Olympos in Karpathos

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Isolated from the rest of Karpathos (photos of beaches and villages in the rest of Karpathos) for most of its history, about 5 centuries, Olympos has preserved most of its characteristics intact, which is evident from the first moments of the visit to this unique mountainous but island village of Greece.

Most of the women still wear the traditional costumes and you may hear some of the inhabitants speaking the local dialect which contains many Doric elements.

The landscape of Olympus is unique as it is built amphitheatrically on the slopes of high mountains with one side of the village offering stunning views of the Aegean Sea and the other side looking towards the mountainous terrain of Karpathos.

Access to Olympos Karpathos

Access to Olympos is either through the second port of the island, Diafani (asphalt), or by tourist boats from Pigadia (the capital of the island) at a cost of about 20-25 euros, or by renting a jeep again from Pigadia.

I rented a Suzuki Jimny at the beginning of May for 40 euros plus another 15 for petrol. The route after Spoa is a dirt road that is a bit difficult in some places as the bulldozers are still working and you have to be very careful in these places as the road is narrow and there is usually a cliff below.

However, the route is indicative of the mountainous terrain of Karpathos and renting a car is recommended as it allows you to stay as long as you wish in this beautiful village of Karpathos.

The above route was done in May 2010 so some things may have changed, hopefully for the better, because of the projects. I would like to especially thank Marina Lentakis and her family for the valuable information they gave me during my stay in Olympus.

text/photos: Yannis Tsouratzis

Photos from the Olympus of Karpathos

Map of Karpathos with the points from the photos

See the photo tribute from the rest of Karpathos with its wonderful beaches and seaside villages.