This small, wild island is located off of the southern coast of Crete. While remote, it's connected to Crete with boat service from Chora Sfakia and Sougia.
Gavdos in Myth
Gavdos is believed to be the Ogygia, mythological home of the enchantress Calypso, who idled away seven years with the hero Odysseus before he finally got restless at about the same moment the gods decided he really should stop back home at Ithaca and check in on his wife Penelope. Legend has it he contributed greatly to the original population of the island, leaving behind four children, Latinos, Nausithoos, Nausinoos, and Auson.Visitors can visit a spot believed to be Calypso's cave by the sea, though some Gaviots insist the real cave was filled with sand and vanished during a severe storm a hundred years ago.
Gavdos has groves of pine and cedar trees, which once were abundant on the island of Crete. The scent of these trees is locally believed to be a powerful aphrodisiac, perhaps explaining Odysseus' long stay on the island and those four children.
Gavdos in Modern Times
These days, Gavdos boasts a permanent population of only about forty people, down from a high of about eight thousand during Byzantine times.
Ancient Gavdos
While there is no trace of Calpyso, there are some Minoan artifacts indicating that even this remote spot was used by their ships in ancient times.
Was Paul Shipwrecked on Gavdos - too?
According to Cretan lore, the apostle Paul was shipwrecked about an average of once every ten nautical miles during his travels along the coast of Crete. He is also said to have been shipwrecked here on Gavdos, as well as at Agios Pavlos Beach and Kali Limenes along the coast.On the surface, Gavdos looks hard put to keep anyone's attention that long. In modern times, it was used as a place of exile for those who had fallen awry of the Greek government, and some stone houses from that period still survive. But the wildness and remote location attract fans who yearn for the good old days of traveling to Greek islands.
Gavdos' Bare beaches = Bare People
Gavdos, with many beaches and a very small local population, is a popular naturist destination. Few of the beaches are developed, so almost any stretch of sand invites bare sunbathing and can become a nude beach at the drop of a top. But since the island of Gavdos is so undeveloped, be sure to bring enough water, sunscreen, and food to last you for the day.
Hotels on Gavdos
There are no 'hotels' in the usual sense of the word, but a few places rent rooms. Many backpackers simply camp on the beach and are rarely troubled by the few authorities on the island.
