On June we visited five islands that you may not have heard of, but are well worth visiting just as much, if not more so, than the other more well-known Greek islands. Karpathos was one of them. No more then 1500 people live on this island. It has police force of 3, just 1 doctor and over 400 churches. During the summer the population in one particular town can swell from 3 or 4 families to over 150 individuals. Cars are left unlocked, houses have keys in the doors and everyone knows everyone. I have to note the we lock our car that we rent from Karpathos rent a car. We fell in love with this little island and you will too. From its numerous beaches to it’s thermal hot springs, to classic white houses and lush rolling green valleys. You won’t find expats and foreigners living here, but you will find restaurant menus in English, A-grade hospitality and a relaxed vibe that releases all the tension from your muscles within moments of arriving.
We arrived at night and were greeted by a mysterious floating monastery high in the darkened sky. It wasn’t until the sun rose the next morning we realised that it was in fact a monastery perched atop a steep mountain enveloped in the clouds. Slightly more developed than Kythnos, the roads are wider, and there are several larger villages. The island has long, rich history dating back millennia and quaint towns with narrow, cobblestone paths.
It has an extensive mining history, ancient Christian catacombs and mysterious caves. Half of the island is a dedicated nature reserve (only accessible via 4 wheel drive or boat), and the other half has over 70 beaches that you could spend days discovering.
We arrived at night and were greeted by a mysterious floating monastery high in the darkened sky. It wasn’t until the sun rose the next morning we realised that it was in fact a monastery perched atop a steep mountain enveloped in the clouds. Slightly more developed than Kythnos, the roads are wider, and there are several larger villages. The island has long, rich history dating back millennia and quaint towns with narrow, cobblestone paths.
It has an extensive mining history, ancient Christian catacombs and mysterious caves. Half of the island is a dedicated nature reserve (only accessible via 4 wheel drive or boat), and the other half has over 70 beaches that you could spend days discovering.