DESPOTIKO

Direction Despotiko, the underwater cave of Epitafio and its incredible rock formations and finally, the seal cave where you might see a Mediterranean seal. Some visitors spend the night and camp on the island.

You can visit the remains of the ancient city of Presepinthos and a Doric temple where excavations are still going on today. The plan of the city and the main sanctuary can be seen as soon as you get a little higher on the surrounding hills. The sanctuary, which is very large, is thought to have been in use from the 7th century BC to the Roman period and was dedicated to the cult of Apollo.

The remains of a cemetery dating back to the Cycladic civilization (Bronze Age) have also been excavated on the islet and presuppose a very ancient human presence on these lands. The islet and the city would have been abandoned during the Middle Ages, without any further details or explanations for the moment. It is a touching and wonderful experience to walk freely through these ruins and remains. There are few archaeological sites of such magnitude that can still be accessed in this way and one should enjoy them as long as the flood of tourists does not endanger the works and the work of archaeologists.

In addition to the ancient ruins and the heritage history of the islet, Despotiko is famous for its emerald beaches, of unequalled clarity. Livadi beach is the best known, and with good reason: its silvery sand gently descends into crystal clear waters.