Chalki

Chalki (Greek: Χάλκη) is an island of the southeastern Aegean in the island complex of the Dodecanese. It is 5 miles west of Cape Armenistis of Rhodes, SE of Tilos in the NE Carpathian Sea. To be exact, it is 36 n.m. from the port of Rhodes, 11 n.m. from Skala Kamirou and only 5 n.m. from cape Armenistis in Monolithos. It is located 230 n.m. away from Piraeus. Chalki is a mountainous island with rugged rocky terrain where the inhabitants live especially from fishing and agriculture. For the origin of the name of the island there are two versions: it was named either by the mines and copper processing works that existed on the island in antiquity, or by the Phoenician word "karki" or "kalchi" meaning "purpura", the shell which was abundant on the shores of the island and which the Phoenicians traded. The capital, port and unique settlement is Nimborio. It is a picturesque and beautiful settlement with a traditional style and an intense air of nobility. Chalki has been proclaimed by Unesco as a center of international peace and youth friendship, with the result that many young people visit it. Chalki is an island untouched by tourism for quiet holidays and relaxation, without any nightlife.