Steno

Astypalaia is often described as a butterfly shaped island, as it has two wing shaped landmasses connected by a narrow strip of land. One of the prettiest beaches, called Steno, is along this thin strip of land. And here is your Greek vocabulary lesson for the day, "steno" means tight or restricted. Therefore the name of this beach is also a description of the place.



You pass Steno beach on you way to or from the airport, and it is always a stunning sight when it comes into view. The calm water is colored in various shades of blue and green, and the sand is dotted with chairs and umbrellas for rent. The beach is inviting, and if you love to soak in the ocean, this beach is hard to pass up.



The water is shallow here, I walked out fifty yards or so and was only up to my waist. The ocean floor is sandy at Steno, so many other beaches on the island are rocky. They can be tough on the feet.



In this photo are some random beach goers enjoying their day in the sun. Notice how the lady in the pic is wearing a bikini. All Greek women under the age of seventy five wear bikinis regardless of size or shape. Often it is not a pretty sight. Ladies over seventy five wear solid black one piece bathing suits, and often a baseball hat to shade their faces. I also wear a solid black one piece, so if someone will ship me a baseball cap I will be right in style with the octogenarian crowd. I am sure the locals are wondering why I am dressed so inappropriately.



Visit Steno beach if you can, it won't disappoint.