Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
lent, shady
taverna
(mains €7-12)
on-site with mezedhes (appetisers) like garlic mush-
rooms and
imam baïldi
(aubergine in oil with herbs).
There are daily buses to Lefkos; a taxi from Pigadia costs €24.
Lefkos Rent A Car
(
22450 71057;
www.lefkosrentacar.com
)
is a reliable outlet that will deliver vehicles, free of
charge, to anywhere in southern Karpathos.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Northern Karpathos
The beautiful mountain road winding north takes you so high you think you're scaling
Mount Olympus; certainly you pass through the odd cloud! The road suffers occasional
rock falls in some sections after heavy rains, so avoid driving here in bad weather. That
said, 98% of it is sealed and navigable and the village eyrie of Olymbos must
not
be
missed. Many hop on a boat to get to Diafani from where you catch a connecting bus to
take you to Olymbos. There's also excellent trekking to be had in the north and the
pebbly beaches boast especially transparent water.
Diafani Διαφάνι
POP 250
Diafani is an intimate, wind-blasted huddle of white houses fronted by cobalt blue water,
back-dropped by a mountain. Bar the crash of the waves and old men playing backgam-
mon, nothing else stirs. Most people only pass through Diafani, though if you do stay
you'll likely have the beaches and trails to yourself.
Activities
Join an excursion trip on the
Captain Manolis
to the otherwise inaccessible reaches of
Karpathos and to the satellite island of
Saria
. Boats leave from the jetty in the centre of
town at around 10am, returning at 5pm. It costs around €20.
Walkers should pick up the Road Editions
1:60,000 Karpathos-Kasos
map (available
in Pigadia) or visit the Environment Management office near Diafani's seafront. Walks
are signposted with red or blue markers or stone cairns. Follow a half-hour coastal track
for 4km north through the pines to
Vananda Beach
. A more strenuous two-hour walk
takes you 11km northwest to the Hellenistic site of
Vroukounda
. En route you'll pass the
agricultural village of
Avlona
. Take all your food and water with you as there are no fa-
cilities.
