Arkása combines specific swimming options with several historical points of interest. You can swim at Agios Nikolaos and Agios Georgios beaches; the remains of the ancient city of Arkesia lie on Paleokastro Hill. There are also early Christian basilicas and Middle Byzantine churches. Swimming and history thus provide two distinct reasons to include Arkása in your travel plans.

Ancient history and churches in Arkása

The remains of the ancient city of Arkesia are located on Paleokastro Hill. On the eastern side of the settlement of Arkása are the Middle Byzantine churches of Panagia Marmarini and Agios Georgios. The Arkása area is also home to three other early Christian basilicas, including the cemetery of the Archangel Michael. This means that evidence from antiquity, as well as from the early Christian and Middle Byzantine periods, can be found side by side in Arkása. The names distinguish the historical subjects, while the location details show where they are: Arkesia is associated with Paleokastro Hill, and the two named churches with the eastern side of the settlement. If you are interested in history, these different points of interest are easy to distinguish.

Beaches in Arkása and near Finiki

You can swim at Agios Nikolaos and Agios Georgios beaches. A few kilometres outside Arkása is the settlement of Finiki, with a small fishing harbour and the beaches of Fokia, Adia, Akrotiri, and Proni. This distinguishes the two swimming beaches in Arkása from the four beaches near Finiki; the small fishing harbour is also in Finiki. If you are considering Arkása as a destination, you can choose between swimming options in the settlement and a nearby settlement with named beaches and a harbour.

More historical points of interest on Karpathos

Beyond Arkása, Karpathos offers other historical points of interest. Ancient Potidaion, also known as Poseidion, stood on the site of present-day Pigadia. On Vounos Hill above the harbour of Pigadia, the surviving remains of a Hellenistic acropolis can be found. These details refer to Pigadia and Vounos on Karpathos; Arkesia, by contrast, is associated with Paleokastro Hill in Arkása. When comparing the historical points of interest across the wider destination, the place names provide a clear distinction: Potidaion or Poseidion refers to present-day Pigadia, the acropolis to Vounos, and Arkesia to Arkása.

Routes and birdwatching on Karpathos

Karpathos also has points of interest for nature lovers. The Avlona–Tristomos–Vananda–Diafani route is considered particularly interesting and relatively difficult; it includes swimming and takes approximately 7.5 hours. This approximate duration gives an idea of the route as a longer excursion, while its difficulty and swimming component are additional factors to consider. The municipal birdwatching guide “Karpathos of birds” covers more than 200 bird species that can be observed, an ornithological map, and 10+2 routes. Unlike the individual trail, the guide brings together a species overview, a map, and several routes for nature lovers. Route materials may be updated, so check the current version before planning.

Discover more destinations: Olympos, Fri, Kipos Afiarti, Tristomo, Kasos, Kyra Panagia, Karpathos, Lefkos

Go to the wider travel overview: Karpathos.