Khitrira Kythera

It is part of the group of Ionian Islands of the Eptanese. It is an isolated island, located at the foot of the Peloponnese, between the Ionian Sea and the Aegean Sea. Tourism is still quite low and for this reason the island appears as a peaceful refuge, with extraordinary deserted beaches and a traditional way of life. In addition to its landscapes, unique in their beauty and splendid beaches, it also has several localities, each of which has its own identity. It is well worth visiting Avlemonas, Agia Pelagia, Diakofti, Mylopotamos, Chora.

Kithira is known as the island of Aphrodite. The first temple dedicated to Aphrodite was found on this island, which is why Homer and Hesiod referred to the island of Kithira as "the sacred island". The first finds of local pottery date back to the third millennium BC. The island was mainly under the control of Sparta but was also occupied by the Athenians, due to its strategic position, as well as by the Venetians who tried to fortify and inhabit it. In fact they built a castle near Chora which you can still see today. The Venetians ruled Kithira until 1797, with a small break during which the island was occupied by the Russians, allied with the Turks, an occupation which influenced both the language and the architecture.

On May 21, 1800, with the Treaty of Constantinople, the semi-dependent Ionian State was founded (which also included Kithira), while on November 5, 1815, the Treaty of Paris established the United States of the Ionian Islands. The people of Kithira aided Greece in its Revolution. On May 21, 1864, the Ionian Islands were united with the rest of free Greece.

As for the internal transport of the island, the bus lines are not particularly developed. Buses cover most of the routes but they are not the ideal solution for visiting or in any case for moving around the island. The car and the motorbike remain the best solution to explore the entire island. There are several car and motorbike rental agencies in most of the places of the island such as Hora, Kapsali, Potamos, Agia Pelagia. The taxi service, on the other hand, can be found in all the major localities and they travel any route that is requested.

The island of Kithira can be reached by plane or by ferry.
The island's National Airport is located 8 km south of Potamos, and receives only internal flights from Athens. The duration of the flight (Athens- Kythira and vice versa) is approximately 1 hour. There are no flights to Kithira from abroad, there are no buses to and from the airport but a taxi service is available. The airline that flies to Kythira is Olympic Airway.

For more information:
Kithira Airport:
Tel.: + 30 27360 33297
E-mail: kakctl@otenet.grt

Ferries connect the island of Kithira directly to Piraeus and Athens (the journey takes about 6 hours). There are also ferries to other areas of the Peloponnese: Gythio (the journey takes about 2.5 hours), Kalamata (about 3.5 hours of travel), Neapoli (about 2 hours). There are also ferries that connect the island to Kissamos, in the Prefecture of Chania, Crete.
Ferries depart from the new port of Diakofti and the old port of Agia Pelagia.

On the island there are several places to visit:

Paleochora
It is the wonder of the island. Near the village are the remains of the medieval capital of the island, of Byzantine origin, called Agios Dimitrios. The village is located on the northeastern side of the island. It features beautiful architecture that references the beautiful Monemvasia and Mystra. Paleochora is a fortified village located at a lower level than the surrounding hills and cannot be seen from the sea, just to be less exposed to pirate attacks. Despite this protection, the pirate Barbarossa still managed to find the village and destroy it in 1537, selling all the inhabitants as slaves.

Agia Pelagia
It is located 26km north of Chora. It is a picturesque fishing village and its port connects the island to Neapoli Laconia.

Avlemonas
It is a picturesque fishing village with dense vegetation, 19km northeast of Chora. It has a traditional architecture and clean waters.

Hagia Sophia cave
It is located 20 km northwest of Chora. It's a cave full of stalagmites. Inside there is a chapel dedicated to Santa Sofia. It is said that his now dead body was found in the cave.

Antikythira Island
It is a small island south of Kithira and is inhabited by just 50 people. Potamos is the largest settlement and also the port of the island. It can be reached by boat.

Monastery of Santa Moni
It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was built in 1840, on a very high mountain. From here it is possible to enjoy a spectacular view of the port of Diakofti.

Monastery of Santa Elesa
It is located southwest of the island and was built in 1871, next to the oldest church in the place, as the locals say, dating back to 375 AD. C. From the monastery it is possible to have a splendid view of the sea.

Church of Hagia Sophia
It is located inside a well-known cave and is located just 2 km from Milopotamos.

Monastery of San Theodoros
It is located near the church of Saints Sergios and Vachos, monks from the 10th century. The Monastery was built in the 12th or 13th century in honor of the patron saint of the island: San Theodoros.

St. Ioannis Monastery
It is located in the locality of Engremno, near Kapsali. It is thought that in this monastery St. John the Theologian began writing the Apocalypse. The monastery was named in his honor.

The Capital of the Island of Kythira:

Chora
It is located in the southern side of the island, built on a high hill above the sea which offers a magnificent view of Kapsali. It is a small town with white and blue houses flanked by buildings from the English and Venetian periods, with picturesque alleys and dominated by a medieval castle, built on a very high rock which makes it inaccessible from the sea.

Castle
It was built by the Venetians in 1503 on the site of a previous 12th century Byzantine fortress. Besides the castle ruins, there are also some churches.

Byzantine churches
In the castle “Mesa Vourgo”

Central square of the city
Full of bars, cafes, taverns, shops.

Museums:

Archaeological Museum
It is located in the locality of Chora. It exhibits an important collection of vases and ceramics from the Mycenaean era, various finds dating back to the Classical period and marble statues found on the island.
The museum is open every day except Mondays from 8:30 to 14:30.
For more information:
Tel.: +30 27360 31739

Byzantine Museum
It is located in Kato Livadi and is based in the post-Byzantine church of Analipsi. The museum offers a rare collection of paintings and frescoes from abandoned churches, recovered by the Greek Department of Archaeology. The exhibition also includes examples of early Christian to post-Byzantine art styles and the remains of an important mosaic from the Christian era, from the ruins of the church of St. Ioannis, Potamos.
For more information:
Tel.: 2736 31731

Beaches

The island offers a wide choice of beautiful beaches, from wide and with white sand to small, deserted and rocky ones. The beaches are mostly accessible by footpaths and dirt roads.

Agia Pelagia beach
It is located 26 km north of Chora. It is among the few organized beaches in Kithira. It is surrounded by beautiful scenery and becomes very popular during the summer time.

Kapsali beach
It is located 2km southeast of Chora. It is a rather touristic place, with many facilities, and it is the closest beach to Chora.

Chalkos beach
It is located 8 km southeast of Chora, is surrounded by untouched territory and is among the most beautiful beaches on the island.

Lykodimou beach
Quite secluded and quiet, it is located 25 km northwest of Chora and is a very picturesque bay with beautiful sand.

Fun
The island of Kithira is not the ideal place for those who wish to have unbridled fun. Nonetheless, the island has many excellent tavernas, bars and cafes.
There are also numerous festivals on the island, especially in the summer. The most famous one is the celebration of Panagia, on the 15th of August, in the main square of Potamos. The Panagia festival, as well as other celebrations of a religious nature, includes traditional food, dance and drink. Another important celebration is that of San Teodoro, the patron saint of the island, on May 12, and the celebration of the monastery of Myrtidiotissa towards the end of September.
Then there is the popular wine festival in the first week of August in the town of Mitata, where wine is free, with traditional music and dance. In addition, every summer, many artistic, theatrical and concert events are organized, where Greek musicians and musicians from other parts of the world perform.