Gavdos Island ( a piece of heaven )

        Gavdos ( Gávdhos ) is the southernmost Greek island (It is also the most southerly point of Europe), located to the south of its much bigger and known neighbour, Crete, of which it is administratively a part, in the Chania prefecture. It forms a community with surrounding islets and is part of the former province of Selino.      

       Gavdos is situated 20 miles south of Crete. It is opposite Sfakia to the southernmost border of Greece and Europe. It is 22 nautical miles away from Loutro, right in the middle of the Libyan Sea.The little neighbour Gavdopoula or how many people say “little gavdos” is located near nord-west of gavdos.

        In 2001 the total population of Gavdos was measured as 98 people, but these days, the thruth is that Gavdos boasts a permanent population of only about forty people, down from a high of about eight thousand during Byzantine times. In the summer the total people on the island can reach over 3.000- 4.000, and most of them are campers. The harbour for ferries is Karave (also spelled Carave, and Karabe). The island's capital is Kastri. The village of Kastri is 35km southeast of Rethimnon and south of Perama. It can be reached by the Rethimnon - Iraklion highway, exiting at Panormon. It is an old village that took its name from a Venetian castle that used to be up in the mountains. To reach Kastri you will go through some villages which still maintain traditional village characteristics. The area of Kastri contains several Byzantine churches.

         Gavdos has supported a permanent population since Neolithic times. However, the island currently has very few permanent residents.Gavdos has been identified as the site of the mythical Ogygia where Kalypso held Odysseus prisoner. Archaeological evidence showed that the Roman empire was active on the island. During this time the flora of the island was overexploited, this started a process of erosion which continued to this very day.

         The Apostle Paul passed to the lee of Gavdos on his final voyage to Rome. After leaving Crete, a storm swept up blowing his ship off course such that he passed near to the island. The account is recorded in Acts 27:16 (“As we drifted to the sheltered side of a small island called Cauda, we barely managed to secure the ship's lifeboat”). The modern name of the island is Gavdo or Ghavdo, althought it was strangely corrupted by the italian sailors into Gozzo.

          Later, at the time of the Byzantine Empire, the island had some eight thousand inhabitants (900-1000 AD) and supported 3 bishops and an archbishop. During the Ottoman Empire's reign on the island, which lasted from 1665 up until 1895, Gavdos was known as Gondzo. During this period the population decreased considerably to only 500 inhabitants by 1882. A reference to Saracens on the island survives - a beach is named Sarakiniko (a name meaning "of the Saracens" in Greek).

         In the 1930s the island was used as a place of exile of communists; more than 250 people were exiled including leading figures of the Greek movement, such as Markos Vafiadis. During World War II, allied forces evacuated some forces to Gavdos following the German victory in the battle of Crete.

         Later on, the general phase of urbanization that started in other parts of Greece in the 1960s, took place in the 1950s on Gavdos. During that period the islanders exchanged their land on Gavdos with ex-Turkish land on Crete, which had now become exchangeable via the state. Upon settling in Crete they created a community known as Gavdiotika, which is part of the town of Paleochora.

        Gavdos has several beaches , here I will present few :

         Potamos Beach - Gavdos - Potamos is a beautiful beach in the north west part of the island of Gavdos. It is a sandy beach with yellow and nicely colored red sand. Unfortunately for most of the vistors to the island the beach of Potamos can only be reached by boat because it is surrounded by hills and there is no footpath leading to it. Most people that make the walk to Potamos beach end up just seeing the beach from above and cannot find a safe way down, allthough some people do succeed in it.

         Agios Ioannis Beach - Gavdos - The beach of Agios Ioannis is situated in the north of the island of Gavdos, and it was voted as second most beautiful beach of the world by the Travel Channel in 2007. Agios Ioannis (St John's beach) is situated next to the tiny village with a population of ten, and it is home to several impressively large caves. There are no hotels or pensions or any luxury, only the sea, the sand and a beautiful view of the island of Crete. At the busstop of Agios Ioannis (end of the road) you will find the only tavern in this region of Gavdos: Kapetan Theofilos.

         Pyrgos Beach - Gavdos - The beach of Pyrgos is situated in the north of the island of Gavdos. It can be reached by small boat or by foot after a long and adventurous walk. Pyrgos beach is quiet and isolated and beach with no facilities. You must bring your own water and food.

        Sarakinikos Beach - Gavdos - At a 20 minutes walk distance you will find the most "cultivated" beach of the island (with a taverna or two and a few accommodations that is). The sandy and pretty large beach of Sarakinikos is situated in the north east of the island at a 2km walk north of the harbour over a dirt track.

        Tripiti Beach - Gavdos - The beach of Tripiti is situated in the south of the island of Gavdos and it is famous for its beautiful rockformations. The rocks that are in the sea form arcades. The name of this southern point is Tripiti ("tripa"=hole) and there are three holes-caves (arches) under the rock that runs into the sea. From Korfos, you can walk until this wonderful place, there is no more land to explore at this south part of Gavdos... The footpath is about 3 km (about an hour), there are signs and you cannot lose your way. This is the most southern place in Europe.Standing on a rock in Tripiti is a very large chair that you have to climb on in order to sit on it.

         Korfos Beach - Gavdos - As you walk inland from the harbour Karave and arrive at the crossroads and a couple of houses don't turn right (to Sarakinikos beach) but turn left (there is a sign) to reach this beach. It's a beautiful walk along the coastline. At Korfos Bay there are some rooms and family rooms for rent at Georgos and Maria's Taverna.

         We can say that Gavdos is a mythical and a virgin island- Mermaids' Island. It's got therapeutic properties. It treats wounded hearts and souls, reveals new potentials and awakes unknown senses. It's a return to nature and your roots. It soothes your nerves and lets you escape from every day life. After a while it becomes an addiction.Go soon ... before this island is also lost to modern tourism. 

... In the end i will let the pictures speak for themselves ...

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