Karpathos
Your holiday destination
Destinations you can visit from Linz Airport
Karpathos, the second largest Dodecanese island, is located in the southern Aegean Sea between Crete and Rhodes and impresses visitors with its Greek tradition and beautiful nature. The island is perfect for those who love the original and authentic Greece. But seaside holidaymakers as well as divers and surfers equally love the island.
Holidays on Karpathos
Insider tips for Greece
Ancient island traditions and picturesque villages, where the stone houses have retained their original appearance with typical interiors and handmade wooden benches in front of the door: That’s what visitors can still find all across the island. The mountain village of Olympos in particular has retained its originality and is considered the most beautiful village in the Aegean Sea. It was built in the mountains as a place of refuge from attackers from the sea and was thus able to pass on its authentic traditions over a long period of time. When you visit the village, you should try makarounes, a handmade type of pasta and typical specialty of the island.
Menetes, the largest village on the island, impresses visitors with magnificent old mansions. Not far away, an old chapel from the 14th century with wall paintings invites you to stop by for a visit.
While the bays in the north of the island are often only accessible by boat, wide sandy beaches predominate in the south. This is also where you will find the majority of holidaymakers. Amoopi, not far from the island's capital, is a popular seaside resort. The fishing village of Finki and the bathing bays near Lefkos with its white beaches are well worth a visit, too.
The beach Kyra Panagia with its golden sand is a popular photo motif. And the wind-protected beach Diakoftis with its bright white sand attracts holidaymakers who come here to relax.
As the windiest island in the Mediterranean, Karpathos is popular with sports enthusiasts in summer. It’s also the site of many international surfing competitions. The downdraught winds that flow down from the mountains make the region around Afiártis an insider tip for surfers. The area is considered the most wind-sure in Europe.
Popular sights and attractions on Karpathos
- Apella Beach: a magnificent beach that has won awards for its beauty, a natural bay in the middle of a lush pine forest with stunning scenic views
- Othos: The picturesque village offers a fantastic view of Pigadia and is one of the most charming villages on the island.
- Kali Limni: highest mountain on Karpathos with 1,215 metres in altitude. Starting point for the ascent is the Lastos plateau. Once at the summit, you’ll be rewarded with fantastic views.
- Pigadia (Karpathos Town): The island's capital boasts pretty alleyways, plenty of cafés and tavernas, souvenir shops selling handmade art, and many beautiful bathing bays.
- Aperi: As the former capital of the island and still the seat of a bishopric, it was settled early on and is one of the richest villages in Greece.
Ideal travel time
The best time to travel to Karpathos is from May to October, as there is hardly any rainfall and the average temperatures in July are around 26 degrees. The water temperature also reaches up to 26 degrees. A special experience is Panigri, a name day festival. If you get a chance to, you should visit a village that celebrates its name day. The whole village comes together and celebrates extensively with food and drink as well as communal dancing.
