As you can see in the first pictures on the left this tiny isle’s shape reminds that of butterfly, whit two nacked rock wings joined together by a thin isthmus entirely covered by shrubs and bushes exhaling scent of thymus and sage.
The mountainous Astypalaia, overlooking an amazingly clear sea made of fresh water, offer almost 100 km of indented coastline, where you will find high reef and many deep bays rich in inlest and gorgeous creeks with stones or sandy beaches.
The archipelago in front of the gulf of Maltezana, 3 miles away from the coast, consist of 10 tiny isles offering striking docks and berthsites for bathing and fishind, for every sea-lover.
Thanks to its geographic position, Astypalaia enjoys of a very agreeable Mediterranean climate, with mild and rainy winters (January and February) as well as hot and dry summers up to 40°C.
Nevertheless june and july’s heat gets refreshed by the Meltemi, a fresh and dry wind that blows constantly from the North in summertime, when the water temperature peaks to 25°C, even if bathing is very pleasant in April and May.
The almost 1000 inhabitants permanently residing there, live mainly in Skala, the chieftown wich spreads from the harbour to the upper town.
The ancient walls of the Venetian Castle, standing out on the main rise of the town ( and now almost completely restored) create a spectacular contrast whit the white houses and the ancient mills below. The rest of the inhabitants live in the nearby rural village of Livadi, overlooking the gulf, and in Analipsi, 8 km far from the chief town.
Each moving is easier thanks to a good bus service.
This village, reached by busies, lays on the sandy bay of Maltezana.
Here will drink fresh source water while admiring the rest of Roman mosaics.
The whole isle’s archaeological finds are permanently exposed at the museum of Skala, close to the port. Despite its many supermarket, coffee bars and quite a lot of restaurants the isle’s services offer remains globally very modest.
Besides the goats which are used to graze almost everywhere, other peculiarities of Astypalaia are the very good fishes as well as the production of production of delicious honey, which is the pride of every inhabitant.