A long, narrow island between Rhodes and Crete, wild Karpathos has always been an underpopulated backwater, although it’s the third largest of the Dodecanese. A habitually cloud-capped mountainous spine rises to over 1200m, dividing the lower-lying south from an exceptionally rugged north. The magnificent, windswept coastline of cliffs and promontories is very attractive to tourists, many monopolize several resorts for a long time. The traditional way of life on the north’s village of the island and the secluded beaches lapped by proverbial crystalline water are very attracted by many.
The island capital of Pigadia located at the south end of scenic Vrondi Bay, whose sickle of sand extends 3 kilometres northwest. The town itself, curling around the quay and jetty where ferries and excursion boats dock, is as drab as its setting is beautiful, an ever-growing number of concrete blocks leaves the impression of a vast construction site, making the Italian-era port police and county-government buildings heirlooms by comparison.
This rugged island, celebrated for its wild mountains and gas-blue coves, is one of the most authentic places in Greece. Legend has it Prometheus and his titans were born here, and with its cloudwrapped villages and craggy beauty, there is something primal about the place. The south of the island is popular with adrenaline junkies and is in the spotlight each summer when it hosts an international kitesurfing competition. Meanwhile, the fierce wind that lifts the spray from the turquoise waves blows its way to the mountainous north, battering pine trees and howling past sugarcube houses. Karpathian women at this end of the island still wear traditional garb, especially in the magical village eyrie of Olymbos, perched on the ridge of a mountain.
Saria is a rocky, volcanic island along the northern edge of Karpathos, separated from it by a strait 100 m wide. It is part of the Dodekanese archipelago. Administratively, it is part of the Olympos community. The 2011 census reported a resident population of 45 persons. It has little plant or animal life, and has a number of sharp cliffs. Although only shepherds live on Saria now, the ruins of the ancient city of Nisyros can be found here. It is also a breeding area for Eleonora’s falcons. Although the name is subject to dispute, scholars link it with the name of an ancient Greek Princess named Katherine from a line of Saria royalty. Greek legends say she was as beautiful as Helen of Troy and so they named an Island after her majesty. On the island of Saria, it is recorded history that a kingdom existed named Mikri Nisyros.
The total area of Saria island is about 20.500 square kilometres, it lies in Aegean Sea and the geographic coordinates are 35°52’09.9″N 27°12’43.8″E.
