THINGS TO DO IN ASTYPALEA

274

Astypalea is a Greek island located in the Aegean Sea, known for its charming villages, beautiful beaches, and stunning coastline. Here are some of the best things to do in Astypalea:

1. Have a stroll in picturesque Chora & Pera Gialos

Chora is the capital and the main tourist resort of Astypalea. The settlement is built amphitheatrically on a hill that advances into the sea. On top of the hill, there is a Venetian Castle that provides wonderful views.

Having a stroll on the narrow alleys in Chora is a must thing to do while in Astypalea. Chora’s architecture strongly resembles the Cycladic Islands with its whitewashed houses, which are spread around Querini Castle, and their blue windows and doors, wooden balconies and outdoor stairs. There are also eight windmills located at the top of the hill near the main square that add to its charm.

Pera Gialos (the old port) is literally a continuation of Chora and it’s difficult to distinguish between the two, as the houses stretch from the castle all the way to the old port.

Chora and Pera Gialos are the heart and soul of the island and the best place for shopping, dining, and strolling.

More information about Chora and the best villages on the island can be found here.

2. Visit the castle of Astypalea

The castle of Astypalea is a must-see attraction. The Venetian Castle of Querini, as it is also known, is located on top of the hill in Chora and provides some wonderful views towards the port and the bay of Livadia.

The castle was constructed by the Venetian Querini family who ruled the island from the 13^th to 16^th century. It was built as a shelter against pirates and the first dwellings used to be within the castle walls in the old times.

The castle is now in ruins and some sections are under repair and not accessible. For the best views, you can take the steps and reach the roof of some of the dwellings but take extra care, especially during high winds.

Among the castle ruins, there are two lovely, whitewashed churches with blue domes, the Virgin Mary of the Castle and Agios Georgios.

3. Windmills of Astypalea

This is a beautiful sight at the entrance to the old town of Astypalea (Chora). There is a total of eight windmills in Chora, located next to the central square. These preserved windmills probably built in the 18th or 19th century is the main meeting point for locals.

The windmills are not in operation anymore; in the old times, they were used for making flour because of the strong winds at this location. Their red roofs could be moved depending on the direction of the wind.

Every summer, cultural activities and exhibitions take place and one of the windmills is now the information centre.

4. Swim and relax in one of the best beaches on the island

Visit at least one of the 2 best beaches on the western part of the island with crystal clear waters (Kaminakia or Vatses).

Do not forget to visit the most popular Steno Beach for the best fine sand and Livadi Beach as the most accessible and with the most tourist facilities on the island.

More information about the best beaches on the island can be found here.

5. Rent a car and explore the island

Astypalea has some great wild beauty to explore with beautiful photo opportunities. Renting a car (ideally a 4×4 as most roads are dirt roads) is the best way of exploring the island at your own pace and gives you the freedom to plan your own trip. It offers the opportunity to visit some inaccessible parts of the island, like the more isolated beaches (Kaminakia Beach) and enjoy some amazing scenery along the way (scenic drive to Panormos Beach).

The landscape of Astypalea is arid and resembles a dessert, especially at its western part. The eastern part is more vegetated with some low bushes and small trees.

More information about the best viewpoints and photo spots on the island can be found on this map.

6. Take the route less travelled to Panormos

This road trip to Panormos is very rewarding as it provides the best views through the wild landscape of the island. It is quite difficult to get to (via a dirt road) and at a distance of about 45 minutes from Chora so a 4×4 vehicle is recommended. Most of the time you will be travelling without any other soul around apart from goats seen climbing on the rocky slopes and some beehives along the way.

The beach itself is a sandy beach with trees but with rocky seabed and not ideal for swimming, but the landscape and the isolation is quite unique.

7. Admire the views from Palaio Mylos

Palaios Mylos (Old Windmill) is located to the top of the hill overlooking Chora and provides the best views in Astypalea. You can see the whole eastern part of the island and enjoy the best views towards Chora and Pera Gialos. It becomes a cocktail bar in the evening so you can enjoy the sunset and the views with a drink.

8. Visit Vathi and its beautiful lagoon

Vathi is the smallest and most remote settlement located in the eastern part of the island. It is situated by a closed-off bay with a small opening that resembles a lagoon and it has some beautiful turquoise waters.

The most interesting part is the small harbour at the entrance of the bay where you can have a meal at the taverna and enjoy the remoteness of this spot.

9. Take a boat trip to the tiny islands of Koutsomiti, Kounoupa & Red Rock

There are daily boat excursions to visit the beautiful beaches on the small islands of Koutsomitis and Kounoupes and also a visit to the Red Rock. The beaches are gorgeous with crystal clear turquoise waters.

There are usually 3 boats (Thalassopouli, Perla & Merilo) doing the same route departing from Pera Gialos (Astypalea port) in front of the Hotel Paradissos. The trip lasts about 7h (from 11am to 5.30-6pm) and costs 20 euros per person (2021 prices).

This is a very popular boat trip and it is recommended to be booked in advance in high season. You can see the boats advertising the tour at the harbour of Pera Gialos and you can also book it in one of the travel agencies in Chora.

10. Church of Panagia Portaitissa

The church of Panagia Portaitissa stands beneath the Castle in Chora. The church was built in the middle of the 18th century and it is considered one of the most beautiful in the Dodecanese. It has an attractive blue dome and bell tower and inside a beautiful wood-carved iconostasis as well as the silver-plated icon of Panagia Portaitissa.

Near the church there is also the Ecclesiastical Museum of Astypalea, which exhibits precious icons and religious relics.

11. The infant cemetery

The infant cemetery of Astypalea is the largest ancient children’s cemetery in the world with more than 2.500 children’s burials, mostly of newborn babies

The babies were put in clay pots (amphorae) and buried in a small pit.  The burial in clay pots was the most common way of burial in ancient times for babies, probably symbolising their mother’s womb.

This unique archaeological find has been discovered in the site of ‘Kylindra’ on the slope of the hill of Chora. A lot of these pots have been moved to the Archaeological Museum.

Despite its huge importance, the site is sadly neglected.

12. Visit the Church of Panagia Poulariani

The church of Panagia Poulariani is located on the side of the island on the way to Vathi. It can be accessed by a dirt road (off the main road that leads to Vathi) and ideally by 4×4 as the road is not in good condition for normal vehicles. It’s worth the drive because the route provides some beautiful views of the western part of the island.

13. Monastery of St John

The Monastery of Saint John is located on the way to Panormos Beach, 11km west of Chora. It is situated on a hill next to an old castle and provides beautiful views towards the west coast of Astypalea and its small islands.

14. Archaeological Museum of Astypalea

The Archaeological Museum is an interesting little museum located at Pera Gialos and exhibits findings from prehistoric up to medieval times. Some of the exhibits include jewellery, ceramic pottery, ancient tools, silver coins, inscriptions from the island’s shrines and other findings of the Hellenistic and Classical period as well as clay pots from the infant cemetery.

• Opening hours: Wednesday to Monday 08:30-15:30 (Tue closed)
• Tickets: €3

15. Dam of Livadi

The dam and small reservoir of Livadi are located 2km from Livadi Beach and seem like an oasis among the surrounding arid landscape.

There is a path at the northern side of the Dam and it is a nice spot for a quick walk to see some of the bird species living there.

Tourist Map

I have created a map that shows all the best things to do on the island with additional practical information.

Travel Resources

• Flights: I always use Skyscanner as my first choice as it’s so easy to use and you can search best deals by month. Google Flights is another very good search engine.
• Accommodation: I always use Booking.com as my first choice, as it offers a great choice of accommodation at affordable prices and it’s so easy to use. Airbnb is a great alternative for homes and apartments to rent by real homeowners. HotelsCombined is one of the best search engines to check deals from different websites.
• Ferries: Ferryhopper is one of the best websites to check ferry schedules and buy the cheapest ferry tickets while in Greece.
• Car Rental: I always check Skyscanner for the cheapest car rental options. Discover Cars is also a good and easy-to-use website with great prices.
• Public Transport: There is no booking site to check bus timetables and book buses online in Astypalea.
• Day Trips & Tours: Viator provides the most comprehensive list of day trips and you can book directly with them. GetYourGuide is also a great place to search for tours & activities to do.
• Travel Insurance: SafetyWing is a great choice for long-term travellers and digital nomads. Alternatively, you can use one of the price comparison websites for cheaper quotes.
• Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, and at no extra cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping this site running and ad-free.

Sharing is caring!