Greece. Karpathos to attend panigyri

You can climb the high mountains, spread out a blanket and enjoy the coolness of the fragrant pine forests, bathe in the turquoise waters. Karpathos, the island of the Titans according to Greek mythology, is the second largest in the Dodecanese. Docking at Pigadia, the capital and main harbour, one's eyes are immediately drawn to the imposing Vounos, a 23-metre-high rock on which rise the vestiges of an ancient citadel, flanked by the Governor's House, the Eparchium dating back to the period of Italian rule, which now houses an information centre on the Mediterranean monk seal and an open-air museum focusing on the telling of local history. Afoti, on the other hand, houses the ruins of the early Christian basilica of Agia Fotini, as well as the Cave of Poseidon. In Lefkos, a coastal village with sandy beaches, the ancient citadel of Pelekito and the 13th-century church of Agios Georgios are astonishing. You can then disembark on the islet of Sokastro, where Byzantine and medieval ruins can be admired. At sunset or sunrise, you will ascend to Aperi, a tiny mountain village where the ancient acropolis of Karpathos stood and from which you can admire the entire Dodecanese landscape. The most authentic costumes and music can still be encountered and heard in Olympos, where an archaic dialect is spoken and women wear hand-woven robes, while in Othos, situated 510 metres above sea level, the Museum of Folk Art is well worth a visit and almost always at the weekend, the bewitching panigyri or traditional festivals are held.