Paralia Apella, Beach on Karpathos island, Greece

Paralia Apella is a crescent-shaped bay on the east coast of Karpathos, in the area of the village Volada. Its white pebble-and-sand beach and turquoise water are enclosed by steep rock walls, and the bay is a well-known postcard and calendar motif.

The beach was accessible only by foot or boat until 1992, when infrastructure development began to improve access. The church of Agios Loukas testifies to the Byzantine past of this region.

The church of Agios Loukas overlooks the beach and serves as a cultural landmark showing the long settlement history of this coastal area. Its frescoes tell stories of religious traditions that shaped this region over centuries.

The bay was reachable only by a small footpath or by sea until 1992. A side road from the Karpathos Town–Spoa road, asphalted since 2007, now winds down to the shore in hairpins. A taverna, overnight accommodation and sunbed rental have operated in the bay since 1996.

About 350 metres above the taverna, not the beach, stands the Byzantine cave church of Agios Loukas. Its interior was once fully painted; archaeologists reassembled wall remains and gave the barrel vault a brick-red coat. The work revealed a pale red double cross on the rounded front and an archangel to its left, while faded frescoes inside show John the Baptist and the Wedding at Cana.