Astypalaia
3.8/5A Cycladic-looking island in the Dodecanese — whitewashed Chora under a Venetian castle
Chora and the castle, the wild beaches of the western wing, Maltezana and the coves of the east, and the windmill ridge for sunset.
Why 3.8: real history and character and a genuinely dramatic landscape, and nothing that actively lets it down.
Astypalaia is shaped like a butterfly — two roughly circular landmasses joined by a thin isthmus 100 m wide. Geographically it's in the Dodecanese, but visually it belongs to the Cyclades: blinding-white cubic houses cascading down a hill under a 13th-century Venetian castle, the kind of skyline most people travel to Santorini to see, here without the cruise ships. The island has been the EU's first "smart green island," which in practice means good electric scooter rentals and a public transport pilot. Most visitors stay 3 days: one for Chora and the windmills, one for the wild beaches of the western wing including the famous Kaminakia, one for Maltezana and the eastern wing. Direct flights from Athens (45 min) make it surprisingly accessible.
Good for
- Travellers who want a Cycladic castle skyline — whitewashed Chora under a 13th-century Venetian castle, without the cruise ships
- Beach hunters willing to take a dirt road — Kaminakia is four kilometres of it, and empty for that reason
- Short-break visitors from Athens — the daily flight takes 45 minutes to a small domestic airport
Maybe skip if
- If you won't rent wheels — Vatses and Kaminakia both end in dirt road, and the two wings are far apart
- If you were counting on the ferry — Piraeus is 10 to 14 hours away, two to four times a week
Getting there
Small domestic airport (Olympic) — daily flight from Athens. Direct Piraeus ferry 10–14h, 2–4× weekly. Remote enough that schedule planning matters.
Tip: For 2–3 day trips, fly. The ferry only makes sense if you have a week.
Best time to visit Astypalaia
Astypalaia is the butterfly-shaped island between Cyclades and Dodecanese — chora is one of the prettiest castle-villages in the Aegean. Open May-October. June and September are best. The 8 windmills viewpoint and Vatses beach are the highlights. The island became a high-profile e-mobility experiment in 2021 (electric cars and buses); whether you find that interesting or not, it changed daily life less than expected.
Top beaches of Astypalaia
Kaminakia
The most beautiful beach on Astypalaia and one of the best in the Dodecanese — fine pale pebbles, exceptional water clarity, framed by tall red cliffs. The dirt road in keeps the crowds away. The single taverna serves whatever the boat brought in that morning. Don't leave the island without coming here.
- Type
- Fine grey-white pebbles
- Length
- 150 m
- Depth
- Medium — glass-clear water, deepens gradually
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the southeast to southwest at over 5 Bft. South-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm in summer, exposed only to rare southern winds
- Facilities
- One seasonal taverna with grilled fish. No sunbeds. 4 km dirt road in.
Vatses
A long bay on the western wing's south coast — wilder than Livadi, calmer than Kaminakia, with a single excellent taverna at the western end. Most people stay all day: swim, eat, swim, repeat.
- Type
- Pebbles and coarse sand
- Length
- 300 m
- Depth
- Medium — turquoise shallows, deeper centre
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the southeast to southwest at over 5 Bft. South-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm in summer, exposed only to rare southern winds
- Facilities
- Linda's taverna at the end — excellent food. A few sunbeds. Last 3 km is dirt road.
Livadi
The default beach — long, organised, easy to reach (10 minutes by car from Chora), with a string of tavernas in the citrus grove behind. Not the prettiest beach on the island but the most convenient. Come in the late afternoon.
- Type
- Pebbles
- Length
- 500 m
- Depth
- Shallow — gradual entry, family-friendly
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the southeast to southwest at over 5 Bft. South-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm in summer, exposed only to rare southern winds
- Facilities
- Several tavernas, sunbeds, organised. Closest beach to Chora.
3-day itinerary for Astypalaia
Read the day-by-day plan on its own page →
Day 1: Chora, Castle & Windmills
- 10:00 · Skala (Port)
Arrive by ferry from Piraeus (10–14 hours overnight) or by the daily 45-minute flight from Athens. Skala is the small port at the foot of the Chora hill — pick up a rental car or scooter here. Most accommodation is up in Chora, a 5-minute drive uphill.
- 11:30 · Querini Castle
The 13th-century Venetian castle that crowns Chora — built by the Querini family who ruled the island for 300 years. Houses were built into the castle walls themselves; you can still see the stone window frames embedded in the fortifications. The two churches inside, Panagia tou Kastrou and Agios Georgios, are still active. Free entry; views are spectacular in all directions.
- 13:00 · The Eight Windmills
A row of eight stone windmills along the ridge between Chora and the modern village — most restored, most photographed at sunset. Walk along the ridge top from the castle. The light at dusk on the windmills with the white village below is the postcard image of the island. - 15:00 · Livadi Beach
The closest organised beach to Chora — a long sweep of pebbles in a green valley with citrus trees behind. A few tavernas along the back, sunbeds, the family-friendly choice. Good for an afternoon swim before heading back up to Chora for dinner. - 20:00 · Sunset from the Castle Walls
Walk back up to the castle for sunset. The light on the white houses and the windmills is at its best 30 minutes before the sun drops. Bring a drink from one of the cafes on the way up.
- 🍴 Stop for dinner · Chora — see Eat & Drink below
Day 2: Western Wing — Wild Beaches
- 10:00 · Drive to Vatses
The road south-west from Chora is narrow and winds through empty hills — allow around half an hour. The last 3 km to Vatses is dirt road but manageable in a regular car. - 11:00 · Vatses Beach
A long pebble beach in a wide bay with a single excellent taverna (Linda's) at the end. Few sunbeds; mostly wild. The water is exceptional — turquoise in the shallows, deep blue further out. Stay long enough to have lunch at the taverna. - 14:00 · Kaminakia Beach
The most remote beach on Astypalaia and arguably the best — fine grey-white pebbles, glass-clear water, framed by red volcanic cliffs. Reached by a 4 km dirt road that's bumpy but passable; many do it by ATV. Single seasonal taverna serves grilled fish caught that morning. Stay for the swim, eat at the taverna, leave before dark — the road is no fun at night.
- 20:00 · Dinner in Chora
Drive back to the Chora hilltop (about 20 minutes). The windmills at sunset are the iconic photo — head up to the kastro for the panorama, then a taverna in the white village.
Day 3: Maltezana & the Eastern Wing
- 10:00 · Maltezana (Analipsi)
The second main settlement on the island, on the eastern wing's south coast — relaxed, low-rise, no Cycladic prettiness but a working village with a beach and a few tavernas. Worth a coffee stop. The Roman mosaics at the small Tallaras baths nearby are an unexpected find — 5th century, well preserved, free.
- 12:00 · Schinontas Beach
A small sheltered cove between Maltezana and the airport — sand, calm water, almost no one. The road in is short but unsigned; ask locally. Bring lunch.
- 14:30 · Agios Konstantinos Beach
Back on the western wing, south of Livadi — a quieter pebble beach with a single beachfront taverna. Tamarisk trees give natural shade. Better swimming than Livadi, and far fewer people in August. - 17:00 · Departure
Skala for the ferry, or the airport (5 km east of Chora) for the flight to Athens. If you have one more meal, the harbour tavernas in Skala are honest and good — try Maïstrali for fresh fish.