Kassos

Kassos (Kàssos, Κάσος) is a small rocky island, steeply raising from the Karpathian sea, at the southernmost part of the Dodecanese islands with a population of 1.088 inhabitants. It is 18 km long with a coast long about 55 km and covers a total area of 64 sq. km. It is located very close to the shores of Karpathos (about 3 nmi) and the eastern part of Crete (26 nmi). The highest peak is Prionas Mt. at 545 m. while there are 5 inhabited settlements on the island. Fry (Frì, Φρύ) is the capital and harbor while Agia Marina, built on a slope above Fry, is the biggest village.

[WPFlickr tags=”kassos”]

This small island has a long, rich history, with traces dating back to the Minoan Period and a strong naval tradition. It is estimated that during the times of the Greek Revolution, Kassos population numbered about 12.000 people. The island paid a heavy price for its generous involvement in the Revolution. In the spring of 1824, Ottoman naval forces destroyed the islands and its villages completely, killing about 1.000 people, raping and bringing to slavery the women and children.

The islands is full of beautiful churches, scattered in all around its territory, and impressive captain houses. There is a number of beautiful beaches of any type and many coves to explore. The locals are open ad warm. They’re famous for their dairy products and their traditional recipes that combine tastes of the Mediterranean with spices from the East.

Kassos is regularly connected by ferry and by air with Rhodes, Karpathos and Crete.