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.