The villages of Karpathos create two circles that surround the whole island.
Starting from Pigadia, the road takes Aperi, climbs up for nearby Volada and continues to climb up to the “overly cloudy” Othos, then moves on the slope of the highest mountain of the island, Lastou, passes from Piles and begins to descend towards the sea, on the other side, the west coast of the island.
“Karpathos beautiful island, be delighted with your beauty and your villages, since each one of them is a unique gem”.
Next to the waves, the road runs alongside Finiki and then enters Arkasa.
From there, it directs itself again to inland, passes through Menetes and returns to Pigadia, completing the small circle.
The large circle does not contain the villages of Volada, Othos and Piles. From Aperi, the road leaves north, crossing the most impressive side of the island, the eastern one, pulling high up on the slopes of the mountains, while down the coastline there are the most hospitable hugs:
The beaches of Achata, Kato Lakos, Kira Panagia and the famous Apella.
So it goes to Spoa.
As the first semicircle is completed, the road turns left, passes by the windmills of Spoa and heads to Mesohori.
After the village, a branch goes down to the beaches of Lefkos, while the main artery continues, having constant contact with the sea until Finiki and Arkasa, then ascends to Menetes, to reach Pigadia, where the large circle closes.
Furthermore, the circles have the invisible – and therefore charming – corners.
In the great circle, after Aperi, on the way to Spoa, the landscape imposes a stop in Mertona, with the famous spring and the 12th century Virgin Mary of Mertoniatisa.
Above, the bypass that descends to Apella, passes by a hidden monument. To the left of the road, the isolated chapel of Osios Loukas (12th century), inside the cave, is the gift of centuries.
Such churches exist on top of or next to the great circle, such as Ai Giorgis, of the 12th – 13th century, with charming frescoes and 14th century Panagia Gialohoraphitissa, which make up the silent past of Lefkos.
Near the road that connects Arkasa with the Menetes, there is a great Byzantine monument, Saint Mamas, a chapel with original architecture and beautiful frescoes. Before Arkasa, two beaches surround Palaiokastro, the peninsula of ancient Arkessia. A whitewashed path rises to the top of the cliff, offering panoramic view to the land and the sea.
