If you have no problem traveling many kilometers and many hours to enjoy a calm and peaceful vacation, then we have the ideal destination for you – and in fact in Greece.

THE Gavdosa few kilometers south of Creteis the southernmost island of Europe and the “ornament” of the Libyan Sea.

This fairy-tale, small island is located 26 nautical miles (48 km) south of Chora Sfakion and has an area of ​​only 29 square kilometers.

Although in winter the inhabitants do not exceed 50, in the summer months Gavdos is “flooded” with people and hosts thousands of tourists.

gavdos

This small island has been identified with Ogygia, the place where Calypso kept Odysseus.

The port of Gavdos is Karave, the capital of the island is Kastri, while its southernmost inhabited village is Vatsiana with 31 inhabitants.

If you are a lover of nature, tranquility and relaxation, you can’t help but love this small island.

What will you see?

The trademark of Gavdos is the old Lighthouse. It is located at an altitude of 368 meters and was built in 1880. It was even visible from a distance of 40 miles, the longest distance in the world at that time, but in May 1942 it was bombed by the Germans and destroyed.

gavdos

The lighthouse was reconstructed and dominates the same spot.

In Gavdos it is worth seeing from the nearby building of the exiles on Metaxas in Sarakiniko

The small island of Gavdos was a place of exile for communists. 250 people were exiled there, including leading members of the Communist party such as Aris Velouchiotis and Markos Vafiadis.

Take another walk to the Venetian castle in Kefali but also to the Roman and early Christian ruins on the hill of Ai Giannis.

Dives in beautiful beaches

Some of the sandy beaches of the island are Lavrakas, Pyrgos and Potamos.

gavdos

An excellent beach with pebbles and crystal clear waters is Korfos.

The beach of Sarakinikos is fantastic, with fine sand and shallow waters. The beach of Ai Giannis is equally impressive and has many cedars and pines that reach the sea.

Camp freely

As for accommodation, there are some rooms for rent, but mainly visitors prefer camping, as Gavdos is one of the few islands in Greece that allow free camping.

On the island there is a local bus that takes visitors to the settlements and beaches.