Coming to the Greek Islands during the summer holiday feels like coming home to us. For this trip, our journey took us back to Karpathos, a stunning island tucked away in the Dodecanese cluster of southern Greece. Putting together this comprehensive southern karpathos guide was a joy because we chose to focus entirely on the slow-paced, relaxing vibes of the island’s lower half. This was our second time visiting this rugged paradise, our last trip being back in 2018.
For us, a summer holiday is primarily a beach holiday—a dedicated time to completely wind down, log off, and relax. Unlike our other trips, which are often packed with high-energy activities and non-stop sightseeing, our itinerary here was blissfully simple: lounge by our rental apartment pool, take our rental scooter for a spin through the hills, eat incredible local food, and park ourselves on a beach sunbed under a parasol.
Because we usually take a two-week holiday, we love to take things slowly. We elegantly wove our days together: one day doing absolutely nothing but reading a book by the pool and heading into the town centre of Pigadia for dinner, and the next day hitting the road on our scooter to scout out a new beach and a quiet village for the evening.
This time around, we chose to stay exclusively in the south. While the wild northern part of the island holds spectacular gems like Olympos, Diafani, and Lefkos, we had already explored them in 2018 and didn’t want to spend hours on a scooter. We wanted maximum relaxation.
If you are planning your own escape, here is our personal review of the beautiful beaches and villages we explored outside of Pigadia!
🏖️ Southern Karpathos Travel Guide: Best Beaches & Villages
📍 Amoopi Bay: A Dramatic Postcard View
We had fond memories of Amoopi from our last trip. It is a relatively touristy but undeniably beautiful area made up of rocky coves and fine sandy beaches. Located just a 12-minute drive south of Pigadia, the approach is spectacular—offering incredible, sweeping views of the sea as you wind your way down toward the bay.
- The Vibe: When you ride down into Amoopi, you are greeted by a classic Greek Isles view: a small white Orthodox church perched dramatically on a cliff overlooking the sea. This cliff side area serves as the main parking lot.
- The Beaches:
- To the right of the cliff lies Votsalakia Beach, a narrow, stony stretch that feels incredibly cosy, though it fills up fast.
- To the left is Mega Amoopi, the largest bay in the area. Boasting fine sand, plenty of sunbeds, and lively tavernas, it is the busiest spot around.
- Further along is Mikri Amoopi, a smaller, more intimate version surrounded by large boulders.
- Our Experience: Finding all the main bays packed, we slipped back to Votsalakia and walked right to the far end of the narrow beach where the crowds thinned out. Thanks to the tiny islets scattered across the water, the bay had a wonderfully snug, warm feel.
- Where to Eat: While there are great tavernas sitting right above the cliff rocks, we opted for Calypso—a lovely café-restaurant right in the junction of Amoopi. We took a table tucked a bit further back of the cafe-restaurant, which treated us to sweeping, uninterrupted views of the sea rather than the parking lot. Amoopi is a gem, provided you don’t mind sharing it with a few others!
📍 Apella Beach: A Majestic Cliffside Favourite
Apella remains one of my absolute favourite beaches on the entire island. Located about 19km north of Pigadia, it is a medium-sized sandy beach that consistently ranks as one of Karpathos’ most beautiful coastlines.
- The Vibe: Framed by dramatic, pine-covered cliffs, Apella feels wildly beautiful. To get to the sand, you park near the top and walk down a short winding, rocky footpath, which builds a wonderful sense of anticipation.
- The Beach: The beach is well-equipped with sunbeds and parasols, while the crystal-clear turquoise water is framed by magnificent rock formations.
- Our Experience: I love nothing more than spending a long, lazy afternoon here. When the heat gets intense, you can climb the stone steps up the rocky slope to the lone taverna overlooking the bay. Re-energising with a crisp, fresh Greek Salad while looking down at the deep blue sea is pure holiday perfection.
📍 Finiki Bay: A Flourishing Fishing Village
Nestled in a natural cove on the southwestern coast (about 18km from Pigadia), Finiki is a highly picturesque fishing village.
- The Vibe: The view from the harbour is striking—bright white houses contrasted against a stark, rocky backdrop. When we first visited seven years ago, Finiki was a quiet, sleepy spot. Today, it has flourished into a popular hub for holiday rentals and dining. I counted no fewer than eight tavernas lined up along the water!
- The Beach: The beach itself is small and perhaps less spectacular than others on the island, but its location is wonderful.
- Our Experience: We noticed a pair of sunbeds sitting entirely on their own under a fixed wood-and-straw parasol, about 100 meters away from the main rental grid. We happily claimed them, and since no one ever came to collect a fee, we assumed they belonged to a nearby taverna. We paired our beach lounge with an afternoon snack at Ristorante Delfini before heading back down for a quiet swim and a few more chapters of our books.
📍 Arkasa: The Best Sunsets on Karpathos Island
Arkasa is an authentic, charming coastal village located just a 5-minute drive north of Finiki. It makes for the perfect evening pairing after a day at Finiki beach.
- The Vibe: The old town of Arkasa sits proudly on a high plateau, beautifully divided by a dramatic chasm spanned by a walking bridge. On our last trip, we fell in love with a traditional, cafeteria-style restaurant tucked away in a narrow alleyway. We were thrilled to see it was still there, though its few cosy tables were completely packed!
- The Sunset: Arkasa easily claims the best sunset on the island. As the sun dipped toward the horizon, we joined the locals and travellers at an outdoor bar where the terrace sits directly on the street, looking right out over the valley. The shifting colours across the sky were pure magic.
- Where to Eat: We managed to snag a table further down the road at a restaurant called Mezze for a fantastic dinner. Because many restaurants in Arkasa have very limited seating, you’ll definitely want to arrive early during the high season. We finished our evening standard-Greek style: sipping coffee in the old village square while watching the local children play.
📍 Achata Beach: Our All-Time Favorite
Achata (or Ahata) Beach was our favourite spot during our first visit, and I am happy to report it still holds the crown. It is the best beach on Karpathos. It sits on the eastern coast, about 12km northeast of Pigadia.
- The Vibe: Flanked on both sides by massive stone boulders, this beautiful bay is perfectly protected from the island’s strong waves. It feels rugged, shielded, and deeply peaceful. While we noticed more sunbeds here than in previous years, it hasn’t lost its charm.
- The Beach: This is a pebble-and-stone beach, meaning the water is incredibly clear, but water shoes are a must for getting in and out comfortably.
- Our Experience: The calm, translucent waters make it a dream destination for us—I love swimming out into the open water while the Dutchman spends hours snorkelling along the rocky edges. When hunger strikes, Anna’s Snack Bar, the resident beach taverna, is right there for a cold drink and a quick bite.
📍 Vatha Beach (Afiartis): A Windsurfer’s Paradise
Located in the flat, southern plains of Afiartis just before the airport, this area is world-renowned for its powerful winds, making it a major hub for windsurfers.
- The Vibe: Because of the strong breeze, everyday beach goers tend to avoid this area, which means you can easily escape the crowds.
- Our Experience: We weren’t originally planning to stay, but as we cruised past on our scooter, Vatha Beach caught our eye. Perched on a hill overlooking the water sat the Karolina Beach Bar & Restaurant. Directly below it across the road, the beach featured high-quality, comfortable sunbeds shaded by rustic wood-and-straw parasols.
- With only a handful of people on the sand, we spent a flawless afternoon reading our books and watching the colourful sails of the windsurfers fly past. We capped off the day with dinner up at Karolina, watching the sun set over the coast. It was exactly the kind of slow, effortless day we love.
📍 Castelia Bay: A Snorkeler’s Secret
Note: Make sure not to confuse Castelia Bay with nearby Castelia Beach! They are distinct areas located within the same southern vicinity.
- The Vibe: Neither spot has a traditional sandy beach; instead, the sunbeds are laid out directly on a flat, rocky promontory jutting into the sea. It is essentially a rocky shoreline attached to a beautiful little islet archipelago.
- Our Experience: Because it is enclosed and well-sheltered, Castelia Bay feels wonderfully intimate, quiet, and low-traffic. With an abundance of underwater rock structures, it is hands-down the best place on the island to snorkel. It provided the ultimate relaxed, slow-paced atmosphere for our very last day on the island.
🗺️ Other Beaches Worth Checking Out
If you have a bit more time or want to expand your scooter routes, here are a few other fantastic spots we visited during our travels that are well worth the trip:
- Agios Nikolaos: Located on the central eastern coast near the mountain village of Othos. (Great for a traditional taverna lunch by the sea!)
- Kyra Panagia: A breathtaking, deeply photogenic bay beach on the east coast, located just south of Apella, famous for its red-domed church.
- Lefkos: Situated on the central western part of the island, this quiet area features a beautiful, horseshoe-curved bay beach. It is notably less crowded here and offers stunning panoramic views.
- Diafani: Tucked away on the northeastern coast near Olympos, this is a very quiet, traditional harbour village with a beach far removed from the usual tourist crowds.
- Lymniatis Beach & the Pigadia Town Beaches: Perfect, accessible options if you want a relaxing day closer to home without a long scooter ride.
Karpathos completely delivered on its promise of a slow, rejuvenating summer holiday. We returned home thoroughly unwound, with sun-kissed skin and a camera roll full of quiet, blue horizons.
Check out as well my post about the best day trip from Karpathos here: Day-Tripping to Kasos: The Ultimate Hidden Aegean Gem
Happy Travels!
With love from Jo
Travel Period: July 2025
Karpathos (Dodecanese Islands), Greece