Travel guide to Kasos island

Kasos is one of the smalest islands of the Dodecanese islands near to Karpathos and west of Rhodes. The island is for those who know what they want from a vacation. Single or with company, It doesn’t matter, the journey is long and you won’t come here just because the route brought you here, Kasos will find a way to reward you.e.

Kasos today is a friendly and unpretentious island, that last beginning to see a little modest prosperity. Although mostly treeless, it is small and easily walkable.
With little agricultural production possible, the island has lived by seafaring and its people historically have been renowned mariners. The older houses date from a prosperous and distinguished past built up by sea-trade; their dilapidation today speaks of mass emigration and a renaissance which has been slow to arrive.

With a few hundred permanent residents in the summer, but also certain visitors every year, the island is ideal for those who want to relax and enjoy an ouzo and meze in small cafes by the beach. The locals are friendly, as long as you want to get to know them. Would you like to have a few more words with the waiter or the shopkeeper? You’ve automatically become his friend.

The main village and port of Kasos is called Fry and it comes out of the Eyebrow, because if you look at it from above it is curved, like an eyebrow. The largest village of the island is Agia Marina, with the most inhabitants. Arvanitochori is the next in size, and is located between the mountains.

These three villages are the largest of the island and are ideal for walks. Fry has cafes where you can sit, Agia Marina not so much, but it has picturesque narrow alleys, traditional houses with courtyards, neighbors exchanging conversations. Arvanitochori is the most well-kept, with the local cafe open from morning to night that turns it into souvlaki and traditional food.

About Kasos

Kasos is a Greek island of the southern Aegean and the southernmost of the Dodecanese. It is located between the island of Crete and Karpathos. It has an approximately elongated rhomboid shape with a maximum length from Akrotiri Avlaki to Akrotiri Radius of 19.8 km and a maximum width (almost in the middle of the island) of 7.7 km. Its area reaches 66.4 sq.km. and has a coastline of 59 km. The island is surrounded by the Carpathian Sea.

It has six villages: Agia Marina, Arvanitochori, Emporio, Panagia, Poli and Fry the capital. The highest peaks of its mountains are Prionas (601 m.), Periolas (504 m.) and Korakas (494 m.) followed by Sysfi, Trulles, Domata, Ai Giorgis and Myrto

The population of Kasos for years followed a decreasing course, parallel to that of most of the islands of Greece, but in recent years there is a trend of balancing and increasing population. During the island’s heyday, during the Greek Revolution, its inhabitants are said to have reached 12,000. After the Holocaust and during the occupation of Kasos by the Italians in 1911, the inhabitants had greatly decreased.

In 1917 the inhabitants of Kasos was reduced to 1,855, as many emigrated primarily to mainland Greece and Egypt. In 1930 the population had declined even further, to about 1,200 inhabitants. The unofficial count of the inhabitants of Kasos since 2001 gives a slight decrease in its population to 990 inhabitants. The last official census of 2022 showed that the permanent residents of the island increased significantly to more than 1200.

Economy

The main occupation of the island’s inhabitants is seafaring, followed by agriculture, tourism, fishing and beekeeping. The number of residents involved in commercial shipping is large, since the maritime tradition of Kasos is long.

The island also has a long livestock tradition and there is still a large production of goat meat and cheese products. Best known of all is the Kasοs salted cheese armyrotiri. A modern family cheese-making unit has been created and has been operating since 2009, which makes all the traditional cheese-making products of the island.

Tourism is in a development phase and is mainly based on small family hotel units. Traditional guesthouses are gradually multiplying. The tourist network is supported by a series of small restaurants, refreshment bars and car rental companies.

Considerable quantities of fresh fish are caught in Kasos, part of which is sent to the fish markets of Rhodes and Crete.A sufficient amount of olive oil is also produced from the two olive mills in operation on the island (Agia Marina and Arvanitochori).

Finally, a sufficient amount of honey is produced on the island by residents who practice traditional beekeeping.

Fry the capital of the island

The capital of Kasos is Fri. It is also the port of the island, in its northern part. It is a very small village whose name is said to come from “eyebrow”, due to its shape. What makes it stand out is its traditional, island architecture with its well-preserved two-story mansions. This is also the place most visitors choose to find the accommodation they want. It is also more developed for tourism than the rest, it has hotels and rooms for rent as well as cute taverns.

Near by is Bouka, a small, beautiful harbour, where the island’s fishing boats moor, thus creating the most picturesque location of Kasos. Next to it, is the impressive church of Agios Spyridon, patron saint of the island. With this image alone, which is the first thing one sees when setting foot on the island, the visitor is given a complete view of what he is going to experience during its stay there.

Beaches of Kasos

Kasos is a dry island by common confession. But its beaches are very special. You will see them either decorated with rocks but also with sand or pebbles. Be they big or small coves, be completely deserted or organized – but not so much that they become “touristic”. In any case, however, there are many options to find the beach that suits you.

For organized daytrips and nearby taverns, go to Emporios. The rest of the beaches are quieter. To the west, in the area of Antiperato, is Ammoua beach, which is also relatively organized, as well as other smaller, deserted coves. While much further away, at the southern end of the island, is Helatrou, a stunning beach that, thanks to the hills that surround it, is almost always windless.

The beach, however, which really remains unforgettable to anyone who gets to know it up close, is across the street. It is on the small island of Armathia, but you can only reach it by sea, with a small boat that can take you there. Marmara beach, which combines the colors of the Caribbean with the sandy beaches of the Cyclades, will leave you speechless.

Local food and cuisine

The special and original local cuisine of Kasos will not leave you unmoved. With influences from both neighboring Crete and the Dodecanese, but also due to its maritime tradition, you will eat fish in abundance, and you will go crazy with the non-seafood recipes.

You should ask to eat Macaroons, a penne-like pasta usually served with fried onion or garlic, Boustia and Bobbaria, which are lamb innards stuffed with minced meat, liver and rice, and Cassiotiko Pilaf. For dessert, there is nothing better than Moschopougia.

Where to stay

Kasos has several accommodation options such as hotels, rooms, apartments and studios, most of which are located in or around the capital Fry. There are several accommodations, also in Emporios which is a seaside tourist resort and was once the old capital of the island.

How to get to Kasos

There are year-round daily flights from Rhodes via Karpathos. The airport is a short walk (30Om) from Phry. Ferries operated by LANE lines (www.lane.gr) link Kasos to Piraeus and Rhodes: this provides at least three services weekly to Santorini, Milos and Piraeus to the west, and to Karpathos, Chalki, Rhodes, Kos, Leros and once weekly to Kastellorizo to the east.
Once weekly there is a service north through the northern Dodecanese to Samos. In the summer there is a thrice-weekly caique from Kasos to Finíki on Karpathos. The small motor ship Athina, run by Kassos Maritime Tourist Agency, makes summer excursions to the islets of Armathia and Makra, with their long, clear beaches