Pigadia or simply called Karpathos Town, is the capital of the beautiful Karpathos island. We find it in the southeast part of Vrontis Bay in the natural harbor at the foot of the hills just above the ancient city of Potideon.

Nerve center and administrative center, it is the reference point for all the inhabitants and tourists who reach this little corner of paradise during the summer.

Despite being the capital, Pigadia is a small town that is never crowded and chaotic, where everyone knows each other and says goodbye. A succession of houses with reddish tiled roofs and balconies adorned with flowers of a thousand colors, alleys with local artisan shops where you can find souvenirs for mothers, bars, cafes and typical taverns. Its waterfront during the summer is closed to traffic, perfect for a walk and browse the various shops, or stop in a little bar for an aperitif and then end up in the search for a tavern or a restaurant where to satisfy the taste buds with basic dishes of fresh fish, delicacies of the local tradition and Greek cuisine.

Many houses are in Italian style, perhaps for this reason the inhabitants love us so much, beautiful buildings with a colonial touch that give Pigadia that slightly retro but sophisticated atmosphere. It is a very quiet and friendly place, here there is no stress and everything flows with immense naturalness.

It was inhabited since Minoan times and contacts with the island of Crete played a very important role in its development in the Bronze Age. The main port was Potideon the ancient city of Pigadia, home of the Cretan settlers who made it acquire the unmistakable Minoan character. In the fourteenth century BC the Mycenaeans took possession and after 1200 BC the inhabitants moved to more protected areas to escape the raids of the invaders. In the middle of the 1st century BC, the Romans conquered the island which was annexed to the reign of the Emperor Diocletian. In the 5th century AD, the Saracen and Arab pirates repeatedly plundered Pigadia and the entire island of Karpathos, forcing the population to move inland and into the mountains once again, thus giving life to new villages that can still be visited today. . Between 1282 and 1306 the island was governed by the Genoese Andrea and Ludovico Maresco, making it Italianise the name in Scarpanto. Following the Venetian domination, to then arrive at Hayreddin Barbarossa more famous as the “Corsair or Pirate”, who plundered it by handing it over to the Ottoman Empire which, however, never showed any interest, leaving it to its fate without any kind of intervention. urban planning but only useful for collecting taxes and duties. In 1892 it was named the capital of the island and arriving in 1912 with the Italian occupation, Pigadia began to be reborn.

Other than enjoying this relaxed atmosphere, there are not many attractions in Pigadia but few are absolutely worth visiting.

Let’s start with the Panagia Lamiotissa Monastery. Above the pier in a lush forest is the church in the classic Orthodox style. A legend revolves around Panagia Lamiotissa which tells when the pirates, in one of their attacks on the island, kidnapped a child and the mother prayed for 30 years to find her son. One day in a moment of devotion in a small church near Panagia Lamiotissa, she heard ‘a voice telling her to come closer and when the woman followed her’, she found an icon that showed her her son still alive and not lost as he imagined. The first church was built right where the painting was found before 1900 and was later rebuilt as it can be visited today. The period of its celebration, which is held on 7 September, the day of the birth of the Virgin Mary and the date on which the image was found, is remembered with a great celebration.

About 800 meters before the church there is the “bread stone” a rock that according to the stories was originally a loaf of bread. One day while a mother was carrying her child towards the Monastery, for a reason not yet revealed, she swore and as a punishment the Virgin transformed the loaf she was holding into a stone.

On the opposite side with a short walk you reach the large cross from which you have a breathtaking view of the forest, the sea and the whole coast up to the northern part of Karpathos.

The Archaeological Museum. Equipped with three rooms, the Archaeological Museum of Karpathos housed in the west wing of the Eparchiou palace, preserves findings from 4000 BC until the Byzantine period. Coins, ceramics and tools of everyday life to make you take a leap into the culture and history of the island. Closed on Tuesdays all other days it is open from 8.30 to 15.30 in the winter and from 9.00 to 14.00 in the summer. Ticket price € 2 per person.

Eparchiou. A historic building built during the Italian domination which had the function of administrative headquarters. In reality there are three P-shaped buildings that delimit the Alexandros Papagou square, the main one has four floors, the clock and the pole where the flag is raised, the other buildings only two levels. They are connected to each other by covered arches that embrace the whole square. In 1997 it was declared a historic site.

Potideon site. The ruins of the ancient city of Pigadia (its initial name was Potideon or Posideon) are located just after the center. It was founded by the Mycenaeans in the fourteenth century BC who built the acropolis on a hill where many traces of their occupation have been found. Later Potideon, considered the main port of Karpathos, was conquered by the Phoenicians and Minoans until 1200 BC when, due to continuous raids, it was completely abandoned. With the arrival of the Dorians in 1000 BC the city began to flourish again and given its favorable geographical position and the Doric fortification it became one of the most prosperous in the Dodecanese. According to Homer, the ships of Karpathos in aid of Greece in the Trojan war set sail from Potideon. Some ancient writings but unfortunately without any real certainty tell that on the site there was also a sanctuary dedicated to Athena Lindia.

Agia Fotini Basilica. It is located in the Afoti area on the beach north of Pigadia. Discovered in 1972, from careful analysis it appears that it is more than 1500 years old. The ruins of the early Christian basilica dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries are still well preserved. Built on the remains of an ancient temple where the marble columns with Christian symbols can be admired, it is dedicated to the martyr Agia Fotini the Samaritan woman who according to Greek tradition met Jesus at Jacob’s well and gave him the water she collected. Restored in the smallest detail and according to the ancient traces, it can still be visited today.

In Pigadia for the most lazy or why not on a day where you don’t want to travel, there is a beautiful beach, Afoti beach. A few steps from the center, it has a long and wide coastline of fine sand with clean, transparent, blue waters and gently sloping seabed, perfect for swimming lovers and families with children. It is well served with sun beds, umbrellas, bars and taverns where you can enjoy a good meal facing the sea.

The second is Vrontis beach which is located north of Pigadia just after Afoti beach. An expanse of 4 kilometers of sand with a crystalline and sloping sea. It is equipped with umbrellas, sunbeds and many opportunities for water sports and games. In the surroundings a wide choice of typical taverns, restaurants, accommodation facilities, bars and cafes. It is perfect for families.

The third is the Ammos Xenonas beach which is also very close to the town. A small sandy beach with a clean sea and shallow water, perfect for the little ones. Equipped with parasols, deck chairs and a wide range of restaurants, taverns, bars and cafes. Ideal if you like to stay on the beach until late and why not for a night swim.

Karpathos is actually a very quiet island, here there are no wild parties or transgressive clubs, the nightlife is very soft and elegant. Pigadia is the liveliest center where you can find cute little places especially on the seafront and in the parallel street with local live music, where you can hang out late and meet new friends.

Unless you have decided to stay in Pigadia, putting it on the list of things to see in Karpathos will be a pleasant trip out of town.