Karpathos Pigadia

General information

Built around a natural bay sheltered by three uninhabited islets —Affoti, Garonisos and Despotikon— Pigadia is the capital town and main port of Karpathos. Besides passenger ferries, Pigadia Port serves a lot of excursion boats, which take visitors to the island’s top beaches, as well as to the enchanting Saria Islet.

The area has been identified with the ancient city of Potidaion (or Poseidion), founded by Dorian settlers around 1000 BC, while the earliest traces of human activity date from the Bronze Age and the Mycenaean times. Named after Poseidon, the god of the sea, it boasted an acropolis, whose ruins can still be seen on top of the hill overlooking the town. During the Middle Ages, its inhabitants were forced to relocate to the inland as a result of the constant pirate raids, and it wasn’t until centuries later that the present-day town was eventually constructed. Serving as the island’s capital since 1892, it was renamed Karpathos Town in 1953.

It is a picturesque town with narrow alleys and colorful houses built by Greeks who had emigrated to the US and come back to the island during the summer months. Its quaint seaside promenade is a great place for a walk and abounds in cafes and restaurants that serve local delicacies, as well as in vibrant bars, where you can enjoy a good drink to the sound of Greek and foreign music. Being Karpathos’ most well-developed center, it also provides plenty of hotels and apartments of all categories, guaranteeing a comfortable and relaxing stay.