the beaches of Achata (Aperi), Apella (Vollada) awarded as the best beach in the Mediterranean in 2002, Phokia, Agios Thoros and the seaside village of Finiki. On the south western coast, are ideal for windsurfing.
