Olympos: Churches, History and Hiking Trails

Olympos brings together old churches, a founding story involving an earthquake, and a distinctive starting point for hiking: most hiking trails on Karpathos begin here. Other local points of interest include the ruins of ancient Vrykus, the museum of folk artist Vassiliou Hadjivassilis, and the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. This gives you a basis for weighing up culture, history and outdoor activities when planning your trip.

Churches and History in Olympos

The old churches of Olympos include Agios Onoufrios and Panagia Chrysovalantou. Both names refer to specific religious sites in the village, while the Feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary adds a distinct festive note. It is celebrated in Olympos. If you are interested in church culture, you will find different points of interest here: named churches and a religious feast that forms part of local cultural life.

The founding story dates back roughly five centuries: Olympos was founded after a powerful earthquake destroyed the coastal town of Vrycunda. The earthquake marks a striking turning point in the village’s history. Ruins dating from the 4th century have also survived at the site of ancient Vrykus. Vrycunda and Vrykus therefore belong to different historical contexts: the name Vrycunda refers to the coastal town destroyed in the founding story, while Vrykus refers to the ancient site with its surviving ruins.

Another cultural point of interest is the museum of folk artist Vassiliou Hadjivassilis. If you are planning a visit, check the visiting arrangements in advance. Along with the churches and the history of the village, the museum broadens the range of cultural topics you can consider when choosing your destinations.

Hiking on Karpathos

For hiking enthusiasts, the connection between Olympos and the island’s trails is particularly relevant: most hiking trails on Karpathos begin in Olympos. One route described on Karpathos is Avlona–Tristomos–Vananda–Diafani. It is considered especially interesting and relatively difficult, includes swimming, and takes approximately 7.5 hours. Alongside general information about trail starting points, this gives you a specific example with details about the time required and the nature of the hike.

Karpathos also offers a regional point of reference for nature enthusiasts: the municipal birdwatching guide “Karpathos of birds” covers more than 200 bird species that can be observed, an ornithological map and 10+2 routes. The guide thus complements the hiking perspective with birdwatching and map-based orientation. The routes and nature topics mentioned relate to Karpathos as a travel destination; by contrast, the old churches and historic sites in the previous section are specific to Olympos.

Archaeological Sites on Karpathos

The wider destination of Karpathos also includes archaeological traces in Pigadia. Ancient Potidaion, also called Poseidion, was located on the site of present-day Pigadia. The surviving remains of a Hellenistic acropolis can be found on Vounos Hill above the harbour of Pigadia. These locations give the archaeological examples their own context: they relate to Pigadia and Karpathos and should not be confused with the ruins of ancient Vrykus in Olympos.

The examples also differ in their historical context: in Olympos, you will encounter the founding story and ruins dating from the 4th century; in Pigadia, Potidaion and the remains of the Hellenistic acropolis point to further archaeological sites on Karpathos. When planning your trip, you can weigh up whether to focus on Olympos’s local cultural attractions, hiking, or a broader range of historical and natural history topics.

Olympos as a Destination for Finding a Holiday Apartment

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Olympos, the local churches, founding story and information about hiking trails can help guide your choice of destination. Consider which of these topics will be most important for your trip: here, culture and history go hand in hand with the fact that most hiking trails on Karpathos begin in Olympos. The Avlona–Tristomos–Vananda–Diafani route offers a specific example: a relatively difficult hike that includes swimming and takes approximately 7.5 hours.

If you would also like to explore archaeological sites or go birdwatching, the examples mentioned are part of Karpathos in the broader sense. This lets you weigh local interests and regional topics separately when choosing your destination, before deciding where to look for a holiday apartment.

Discover more destinations: Kyra Panagia, Kasos, Arkása, Tristomo, Fri, Diafani, Karpathos, Kipos Afiarti.

Back to the main travel guide: Karpathos.