Kythira

5 min.

Kythira - Basic information on the island

Kythira Island, a small piece of land on the map situated on the boundary of the Aegean and Ionian Sea on south of the Peloponnese Island, is in fact a fertile land wrapped in myths of about 280 km2, that will entertain all visitors. Together with the Greek capital, Athens, and some other locations, it belongs to the Attica region, altough it is quite a way from there by sea and the mainland of the Peloponnese Island. Yet it comes under the administration of Piraeus Island. Unlike other Greek islands, Kythira is quite sparsely populated - it has only about 3 000 permanent inhabitants. It seems to be a paradise on earth that cannot be disturbed by anything. But this apparently calm place has also gone through a dismal past - it was hit by a strong earthquake several times, since it lies in a seismic active region and in some cases, the epicentre of the earthquake was even located in the island itself.

Beauties of Kythira Island

The whole Kythira Island can boast many robust rocks and mountain ranges, but small valleys and green plains are not exceptional there either. The exuberant vegetation hiding a botanical wealth with many rare flowers and plants that flourish on the island, is the result of the favourable climate: enough humidity and an ideal temperature of about 19°C. The spring there is exceptionally humid, preparing the perfect environment for the growth of flora. And all the work is accomplished by the hot sun during the summer and autumn months. And so, during the sultry days, you can admire olive and almond groves, smell healing herbs and spices like rosemary, camomile, sage, thyme or the popular lavender, or delight your eyes watching the blooming orchids and tulips. The island rarity is a small leafless flowers, called the ‘eternal life’ by the locals. by the way the herbs mentioned above, in particular thyme, are at the origin of the special taste of local honey the island inhabitants are especially proud of as of a unique product that cannot be tasted anywhere else. it comes in handy when the time progresses more to the winter with a few weeks of mild cold weather and stronger winds. If you want to know more about the local climate, see the section Kythira - Weather forecast

Have you visited the island? Help us with the content of the website!

There is never enough information about Kythira Island. And who would be more familiar with the island than those who have spent there their holiday? We would like to ask you to dedicate a few minutes of your time evaluating your holiday on the island, telling us what you liked there and what Kythira means to you, or possibly also to give us tips and advice that could be useful for other visitors who are interested in the island and are thinking of going there for holiday. 

WRITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON KYTHIRA ISLAND

In the places with rich vegetation, you will usually find diverse fauna, too. And Kythira is no exception. In particular the island birds (e.g. the Aegean gull) is the object of study of ornithologists, contributing to scientific publications right on the spot, praising the beauties of local nature.

Kythira, the place of birth of the goddess of love, Aphrodite, an island still undervalued by the tourists, is an ideal place for those who like learn and discover new localities, preferably on their own. You can travel there by sea on a boat or a ferry, or possibly also use air transport, and then move on the ground on foot, on a bike, or rent a car. You can find tips for car rental services in the section Kythira - Car rental services.

Kythira beaches

Along the whole coast, you can find many beaches suitable for bathing and relaxation. Yet many of them can be accessed only from the sea side, as the rocky landscape makes it impossible to build access paths from the land. It is not difficult to find completely abandonned beaches where you can enjoy complete privacy when (sun)bathing. Some of the favourite beaches are: Agia Pelagia, Agios Nikolaos, Avlemonas, Firy Ammos, Chalkos, Chora, Kapsali, Lykodimou, Melidoni, Palaipoli or Platia Ammos.

What to do on Kythira?

Like on all Greek islands that are renowned for their rich history, Kythira Island also has its historical sites, starting in the prehistoric and continuing till recent times. One of the places worth seeing are the exhibits in one of the two main museums - the Archaeological Museum in the capital of Kythira - Chora, or in the Byzantine Museum in Kato Livadi. Some of the castles are tempting to make a trip to the distant past, like for example the castel located in the capital, or other in Avlemonas (Avlemonas Castle) and Milopotamos (Milopotamos Castle). Believers and those interested in religious history can visit many of the local churches, monasteries and chapels. One of the can be even found inside a cave. The unique place of the island is the vaulted bridge of Katouni in Kato Livadi. If you think this information is not enough and you know about some other site on this beautiful island, write to us! We will be glad to add it here. And for a better idea of the island, see also Kythira Map.

Resorts on Kythira Island

Travel agencies offer tours mostly to the resort of Kapsalia and Kythira - Chora.

Videos from Kythira Island

Here is nice video showing a way through the island and various secluded places. It has two parts, Kythira I and Kythira II.  If you switch to HD, the image should be quite good. 

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Nearest monuments

Places nearby