About Kythera

Kythera

Yes, the truth is that Kythera belong to the Ionian islands. However, according to certain administration services, they belong to the Prefecture of Piraeus. In my opinion, the most important fact is to inform you that Kythera is an island which is found just under Peloponnese, between three Greek seas: Myrtoan, Cretan and Ionian. This is helpful to understand the island a bit more.

Kythera is the island of Aphrodite. It is not the only one, Cyprus also claims this title, in this case the myth, truly impressive, wants her blossoming form the waters of the sea. Cytherian Aphrodite «κεύθει» (hides in Ancient Greek), she hides the love till it finds a cause and it bursts. That is why

Kythera, according to some guides, provoke erotic feelings, they magnitise and create a dreamy feeling for the lovers which follows them for all their lives. Don’t believe what you read in the guides, but as for me, I spent some amazing days with my then loved one there. I remember the idyllic Aghia Pelagia and a small room to let with blue windows, bursting with pink and red bougainvilleas, a loud fair in a village whose name I forget and an amazingly preserved big village, Potamos (river) and a melancholic Venetian ghost village in Mylopotamos (The Mill upon the River). The exact opposite from the touristic capital, Kapsali, which I must admit was not great.

 (the above is from the book, 52 eyelands, a sentimental journey through the greek islands)

 

Things have changed there, as I could see last summer in my second visit in Kythera after twelve years or so. Agia Pelagia is not so idyllic place now. Looks like a full - of - hotels - village and I can't say I liked this kind of progress. Now, Kapsali is just a place for tourists, ok, but a beautiful one. Diakofti is more or less the same. An Caladi is still one of the best beaches I heve ever seen. Potamos is not so well preserved but Mylopotamos is still a place ideal for fairy tales. Chora is an all times classic & must see place. But I really loves the village Avlemonas this time. Maybe because I have changed a lot in the past few years and I can appreciate the atmosphere of a peacefull, quiet place with a picturesque harbour and no more than two bars and three taverns. Seems ideal to me now...

I still remember the small, like a children's toy, plane with which we got back to Athens on my way back the first time I visited Kythera. I am not

particularly afraid of airplanes, but it would be hard for me to get back in there, even if you paid me. The pilot looked more like a taxi driver and you would easily fall in the temptation to tell him if he would leave you somewhere closer to your house than at the airport. Years later, a taxi driver who happened to drive me to Piraeus for another journey, told me that the situation of the communication to Kythera, not only did it not better, but, when it comes to ships, it became more scarce and difficult, for the fast ferry line to the island was cancelled. I could not believe what my ears were telling me, but I confirmed it the previous summer. Now, there is only an ancient ship that connects Kythera with Pelopenesus and people in Kythera

told me that even this connection will minimize to once in a week itirenary in winter months. It is really too bad not only for the visitors (tourists are rare at this time of the year) but mainly for the people who live in Kythera. In Greece you should always be ready for the worst.

About Naxos

Naxos

 (excerpt from the book ''52 eyelands: a sentimental journey through the Greek islands''

History goes first. There is a sad story about Theseus, an ancient hero who you may have not heard of or not remember of exactly what his achievement were, besides ancient Greece is full of heroes. Maybe the name Minotaur rings a bell a bit more. Fine, let’s narrate the story. Theseus kills Minotaur, in reality in this way Athens ceases the sovereignty of the Minoans. Minotaur was a beast. Theseus needed Ariadne’s help and love in order to exterminate it. But during the journey back, the beautiful princess of Crete was of no use anymore. So, he left her somewhere in the Aegean Sea. This is how Dionysus found her in Naxos island, although there are other islands that claim her too.

There is a series of family islands in Greece, in all of its island complexes. I am under the impression that Naxos, Ariadne’s island, it the most beautiful among these. Of course, if beauty is something subjective, I would rather say “rich”, it is a rich island. In every sense –regarding the things it can provide us. Sufficiency, calmness, peacefulness, respect to its history, balance and also something that in most Cycladic islands impossible to encounter: space. Naxos is the largest island in Cyclades Prefecture and in reality, one of the largest ones in Greece...




Which are the strong points of this island? Let’s say what is not good. Naxos enjoys the whole beauty of Cyclades without the negative features that the touristic development of the busy neighboring islands brings along. But certainly this does not happen in every part of the island. Around the Chora of Naxos, the Beast has played its own game. It has converted the site in a relief of Modern Greek ugliness. But only there you will find something like this. Inevitably, you will have to pass from this point in order to enter to the heart of Chora, the Castle, the Portara (Big Door), the Museums, and the archeological site of Grapa. Enter and find the fantastic small pastry shops, bars and tavernas which lie in the inner part of a town tormented from the crazy residential kitsch that unfortunately burdens every provincial town in Greece. However, we try to forget about that, we keep the beautiful side of Chora and we travel throughout the island.
We travel in Castles: the castle of Apalirou in Sagri village, the Apano (Upper) Castle, in Tragea, in Venetian Towers, the Tower of Chimarou and the Tower of Aghias, in archeological sites such as the one in Palaiopyrgos (Old Tower) in Plaka or Dionysus’ sanctuary in Livadi (Field). We look for the majestic statues of Kouroi which remain solid (most likely, an accident during their transfer, detain them forever in the island and gave us the opportunity to admire them from close) near Apollonas village in the towering –for Cycladic standards- mountain of Naxos, Za (Jupiter) where there is also the homonymous cave.

I should mention the Byzantine Monastery of Fotodotis Christos in Danakos village as well as the Monastery of Panagia Ypsilotera in Galini (Serenity) village. Also, the churches of Panagia Protothroni in Chalki village –the largest one in the island- and the church of Panagia Drosiani in Moni. Later on, I am writing about Apeirathos village (one of the most beautiful villages in Greece). As for the seacoasts, the entire Naxos is an endless coast, I will begin from the shoreline that starts from the capital and extends for about ten kilometers (!) –it is the most typical touristic coastal part of Naxos- with the beaches Aghios Georgios, Aghios Prokopios, Aghia Anna and Plaka. A little further down in the east, we can choose among Vigla (Watchtower), Aliko (Red) and Pyrgaki (Little tower) beaches. In the south you must definitely see Kalantos and right on the opposite side towards the north, the picturesque Lionas beach. In Naxos I had one of the most terrible hangovers of my life, but it was not the island’s fault...




**

text & photos of this blog by Gregory Papadoyiannis
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''52 eyelands: a sentimental journey through the Greek islands'' 

is available through:

paraxenesmeres.gr (paperback)
amazon.com (kindle edition)