Kassos island

General info:
Kasos, located between Karpathos and Crete,  is the southernmost island of the Dodecanese cluster,    covering an area of 65  square km approximately and having  a population of some 1,000 residents.
Though small and  rocky, with few cultivated  areas and several beautiful beaches to be unfolded in its rugged coastline of some 50 km,   Kasos is an authentic island that has preserved it own identity and rhythm of life.  The island  is  definitely, not popular for its intense nightlife or for its many archaeological sites (though it has a respectable history),  yet it is a proper destination  if you wish to experience an alternative way of tourism, in which tranquillity, harmony and relaxation are  main features. Kasos offers some accommodation facilities and the choices of entertainment thought limited are quite compatible to the traditional   atmosphere of the island.

Historical profile:
Excavations have brought to light traces of organized life which date   back to the late Neolithic Age and it was first referred by Homer in his Iliad. Kasos was strongly influenced by the Minoan Crete and the Mycenaean civilization as ruins of settlements at its northern part witness. In later centuries, the island was integrated to the Rhodian state and little is known for that historical period.
In later centuries, Kasos came under Byzantine rule while in 1207 it was dominated by the Venetians and remained under their rule until 157 when it passed to the hands of the Ottomans. In the Greek War of Independence in 1821 the island that had been developed to a considerable naval power participated with its entire means, paying for this a huge prize. In 1824 Kasos was severely destroyed by the Ottomans and  was finally integrated to the Greek State in 1948.

Villages:
Fri (Fry) is the island’s capital and port. Built around the bay of Bouka, it is a picturesque small town that consists of traditional houses, well-preserves mansions and narrow alleys. The small port is the main gathering place for both locals and tourists. The Church of Agios Spiridonas with its remarkable wooden temple and a fine bell tower; the neoclassical building of the Municipal Library and the Archaeological  Collection that is housed in  a 19th - century  building with evident the elements of the traditional  architecture are some of the worth-seeing sites in Fri. Most of the accommodation facilities of the island   are found in the capital.

Agia Marina, is a beautiful village located  just 1 km west to the capital.  Though small,it has an  elegant colour due to the magnificent neoclassical mansions , its traditional houses adorn with colourful flowers and the narrow  idyllic streets.

Emporios is situated some 500 km east to the capital. Known since the antiquity, it was once the  port of Kassos, while today it is a small quiet resort  and also a shelter for fishing boats. The village offers limited accommodation facilities and a few taverns.

Poli, just 2 km southeast to Fri , is  a small village and  the capital  of the ancient Kasos. Built amphitheatrically on a hill, it offers a beautiful and panoramic view. The ruins of the ancient acropolis, the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Monastery of Agios Mamas are reminders of the Polis’   historical importance.

Beaches:
Kasos has several pristine beaches of fine clear waters, most of them  accessible by road.

The most popular beaches are the beach of Emporio, an organized sandy one with crystal – clear waters, the Ammoua beach, with soft sand and wonderful clear waters, and the beach of Helatrou, with pebbles and blue clear waters.

The Beach of Armathia in the homonymous islet, thought  accessible only by boat, it is undeniably   the most fabulous in Kasos and one of the most amazing ones  in Mediterranean, due to its tropical  emerald waters , its white –pinkish sand and its Cycladic scenery.

Access:
Kasos is connected by scheduled trips with the Port of Thessaloniki and also with the islands of Crete (Iraklio/ Heraklion), Rhodes, Karpathos, Santorini, Ios, Paros, Naxos, Mykonos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Tinos (Tenos).

By air, the island is linked with regular flights with the Airports of Rhodes, Karpathos and Crete (Sitia).