For the local transportations into the island you will use a car or you will take a taxi or the Public bus. On the island there are car and motorbike rentals.

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS
Port Authority of Piraeus 210 4226000
Port Authority of Kassos + 30 22450 41288
Olympic Airways of Kassos + 30 22450 41555
Olympic Airways of Rhodes + 30 22410 24571 – 5
Olympic Airways of Karpathos + 30 22450 22057
Olympic Airways of Sitia – Crete + 30 28430 22270
Airport of Kassos + 30 22450 41444
Health Center + 30 22450 41333
Post Office + 30 22450 41255
Telecommunications Center OTE + 30 22450 41300

In ancient times Kasos was called Amfis, Achne and Astrabe.
The earliest traces of human habitation on the island date from the Final Neolithic – Early Bronze Age. In historical times the ancient capital, also called Kasos was at the area of Poli.
The history of the island is closely bound up with that of the neighbouring island of Karpathos.

During the Roman and Early Christian periods the main settlement on the island was apparently transferred to the coast around Emborios bay, where there are traces of two Early Christian basilicas.

In 1207 the island was captured by the Venetians occupying Crete. In 1311 it was taken by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, but following the intervention of the pope, Kasos and Karpathos were returned to the possession of Venice in 1315, so remaining until 1537, when they were conquered by the Ottomans.

During the period of Turkish domination, the islanders built up a strong merchant fleet, which they placed at the disposal of the struggle for national liberation of 1821.
In May 1824, Kasos was completely destroyed by a combined Turkish and Egyptian fleet, and the few inhabitants that survived left the island, returning to it several years later.

The capital of the island FRY is built in the gulf of Bouka. It is a beautiful town with well preserved mansions, stone buildings and double decked houses of traditional architecture.
In front of the City Hall you will see the Holocaust monument of 7th June 1824. It has a small archaeological collection and an interesting church of Agios Spyridon.
Fry is the main tourist resort in the island. There are hotels, rooms to let and taverns serving local specialties.

The old harbor of EMPORIO lies 800 meters to the east with its fine stone houses and notable three-aisled church dedicated to the Birth of our Lady, built in 1856.

The head-village AGIA MARINA which has several mansions and a church of Agia Marina, lies 1 km. south-west of the capital. The feast of Saint Marina is one of the most important religious and social events of the summer.

Just of the west of this village is Ellinokamara, a cave in which pottery of various periods has been discovered.
The impressive cave of Selai is 2 kilometers west of Agia Marina.

PANAGIA and ARVANITOCHORI are two more picturesque villages, in which there are a few mansions and some fine churches. It is worth visiting the church of Agios Dimitrios, the protector of the village.
In Arvanitochori you will find some rooms to let.

POLI, 2 kilometers south-east of Fry, is built on the site of an ancient city, with the remains of a fortification wall at the top of the acropolis and some important archaeological finds. Other interesting sights are the church of the Holy Trinity and the monastery of Agios Mamas, a short distance away.

BEACHES
Kasos coastline is full of any kind of beaches.
In Emporio there is an organized beach with crystal clear waters. In the area you will find rooms to let and taverns.
In the western side of the island you will find the fine beach of Ammoua, in the region of Antiperatos.
In the island exist much more beaches accessible only from sea, without however regular itineraries to them.
In the southern part, more known is the beach of Helatros, with the natural harbor. The beach is always protected from the winds.

TRADITION – EVENTS
The festivals on Kasos have a strong local character and they are considered a big event and gather all the inhabitants of the island as well as its visitors. Local dances, tunes and songs accompanied by the sound of the traditional musical instruments lyra and laouto and the supply of free local food, sweets and wine, make the celebrations of Kasos both unique and popular.
The biggest festival is that of Pera Panagia on the 15th August. Amongst the larger ones are those of Agia Marina on the 17th of July, Agios Spyridon on the 12th of December, Agios Mamas on the 2nd of September, of the Holy Cross on the 14th of September and Agios Fanourios on the 27th of August.
The municipality of Kasos organizes every year a three day celebration for the anniversary of Kasos Holocaust (7th of June 1824).
Several of the island women still wear traditional costumes and everyone dances to traditional music, played by local musicians.

NEARBY ISLANDS
The largest of the neighboring uninhabited islands is ARMATHIA (2 nautical miles from Fry), which can be reached by boat. The island has some fine beaches for swimming.

LOCAL CUISINE
In the taverns of the island you can taste the local recipes as pasparas, kolokythopoulia, dolmadakia, and the local sweets pies filled with cheese and spices and moschopougia filled with almonds and walnuts.
Like every insular cuisine, thus here, dishes made with seafood have a special place. The most characteristic is “soupiopilafo” made of ink of fresh squid!