Astypalea

Astypalaia is an island that geographically connects Cyclades and Dodecanese and thus combines elements form both complexes.
An island of rich history, tradition and unique pictures of beautiful houses with white washed courtyards full of bougainvilleas and picturesque chapels, is the ideal place for serene vacations.

Chora, the capital and port of the island, is built on a rock and enters to the sea forming two gulfs. On the one side is located the port and on the other Livadia Bay.
On the top of Chora hulks the Venetian castle of Guerini, built using the local dark rock and surrounded by small white houses. The facades of the houses create a wall of small windows used as embrasures. Into the castle stand two beautiful bright white churches with stone ornate campaniles, the church of Panagia Evagelistria and the church of Aghios Georgios.
On the other side stands the Castle of Aghios Ioannis that according to tradition is impregnable and was used as a shelter during the pirates’ raids.

Steno, a narrow sandy lane of 100m., divides the island in two parts, the Inner and the Outer Island.
The lacy bays form many beaches around the island, as Aghios Konstantinos, Vatses, Kaminakia, Aghios Ioannis, Panormos and Pahia. Caiques take the visitors to the nearby islands Koutsomiti and Sirna with the isolated beaches.
Famous are the summer festivals with people wearing local traditional costumes and dancing.

The entire island is worth seeing with its picturesque alleys, the chapels and the castles.

Inside the Guerini castle, stand the church of Panagia of the Castle with the wood carved iconostasis lined with golden leaves and the church of Aghios Georgios.

• The Windmills at Chora
• The Church of Megali Panagia
• Panagia Portaitissa, the religious centre of the island
• At Analipsi, the ruins of a late ancient Christian church and the famous mosaics from Roman baths.
• At Vathi region, a picturesque place that resembles a lagoon, are located the remains of a Minoan settlement at the bay’s entrance
• At Mesa Vathi stands the monastery of Aghios Ioannis, built between two mountains with view to sea.
• At Armenochori the Mycenaean tombs