[BACK TO KASSOS]

Kassos

At a distance of 4 nautical miles from Karpathos, Kassos is a part of the same province, with a population of 1500 inhabitants, many of which are sailors, who live in the small community of Fri.

The capital of the island is Fri, built on picturesque Bouka Bay. Its old stone houses - many of them constructed by sea captains - extend on both sides down to the sea. To the east and very near Fri is Emborios, the island's other coastal village. It boasts a beautiful church dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin.

Other villages include Agia Marina, set on a hill just one kilometer southwest of Fri and Arvanitohori, southeast of Agia Marina, nestled in the island's only valley. Two kilometers from Agia Marina, is a cave called Sellai, 30 meters deep and 8 meters wide with impressive stalactites.

Swimmers will find pleasant beaches at Fri. Emborios, Ammouda and on the nearby islet of Armathia.

The icon of Ag. Mamas is miraculous, and helps all that request his help with deep faith. Characteristic is the following miracle of Agios Mamas - during Turkish times, when the convent was still occupied by nuns, three Turkish ships appeared in the bay of Thyra below, with the intention of robbing the convent of its treasures, and sheep and goats. When the devout nuns saw the ships they implored Ag. Mamas to intervene and prevent the raid. The saint heard their supplication and immediately turned the three ships into stone, and to this day they can still be seen as rocks in the sea below, which is now a tourist attraction.
 

<click to go back>