Island of Astypalaia

Links: Homepage Town History Gallery Time off

Astypalaia (map here) is one of about 150 islands in the Dodecanese region of Greece. It takes an hour to fly there from Athens and 10 hours on the ferry from Piraeus. From West to East it is 19 kilometres wide and its highest point is 482 metres above the sea. It has just over 1200 inhabitants, most of whom live in the small town of Hora. In summer it never rains and the sun shines brightly in a very blue sky but the wind keeps it from getting too hot most days. In winter there are big winds which blow the rain against you. The field school mostly takes place in July, just before Astypalaia's short August tourist season, so for much of the time we are the only visitors. It has been our project's home since 1999. Everybody knows us and, through our laboratory open days, knows a good deal about our project. There's a lot of interest and people enjoy chatting to our students in the shops and cafes. The remoteness of Astypalaia means that it is well away from political and social events in Athens, it's quiet and it's safe.