Karpathos is one of the Dodecanese islands, which lie all the way to the east. The island itself lies between Rhodes and Crete and is the second largest of this particular island group. Getting there by ferry, especially from Piraeus, did not sound particularly appealing, so we booked a direct flight instead. The flight landed at a tiny airport, which also happens to serve as a military airport.
A 5:35 am flight is definitely not the best way to start a holiday. On the other hand, arriving on Karpathos at 9 am was pretty wonderful. We picked up our rental car and headed to Arkasa on the west side of the island, and more precisely to Blue Sea Studios.
When I had looked at the map before booking, it appeared that the studios were right by the beach. That turned out not to be quite true. There is no actual beach directly in front of the studios, but there is the sea, a beautiful view and, most importantly, a sunset every evening.
sunset every evening @Blue Sea studios
There is also no beach within walking distance, although Agios Nikolaos is only a short drive away. Still, Arkasa turned out to be a wonderful base for us. The village has plenty of restaurants, bars and coffee places, all within easy walking distance of the studios.
Arkasa in the evening @Karpathos
And then there is the perfect spot for a sundowner.
sun downer @Nustema Bar
But of course, we had not come to Karpathos just for the sunsets. The island initially looks rather flat and empty as you leave the airport, but it did not take long for the landscape to change completely. Suddenly there were high mountains in the distance, beautiful beaches with turquoise water and plenty of wind. Karpathos is apparently a paradise for windsurfers, although none of us felt the need to test that theory.
Instead, we explored beaches, drove through the mountains, visited the spectacular village of Olympos, hunted down ancient ruins and archaeological sites, and, most importantly, ate very well.
mountain village Olympos @Karpathos
Our first ancient treasure was the Roman cistern near Lefkos.
Roman cistern @Karpathos
Getting there involved a short and beautiful walk, with the sea constantly tempting us. But even in higher temperatures the distance to the cistern should be manageable.
walking to the cistern @Karpathos
The Roman cistern is fenced off, but with the fence almost 30 years old, there was unsurprisingly a way in.
the fence has seen better times @Lefkos Roman cistern
So naturally we had to take a look. There is, however, a very good reason for the fence. The underground structure is not exactly somewhere you should go exploring. Some of the stonework looked porous and rather unstable, so we did not stay for long.
looking into the Roman cistern @Karpathos
inside the Roman cistern @Karpathos
Since we were already in the area, we also went looking for a large cave about ten minutes away on foot. The path, marked in red and black on several stones, was easy enough to follow.
follow the path to the cave @Karpathos
The ceiling looked almost as if it had been made from coral, with shells embedded in the rock. It appears to be from a time when there was way more water around here. The cave also showed clear signs of later human use, with what appeared to be animal stables and living areas.
first glance at the cave, but not the entrance @Karpathos
stables and living area in the cave @Karpathos
a shell stuck to the ceiling @Karpathos
We also found the remains of Agia Fotini near Pigadia, the main town of Karpathos. The early Christian basilica dates from the 5th or 6th century and stands right by the sea. Although the site is fenced off, it can be accessed from the car park next to it. In any case no fence keeps me outside apparently.
Agia Fotini @Karpathos
the pillars of Agia Fotini @Karpathos
Also near Pigadia is Poseidon’s temple, which is shortly before you reach the town and nowhere near the beach. This one proved surprisingly difficult to find. When you come from the west side it is to your right. Google Maps shows it on the other side and I was walking around for a while looking for it.
Only when I turned around to go back to the car did I see the large cave on the other side of the road, with a set of rough steps leading up to it. There is very little signage, which certainly does not make the place easier to find.
stairs leading up to the Poseidon temple @Karpathos
It did not look particularly impressive from below, but once inside the cave, things became much more interesting. There are two caves, and the larger cave had clearly been constructed manually or at least adjusted. In the second one there are lots of shells in the walls and ceiling. So this mountain must have been in or near the sea before, probably millions of years ago.
manually constructed @Poseidon’s temple
shells in the ceiling @Poseidon’s temple
We managed to visit Pigadia, the main town on Karpathos, for exactly two hours after looking for Poseidon’s temple. It was on a Sunday and during the midday heat, so probably not the best time to come here. I am sure in the evening the whole place looks a lot livelier.
After our archaeological adventures, we finally made it to Pigadia, the main town on Karpathos. We managed to spend exactly two hours there, which was more than enough to see the town. Or so it seemed to us at least. It was a Sunday and right in the middle of the midday heat, so the streets were rather quiet. I suspect Pigadia comes alive in the evening, when the pastel coloured houses, waterfront promenade and restaurants are much more inviting.
pastel colored houses @Karpathos
sea promenade @Karpathos
And that was really what Karpathos was all about for us. There was plenty to explore, especially on days when the weather did not seem inviting at first. We would spend the morning discovering an ancient cave, the afternoon swimming in turquoise water and the evening watching the sun disappear into the sea with a drink in hand. Not a bad way to spend a holiday. Yours, Pollybert
