The bay at Afiartis, on the southern tip of Karpathos, is one of the finest windsurfing locations in Europe. The meltemi — the strong north wind that sweeps the Aegean each summer — channels through here with remarkable regularity, creating textbook conditions for freestyle and wave riding. Several schools operate on the beach offering tuition and equipment hire.
Even if you do not windsurf, the beach at Afiartis is worth visiting: a long stretch of dark sand backed by tamarisk trees, with clear water and a windswept, end-of-the-world quality that is entirely different from the sheltered coves elsewhere on the island. The surrounding landscape of rocky headlands and scrub has an austere beauty.