Nothing indicates its ancient origin and even the single-chamber bizarre buildings with the semicircular or conical roofs refer to a Saracen settlement of the 8th-9th century. Start off from the beach where the boats are moored and find out an ancient corridor on your right that resembles a pile of irregularly thrown stones. In less than 10 minutes you are about to reach the first half-ruined building of Palatia. From this spot you can go down the beach again and enter the stream. Soon the church of Agia Sofia with the tile roof will stand right on your left. You can see scattered capitals, bases and altars. Archaeologists claim that in the very same position there used to be an early Christian church of the 5th century.
THE ROUTE TO ARGOS
Carry on in this “path” and you will find the way to reach the imposing ravine with the huge hollow rocks. The erosion caused by the past centuries was not enough to deform the huge carved steps: An autocratic stairway, someone would assume. As you ascend the rugged path, you are led into the stream bed. It is impossible to get lost, since the blue signs on the rocks will guide you to the right way. Viewing Argos for the first time, about 40 minutes later, all your fatigue caused by ascending the uphill will rapidly disappear. The second abandoned settlement of Saria, which is invisible from the sea, will stand right in front of you.
Its ancient name has been preserved, as well as the properties of the village, which appeared uninhabited for the first time in 1991. Many of those residing now in Olympos and Diafani used to have their houses (stables), threshing floors and animals there. Memories are still fresh, but the “stone-built” and amazing settlement of Argos in terms of formation and typology is no more inhabited. It is easy to assume that these very stones from the houses, the cisterns, the threshing floors were placed there some millenniums ago or even earlier and never changed their position!
Info
You can reach Saria by boat from Diafani (1-1.5 hours trip depending on the stops for swimming) or with your own vessel.
You can also contact the Management Body of North
Karpathos-Saria, tel.: +30 22450 51336 (Olympos), or +30 22450 51013 (Diafani),
E-mail: foreaska@gmail.com