Karpathos is one of the largest islands in the Dodecanese and one of the least developed, a long, mountainous strip of land stretching between Crete and Rhodes. It has the wildness of an island that has kept its own pace: high ridges drop sheer to the sea, a single spine of road links the south to the north, and isolated villages still hold tight to local customs. For travellers who want beach beauty, hiking trails and a real sense of Greek place without the busy summer scene of the bigger islands, it is a quietly outstanding choice.

The main town is Pigadia on the south-east coast, a working harbour and the only proper urban centre, with a relaxed seafront promenade, a handful of tavernas and easy access to a strip of sandy beaches. The south of the island is where most visitors stay, with the gentle landscape and longer beaches of Amoopi, Achata and Damatria spreading out from the capital. The north is the dramatic half, where the mountain village of Olympos perches on a high ridge, women still wear traditional dress and the only access until recently was by boat.

Karpathos is also a windsurfing destination of global reputation: the east coast around Afiartis catches a steady summer meltemi that draws athletes from across Europe to a string of wind and kite schools. Expect mostly mid-range and family-run hotels, beachfront apartments, a handful of all-inclusive resorts in Amoopi and a small but growing scene of design villas tucked into the hills.