General Information & Reviews

Reviews

• jckaay 19 Aug 2015
  Island with beautiful beaches

  Make sure to rent a car because you HAVE to see all the beaches in this wonderful island. Karpathos is a place where there are not that much trees, all beaches are different, there are rocks, sand, wind, and no wind, warm and cold water. So there is something for everyone. If you need parties and a lot of restaurants, make sure you stay in the capital - Pigadia. We stayed in Amoopi and we think it is the best place in Karpthos. I also think a good place to stay is Arkassa, maybe better than Amoopi, because it has everything - markets, restaurants and good beaches. Apella, Achata and Kyra Panagia are beaches in the north and there are natural shade. As you go south there is less and less natural shade. But you can always take your umbrella. The road is good, and all the beaches except Kyra Panagia are wonderful, Kyra was a big disappointment - realy cold water and crazy hot sand were awful. But Apella, Achata, Diakoftis, Damatria, Amoopi, Agios Nikolaos Arkssa, Agios Theodoros, Agrilaopotamos, Michaliou Kipos... the best beaches ever! We found warm water only in Amoopi and Damatria, and maybe Achata, but the rest of beaches usually have colder, cold and really cold water. But it is clean, clear water with amazing colors. Strongest wind is in Damatria and Agrilaopotamos. Read the reviews of the beaches and go to Karpathos as soon as possible!
• lauravib 30 Sep 2010
  Keep this paradise untouched

  We stayed in a room 1 km from Pigadia, the capital of Karpathos and wandered around town to grab a bite and also pick up a few gifts at the souvenir shops. Nice town beach. But that was before we got to visit some of the other beaches in Karpathos. Those were simply awesome! Don't miss Apella Beach. It is located 15 km north of Pigadia, and is set in a wonderful mountain scenery. Great for a relaxing day and there is a lovely taverna, too. Then, there is also the sandy beach of Kyra Panagia, a wonderfully clean and organized beach with an equally breathtaking landscape and a quaint chapel.
  
  The next day, we took a boat from Town to Diafini, which included a bus trip to Olympos (for 22 Euros). The village of Olympos is perched high on the mountain and some of the buildings overlook the sea. In all the Greek islands, we have visited so far (and we have visited quite a few!), we had arrived at the rather disconcerting conclusion that Greece was tending to look less Greek with every passing year. But, Olympos did make us feel that all was not lost yet! Several of the men in the village wore brown pants and sported a moustache, while the women were dressed in traditional clothes that are only seen on postcards today. We walked till the old windmills and enjoyed the view. Also Karpathos is obviously good for windsurfing on the south western side and we attended a windsurfing championship while we were there in July.
  
• gisset 24 Mar 2010
  Paradise at the moment

  There was a lot to read on the Internet and in travel guides about Karpathos. The only thing that I would have liked and that I couldn't find was a map showing the location of accommodation in Lefkos. The apartments we eventually chose were quite a walk from the village and we would probably not have gone there if we had known. On the plus side, they were extremely well appointed and we were looked after very well by the owner.
  
  The good thing in Karpathos is the lack of excessive tourism, the natural beauty of the island and the beaches, that all seem to be very different from each other. The people are, without exception, extremely friendly and helpful. Whilst we appeared to be the only British people on the island, English was the predominant language, many of the islanders having worked in the USA for a period.
  
  All the meals we had in Karpathos were good, but some restaurants stood out. The Small Garden, between Lefkos and Potali Bay was perhaps the most authentically Greek, and the food was constantly good. Potalu Bay Pizza Restaurant was also high on our list of recommendations. We also dined regularly at the restaurant in the hotel Krinos, where the food was good, and there was Greek Dancing almost every night. The best meatballs I have ever had in Greece were served to me one lunchtime at the beach bar in Achata bay.
  
  Just keep the tourist numbers down. At the moment it is a paradise, but it could so easily be swamped by tourists, turning it into yet another carbon copy Mediterranean resort. Go soon, while it still feels "Greek".
  
• voiles 08 Feb 2010
  Calm and gorgeous landscape

  I had heard many good things about Karpathos but I thought that other islands should come first, more famous and more developed than Karpathos. Wrong! It turned out that Karpathos has all we wanted from holidays plus calm atmosphere plus gorgeous landscape. The plane took only 1 hour to go from Athens to Karpathos, but book at least two months before because itineraries are not that frequent, not even in summer. We travelled with Olympic, no problem. Outside the airport, there was a small car waiting for us. We always book a car on holidays, I hate relaying on buses in Greece. When they are not late, they are packed. Sometimes, they are both. Be sure to have enough days to see the island and relax the same time. I suggest a week, or ten days the most.
  
  Top places are Lefkos (where our hotel), Makrigialos (a gorgeous beach for windsurfing, in fact there was a windsurf competition at out stay) and Olympos, the most beautiful village in Greece. A village on an island, but still it looked like a village in the mountains. Covered with clouds, Olympos was like a place of fairytales! No hotels, no tourism, the locals take good care of their home so that it will not be corrupted from greedy tourists. Women wear their traditional costumes even in regular days and every house was different, like a piece of art. Amazing place, amazing!! Afer Olympos, go to Diafani for fresh fish and a long walk at the beach.
  
• hlstahl 05 Oct 2009
  Souvenirs in Olympos

  You might like to believe that the souvenirs you purchase in Olympos are locally produced. Who knows? Some of them may be. But on our most recent trip, the honey we bought was very generic - very unlike the "thyme" scented honey we were used to getting in our many years of visit. We are fairly certain that it was not from Karpathos. Alas, we would no longer purchase honey, olive oil or even the scented sachets there.
  
• nicholasjan 13 Aug 2009
  Varied and quiet landscape

  Karpathos is a very quiet and pleasant island, with many beautiful beaches and very nice villages. The environment is very varied: sand beaches and cliffs, pinewoods and arid, sunburnt areas, organized beach resorts and wonderful little bays. Every taste is catered for: you can just swim and take sun baths, or go hiking through mountain woods, visiting little and picturesque villages. Beaches are among the cleanest I have seen in Greece. People in Karpathos are very hospitable and truly nice, even for the Greek standards which are very high! They always make you feel at ease. If you arrive in a village during one of the many village feasts, you will be offered food and wine as if you were a member of the family...
  
  Food is simply great! Dolmadaki and loukoumades are a must, taste them! Restaurants are nice and never too expensive (remarkably cheaper than in other Greek islands I have visited). Dining in smaller taverns is particularly pleasant. In planning your trips around the island, especially if you are using a motorbike, keep in mind that you can get a petrol pump only in Pigadia. Karpathos is not huge, but you do risk to find yourself without fuel. And don't forget a sun protection: the sun is very strong in Karpathos, and because of the wind you may not even notice that you are turning in a well-done souvlaki before it's too late...
  
• eb 17 Jun 2009
  Spoiled beaches due to umbrellas and sunbeds

  Unfortunatly every single beach in the island is full with umbrellas and sunbeds. Of course this is not a nice view for people who admire that otherwise beautiful island. I have been many times in Karpathos but I am not going there again due to ugly environment of the beaches with umbrellas and sunbeds. Even we did not have space for us who do not wish sunbeds. The most tragic is that it happens in the 3 most beautiful beaches Kyra Panagia, Apella and specially Ahata. It is a shame for the island such conditions on those unique beaches. It appears to me that the Karpathians they don't really care too much about the impression given to the visitors of the island. For how long do they believe that tourists will be interested in beaches full of sunbeds???
• mdgibson 15 Jun 2009
  Sound of the Sea

  A small apartment complex, just outside Pigadia (Karpathos city).
  I was born on the island of Mauritius and my husband in Holland, we lived most of our live in South Africa, we have seen a lot of the world and Greece but this beats everything we ever stayed.
  Small scale apartment complex run by mother, father, daughter.
  What a hospitality we found there I thought that was a thing from the past !
  If you look for rest, cleanness and quietness this is the place to go .
  A nice complex with big apartments and nice big balconies all with full sea view, a big saltwater pool and a small but good restaurant bar (mama does all the cooking her self).
  The owners speak English, France and Greek [they spent some time in Canada] which makes life even more easy as a foreigner .
  I say we found a little paradise on a beautiful island .
  
• eleanna 08 Jun 2009
  Do not advertise much

  I suggest travel guides not to advertise Karpathos too much because the island will lose this special beauty it has! For me this was a unique island!!! After the Cyclades that look very much to each other, Karpathos was a special experience. You will love it the moment you see it. Pigadia can be a little noisy in weekends, but the rest villages are excellent.
  
  All villages are beautiful but Olympos is unbelievable! Like a dream in the clouds. It is difficult to go up but when you are there, you don't want to go down again. We were in Olympos every other day for a coffee in the square. An excursion to Saria may be good for tourists, but do not expect much, there are no beaches, only some goats on this small islet and some old ruins, probably from houses, I don't know. Swim in all the beaches of Karpahtos, not one will disappoint you, but swim with scandals because some can have rocky bed. Hotels are nice but do not expect something luxurious, just the typical apartmnents with friendly owners.
  
• anniekust 15 May 2009
  Credit cards are not acceptable

  I have been to Karpathos three times so far and maybe I go again in the future. This is a wonderful island and not that expensive as most Greek islands. It is a good value and services are really good. White Castle was our hotel for two summers and we were very satisfied. The villages of Karpahtos are unique, each one has its special charecteristics. Do not miss Olympos and Menetes. Beaches are not the best in Greece, but they are so relaxing. Especially in off season (June and September), you will enjoy all calmness you need in Karpathos. Transport on the island is poor and too bad. I suggest you rent a car. Our car rental is in Finiki, Mrs Katerina always takes care of us and last time, she gave us a day free (we rented the car for a week). Banks and pharmacies in Karpathos are only found in Pigadia, the capial. Also know that very few stores an restaurants accept credit cards, so be prepared and have cash with you.
  
• olia52 27 Mar 2009
  Get to the top of Saria

  Saria, the small rocky islet close to Karpathos, is a beautiful excursion to take on Karpathos. There is a boat that goes from Pigadia to Saria many times a day. There you can see some old ruins and hike against the touch paths. Landscape on Saria is very difficult to hike, so better wear trainers, not scandals because your feet might get injured. If you stand on top of the islet, you can see a wonderful view. Swimming is difficult on Saria because beaches are too hard.
• lucabroc 23 Jan 2009
  Wonderful beaches and people

  The trip to Karpathos from Piraeus was tooooo long, almost 20 hours by ferry. However, the beaches and the sea were wonderful, more or less everywhere. There are not many historical attractions to see, apart from one or two sites. Pigadia town is very attractive over the night (many people, many restaurants and pubs). Finiki is very attractive too, even though very small and quite. On the contrary, Amopi is not a village at all: it is simply a whole of hotels, some tavernas and a couple of shops.
  
  Local food is not bad (I like most of the greek dishes), but there's not a great variety of food. Dishes are quite cheap, but generally fish is frozen and fruit is not provided. Very good fresh fish can be eaten in Finiki. We had the impression that in Amopi and surroundings the restaurateurs did not care too much about the customers. On the contrary, we had been very well impressed by the restaurants in Finiki and Arkasa where people seemed to be more polite. This is quite strange since Finiki and Arkasa - as well as Lefkos - are less touristic than Amopi and Pigadia!
  
  It is not true that Karpathos is always very windy: when the wind does not blow, it is very hot and air-conditioning could be good over the night. We had problems with the mosquitos, though: it is necessary to adopt some remedy over the night. Nearly all the beaches (not Diakoftis that is wonderful) have sunbeds and umbrellas to be rent (from 8 to 10 euros for 3 sunbeds and 1 umbrella) as well as tavernas for the lunch (quite cheap). All the beaches are reached with asphalted routes (except for Diakoftis and Kato Lako), even though sometimes quite narrow. Do not go to Kato Lako by car if you do not have a jeep: a Panda 4x4 is not sufficient!!!
• pl98oy09 03 Dec 2008
  A small paradise

  As I live in Heraklion Crete, it was very easy to go to Karpathos. I took the ferry from Heraklion, but there is also another ferry from Sitia. Karpathos was better than I thought originally. Isolate beaches, clean waters, wonderful people and so, so beautiful sunsets!! I didn't know I had a small paradise just next to my home. Originally, I had planned to saty for five days but when I was there I didn't want to leave, so I changed my schedule and eventually stayed for twelve days! Lefkos is the most tourist village and the taverns in the beach are delicious. For beaches, try Apela, Achata and Mikri Amopi.
• piacorde 12 May 2008
  Authentic Greek

  We liked Karpathos because it still is authentic Greece, not overfloaded with mass tourism. Inhabitants are vere friendly and there are lovely beaches. For me, the best was St Nikolas but my husband liked Apella better. We visited many different tavernas and in overall the food was excellent. Good quality and prices. Definitely give a try to Glaros restaurant in St Nikolas beach.
  
• helen2645 31 Mar 2008
  Book early

  We visited Karpathos this summer because we were invited in a wedding ceremony in Aperi, a small village. My niece was getting married in the traditional karpathian ceremony. The feast lasted for three days and nights and the bride had got dressed in the traditional costume, not a common white dress. It was just lovely!
  I also loved the island, pretty quiet despite the tourists. The village of Olympia is a must see and I thoroughly enjoyed the view of the islet opposite Pigadia. I also liked swimming and driving through the mountains, it was a nice experience. I just advise you to book early because many people go to Karpathos in July and August.
• usa 05 Nov 2007
  Laid back and relaxed

  We a family of four with two teenagers -we loved the island-it was very laid back and relaxed- we stayed at Kyra Panagea -beautiful, very clean, nice people and there were two restaurants near us and on the beach that had fresh reasonably priced good food including homemade pasta at the Taverna 1 and the restaurant adjacent to the hotel asked us what we wanted and made us vegetarian mousaka. The roads seemed very torutous and I did not feel comfortable driving -we rented a taxi for a day- the hotel set it up for us and it worked out very well --They should offer more boat trips as well as private boat trips that are fairly priced-maybe for 2 or 3 hours to see the coast- the only private ones we found were way overpriced and the day we were to take a boat trip there was a storm and we could not go. So, set aside extra time for the island-weather, plane delays- so you get to do everything you want!
• bevchc 18 Sep 2007
  A island in the other part of the Aegean

  Hi,
  
  
  My name is Alexis. I visited Karpathos in summer 2006 with my girlfriend. We decided to go in August. Karpathos is divided in two parts. The North and the South. For many years these two parts were only accessible the one to the other by boat. Today a road was built to connect them. What is funny is that, isolated the one from the other, both parts were develloped in differents ways. Actually the south part was develloped with the construction of an airport and many hotels were built. The North part stayed like it was centuries ago. That is also the reason why I prefered much more the northern part. Because it is like Greece in the 50'. Really amazing. Picturesque villages, really kind people and fantastic landscapes. There is a famous village there called Olympos. We had the chance to visit for the 15th of August which is a major religious fiest in Greece. It was spendid even if the moral of the village wasn't hi because of the lose of two young people (the told us so). But for us it was a unique experience. It is the most village I ever visited and the most impressive of all is that the small society of people there were base on a matriarcal system. The women are the one who take decision and heritage is from mother to daughter. I was impressed by the fact that women were wearing their traditional costume. The village has no bakery and every family makes its own bread. I would recommend anyone to go and eat in some of the resataurants there. The local products are delicious and you should try the macarounes.
  There are many excursions to do in the northern part. Beautiful villages and also excursions by foot or boat to some islets in the surroundings.
  
  
  The southern part is totally diferent. Much more develloped but many interests also. Amazing beached and very good windsurfing spots.
  
  
  I recommend anyone to go there. But be aware that the island is 21 hours ferry from Pireus port (Athens) so it is a better option to take a flight.
• Stefano_F 31 Jul 2007
  The island with the Greek atmosphere

  Hello, I'm Stefano F and I'm from Italy. I'm 40 years old. I recently visited Greece and the island of Karpathos.
  I arrived on the island by plane with the Alitalia. The trip was very good with no delays
  The reason I chose this island for my holiday is because I discovered it on the Internet and I really liked it.
  I was looking for Greek atmosphere but not crowded beaches and in Karpathos I hoped to find small beach, lovely people, and no traffic at all, sun every day and nice villages to visit. So what I was hoping for actually came to be true.
  The area was perfect and the landscapes magnificent. The island is covered in trees, and I really liked that. The beaches were great and the sea was crystal clear! My favorite beach is Kira Panagia.
  Also the villages were very nice and the people exactly as expected, friendly and lovely! My favorite village is Olympos.
  Karpathos is a completely authentic place, peaceful and quite. Also it is clean, with good transportations, and nice accommodations.
  The nightlife is good, actually not quite a party island, but really nice. My favorite bar was Achata beach bar
  My tip for the locals would be: Don't do anything, Karpathos is wonderful this way, don't exceed the number of visitors, you are not Mykonos, and that's the reason why we came to Karpathos. And my tip for future visitors would be: Don't stop in Amoopi or Pigadia, go around and find the thousand beach of Karpathos, most of them deserted in august too.
  
• Anastasis_K 05 Jun 2007
  Superb landscapes and dreamy beaches

  Hello, my name is Karakasiliotis Anastasis and I'm Greek. I'm 27 years old and I've visited up to 5 countries. In the summer of 2006 I visited the island of Karpathos. I arrived on the island by plane with the Olympic Airlines and by boat with "Ierapetra". The plane was delayed but the trip was good. The reason I visited this island is because I discovered it on the Internet and I run into beach photos that I liked, so liked the idea.
  I had pictured perfect beaches in my mind, reality was close enough! I also had a feeling about Olympos village, but never thought that Karpathian are so lazy people. I very much enjoyed the excursion to Olympos. Landscapes were superb! The beaches were really good and the waters were crystal clear. My favorite beach was Damatria. In general it is a very clean island, and when I was there the weather was absolutely perfect!
  The only thing I would suggest to the authorities is to make more roads to wonderful beaches, not soil or rocks on roads.
  My tip for future visitors is to rent a jeep, if economically comfortable.
• Majda 19 Sep 2006
  Windy island

  Nationality: Slovenian
  
  Age: 53
  
  Countries visited: >15-30
  
  The trip: I arrived on the island by plane (charter). The trip was very good with no delays.
  
  Reasons for going to Karpathos: Discovered on the Internet and have read books about Greece (Durell, Cage)
  
  Idea of the island/area before arriving: I knew it would be dry and windy but the strength of the wind in the first week of my stay there surprised me - also the local people said that meltemi is not usually so strong in July.
  
  - Island/area: 10/10
  
  - Landscapes: 10/10
  
  - Tree Covered: 2/10
  
  - Beaches & waters: 8/10
  
  - Cleanliness: 8/10
  
  - Villages: 9/10
  
  - Main Town: 9/10
  
  - Food/ restaurants: 9/10
  
  - Nightlife: N/A
  
  - Local people: 9/10
  
  - Accommodation: 7/10
  
  - Activities: N/A
  
  - Excursions: 8/10
  
  - Sightseeing: 10/10
  
  - Prices: 8/10
  
  - Public Transportations: 9/10
  
  - Authenticity 8/10
  
  - Peace & quiet 8/10
  
  - Weather 10/10
  
  Best Beaches: Appela
  
  Best Villages : Finiki
  
  Best Activity: swimming, walking
  
  Best Restaurants Taverna Esperida, above Amopi
  
  Anything negative about the island or needs improvement: Buses are trifling old and not all have air condition.
  
  Recommendations: Check how you stand the wind
  
  Rate of the overall quality/organization/services of this island/area in comparison with other countries: 8/10.
  
  
• Jan_Renneboog 24 Jul 2006
  Respect the Authenticity

  Nationality: Belgian
  
  Date on the island: 24 July 2006
  
  Countries visited: >5-10
  
  The trip: I got to Karpathos Island by plane (Virgin) to athens and then by plane (Olympic Airways) to Karpathos. The trip was very good. There was some delay only on the way back.
  
  Reasons for going to Karpathos: I frequently travel to Greece (each year) & learn the Greek language (6th year)
  
  Idea before arriving: Beautiful, unspoiled island, few tourists, very kind people, good food - on the minus side : lack of respect of many Greek people for the environment & their beautiful nature (a lot of waste discharging in the middle of nature - of course and unfortunately , this is not an exclusive Greek behavior)
  
  Expectations and opinions: Yes, it met my expectations. It is a nice island.
  
  - Island/area: 10/10
  
  - Landscapes: 10/10
  
  - Tree Covered: 8/10
  
  - Beaches & waters: 8/10
  
  - Cleanliness: 7/10
  
  - Villages: 10/10
  
  - Main Town: 8/10
  
  - Food/ restaurants: 9/10
  
  - Nightlife: N.A
  
  - Local people: 10/10 People are very friendly and always do their best to help you.
  
  - Accommodation: 10/10
  
  - Activities: 10/10 -Excursions N.A
  
  -Sightseeing: 10/10
  
  - Prices: 10/10
  
  - Public Transportations: N.A.
  
  - Authenticity 10/10
  
  - Peace & quiet 10/10
  
  - Weather 10/10
  
  Negative opinion: keep it like it is - don't put all your bets on mass-tourism, small is beautiful...Recommendations: Don't spoil it, respect the authenticity.
  
  
  
  I will definitely go back to Karpathos.. I will definitely recommend this island to others
  
  
  
  Rate of the overall quality/organization/services of this island/area in comparison with other countries: 8/10
  
  
  
  
• mar_tan 28 Jun 2006
  Great island in the middle of the Aegean

  Nationality: Norvegian
  
  Age: 38
  
  
  
  The trip: I went to Karpathos with Apollo/SAS. The trip was fine.
  
  Reasons for going to Karpathos: We read about Karpathos Greece in Apollo's internet site and we like it very well. I chacked also for pictures on other sites and the place really looked amazing.
  
  Idea before arriving: Except from the beautiful pictures of landscapes and beaches that I saw on the internet I didn't know much about the island's people, history and culture. I really wanted to discovered all that. I saw a village that was called Olympe and was amazed by the pictures of it. I choose this island because it is not one of the touristy islands of Greece and wanted to avoid other tourist like us as much as possible.
  
  Expectations and opinions: Yes, more than expected. It is an incredible island with gorgous beaches and amazing landscapes. People here are very friendly and helpful. The food was also incredible.
  
  Favorite thing about Karpathos: The fact that we were on an island in the middle of the Aegean and ecerything the island had to offer to us.
  
  Negative opinion: Really nothing negative. Hope that this island will stay the same and if it has a touristy boom, that the authorities will handle that in better ways that what have been done on other islands of Greece.
  
  Recommendations: The island is large. Rent a car and go discover all you can. We were there for one week but I would have really enjoyed a week more.
  
  
  
  I like this island very much and I have put it again in the next years holiday program.
• matilda_d 28 Nov 2005
  Very very beautiful and relaxing but crazy drivers

  Nationality: Sweden
  
  Age: 18
  
  
  
  The trip: I came by plane with the travel agancy Apollo. The trip was fine and fun and the people were very kind.
  
  Reasons for going to Karpathos: My dad red about it on Internet and I thought it was a nice island.
  
  Idea before arriving: That Greece was a hot country and that Karpathos would have the same weather. The the beaches would be fine. That it was a mountainous island and a good place to spend some time if you want to relax.
  
  Expectations and opinions: Yes, we met our expactations and more. It is a really nice place for tourists with much to see and do.
  
  Favorite thing about Karpathos: The beaches and the fine nature
  
  Negative opinion: Maybe the traffic. It is not the same rules here that it is at home and they drive often very fast.
  
  
  
  I will love toi go back to Karpathos again!
• magnin 11 Oct 2005
  Beautiful landscapes and beaches

  Nationality: Fremch
  
  Age: 53
  
  
  
  The trip: We arrived on the island of Karpathos by boat from Rhodes. We used "Lane" company and the trip was fine.
  
  Reasons for going to Karpathos: We already go to Karpathos twice.
  
  Idea before arriving: Karpathos was for us an excelent souvenir. We knew that this place is made for us.
  
  Expectations and opinions: It really met our expectations, of course.
  
  Favorite thing about Karpathos: The landscapes, the beaches and the weather.
  
  Negative opinion: There is nothing negative.
  
  Recommendations: Just come to Karpathos and keep the island clean!
  
  
  
  We will definitely go back there!
• elsa78 25 Sep 2005
  Wonderful island

  I went to Karpathos with a friend of mine during June.
  
  It was the first time we discovered Greece and this island and we were charmed.
  
  We were staying in a lovely village near the sea and paid only 25 euros for two! The island is very mountainous and we discovered a beautiful landscape and wonderful mountain villages where women were wearing their traditional costumes. People were friendly and welcoming and make us taste some succulent local dishes and sweets. We had numerous swims in incredibly clear waters and tanned on golden sand and coloured pebbles.
  
  We had a really wonderful time, the only negative point is that Karpathos is far away from Piraeus port (about 20 hours!) and they are only a few boats per week.
  
  But if you can afford it, you can reach this paradise by plane.