Is Apella Beach Worth Visiting on Karpathos? Read This First!

Apella Beach is one of the most popular in Karpathos Greece! From the minute you arrive, you’ll be captivated by the natural beauty of the island. So is Apella Beach worth visiting? Here’s how to get there, parking info, and all about our own experience on Karpathos. 

How to Get to Apella Beach Greece

When deciding if Apella Beach is worth visiting, you should know that it’s not really the easiest place to get to! Karpathos in general is very hilly, and filled with tight and bumpy roads around the island. 

For example, Olympos is one of the most stunning mountain villages in Greece, but also was quite the wild ride there. With that said, it was 100% worth seeing! Some of the most scenic places on the Greek Islands are a bit of an adventure.

We highly recommend renting a car on your visit to Karpathos (check the prices here). It will give you the freedom to explore destinations like Apella Beach and see them on your own time.

Here’s a full guide with the pros and cons of renting a car on Karpathos if you’re still undecided. There are select public bus routes available from Pigadia to Apella Beach Karpathos which run more frequently in the summer.

However, we still preferred having our own rental car to get around. You can also take a boat tour to Apella Karpathos which we will talk more about soon.

Wild Drive From Pigidia to Apella Beach

Many travelers will be picking up a car in the capital of Pigadia which is also where the Greek ferries come in. From here, it’s about a 30 minute drive north through the mountains. 

The drive itself is unreal, with twists and turns and epic sea views. Be sure to stop in Kyra Panagia which is another one of the most beautiful beaches on Karpathos. We stayed overnight here at Pension Akropolis and visited Apella Beach early in the morning.

Keep an eye out for the Apella sign to turn down off the main road! It would be wise to get a sim card when arriving in Greece to help you with directions. Stop at some of the amazing lookouts as you approach the turn down where you can get some photos.

Can You Take a Boat to Apella Karpathos?

Yes! Due to the wild roads on Karpathos, we wouldn’t blame you if you would rather not drive yourself. 

Luckily, there is a daily boat trip that goes from Pigadia Port every morning. They usually start in May and run through until the end of September. 

Not only is this an easy way to get to Apella Beach Greece, but you’ll be able to see multiple beaches in the same day. It’s best to walk down to the main port of Pigadia and buy tickets yourself to confirm they are running. 

The other main port on Karpathos is Diafani which is located down the hill from Olympos village. We actually took a full day boat trip from here to Saria Island! The tour combined snorkeling with history, and even included a delicious grilled lunch on the beach. 

Apella Beach Parking

The most difficult section of the Apella Beach drive as after you turn down off the main road. It gets extremely narrow, so be patient and careful when passing other cars. We will say at the least the road is paved, which is not the case for other popular beaches on Karpathos.

Once you arrive at Apella Beach you’ll see the parking can be a little tricky. There are limited spots (especially in the summer) so you’ll want to arrive as early as possible to secure a space. Some travelers will also park along the road as you get close to the entrance of the parking.

From the parking lot, walk down the set of stairs past the Apella Taverna. This is also a great spot to have lunch if you’re spending the entire day at Apella Beach! 

Relaxing at Apella Beach Karpathos

As soon as you make it down to Apella Beach, you’ll see why it’s now recognized as one of the best in Greece. The way the mountains sit above the sparkling Aegean Sea is like something out of a dream!

Like many of the beaches on Karpathos, it’s made up of small pebbles and not sand. The first section has a long row of sun beds for rent which is a comfortable option if you’re spending the whole day.

On our visit in early spring, they cost 10 Euros per person. However, we’ve heard that the price goes up a bit in the peak summer months. 

We loved having a sun bed as opposed to sitting on the rocks, and the Apella Tavern even has drink service to the loungers. Still, the 3km long beach has plenty of room to spread out after the chairs. You can easily bring your own towels to lay out further down the beach. 

Is Apella Beach Worth Visiting?

So is Apella beach worth visiting on your trip to Karpathos? We definitely thought so!

Sometimes the most beautiful places are a little crazy to get to, and that definitely applies to Apella Karpathos. Yet, once you get there, you’ll be so happy you made the trip.

As we’ve mentioned, you’ll want to get here as early as possible to avoid traffic and parking issues. It’s easy to include Apella Beach in a one week Karpathos itinerary like this. You can even drive to the west coast to spend a couple nights at the popular Lefkos Beach.

Be sure to check out more of our favorite beaches on Karpathos and some awesome places to eat. We also wrote a complete guide to the island with 10 of the most unique things to do!

Have any questions on this article or want to share if you think Apella Beach is worth visiting? Leave us a comment below!

Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake

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