Ancient Byzantine Pools Karpathos
Karpathos is an island that always offers its visitors wonderful things to visit and discover even outside the tourist circuit.
Today we want to tell you about the Ancient Byzantine Pools, an incredible place, difficult to reach but once you arrive you will forget the fatigue for the incredible beauty and magnificence that nature has been able to create.
They are located in the northwestern part of the Karpathos island near the ancient city of Vroukounda and are natural pools carved into the rock overlooking the sea. Said so it is a bit scary and actually if you go up to the cliff where the waves are thrown on the rock, a little agitation comes on the other hand just below the pools the sea is almost always very rough as it is perpetually exposed to the wind , but if you stay at the beginning and in the middle, everything changes, the waters are calm and pleasant. The bottom that descends slowly is perfectly smooth, certainly by the hand of man but it is not known in which historical period it was leveled, the consequence is the ease of access to this almost completely natural miracle.
The water is constantly changed by the spray of the waves that incessantly hurl themselves on the jagged cliff. A moment of ecstasy to immerse yourself, especially in summer after the walk to reach them. It is said that they are the oldest pools in the world where the inhabitants of the area sought refreshment on hot summer days.
The path that leads from Vroukounda to the ancient Byzantine pools is mainly made of sharp rocks in an almost lunar landscape, arid, bare among stones and dry earth with a fiery red color. Unless you are an expert walker and explorer, we advise you to rely on someone who can help you get here 'because the path is quite challenging.
You can still opt for a guided tour that, in addition to making you discover the ancient Byzantine pools, will take you to the church of Agio Ioannis. Through an ancient mule track of 4 kilometers that starting from Avlona between ups and downs passes from the old city of Vroukounda, up to the church carved into a rock 20 meters underground overlooking the Aegean. During the walk, which up to here is quite easy (remember that you will always be under the sun and that there are no refreshment points so 'bring all the necessary) the landscape is barren and desert, you can see rocks with ancient engravings and a altar where there are the remains of animals probably sacrificed during propitiatory rites. Then begins a descent that leads to the sea and here we meet the ancient city of Vroukounda with its Byzantine tombs and the remains of the settlement which, between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC was one of the most flourishing cities of Karpathos for fall in total abandonment in the seventh century AD due to continuous attacks by pirates. Following the remains of the walls, you reach the church of Agio Ioannis via a stone staircase. The rock-walled chapel immersed in the penumbra has an altar with cult paintings. In the church of Agio Ioannis on 28 and 29 August one of the most beautiful Panagiri in Greece is organized (unfortunately it is not usually open to tourists) where the inhabitants gather in the outdoor space and spend the night between dances and banquets and then sleep under the starry sky of Karpathos.
Definitely a unique experience with the possibility of discovering the mystical part of the island all in a context of wild nature and still intact despite the passage of time. It is impossible to convey in simple words the emotions you will feel during the journey and the moment you immerse yourself in the waters of the ancient Byzantine pools of Karpathos, you must necessarily try it for yourself.
We thank very much Kostas and Maeve who gave us the beautiful presentation photo. Follow them on their instagram profile pitafrikandel, they have wonderful photographs.