Kythira, Greece: The Island of Aphrodite

The island of Kythira

Kythira covers 278 square kilometers and has about 2,700 inhabitants, lying on its own between the Peloponnese and the west of Crete, with only the smaller Antikythira nearby. Because it is so isolated, ferry links are limited and the island stays quiet and unspoiled, visited mostly by Greeks. Historically Kythira belongs with the Ionian islands - it knew Venetian rather than Ottoman rule - yet its whitewashed houses and landscape look more like the Cyclades. It is hilly rather than mountainous, with fertile valleys that bloom in spring.

History of Kythira

Excavations show Kythira was inhabited as early as 3000 BC. Its strategic position made it a prize fought over by many rulers: near present-day Palaiopoli, in the east of the island, stood an ancient city whose port lay just below at Avlemonas, and Minoan tombs have been found on a nearby hill. Athens and Sparta fought repeatedly over Kythira during the Peloponnesian Wars, so it changed hands often, then fell into decay and was largely deserted; under Byzantine rule it prospered again, gaining many houses, churches and monasteries.

Sights of Kythira

The capital, Chora, is crowned by a restored Venetian castle dating from 1503, with a protected medieval district of white cubic houses. Within the castle walls are three churches - the Catholic Panagia cathedral, the Agios Pandeleimon church with its rare frescoes and the older Agia Triada - along with part of the High Commissioner's palace, gunpowder stores and two aqueducts; the castle is more impressive from a distance, and the view is the main reason to climb up. The deserted Byzantine capital of Paliochora, ringed by canyons in the north-east, was destroyed in 1537.

The beaches of Kythira

Kythira is known for its distinctive red-sand beaches. Firi Ammos near Agia Pelagia is famous for the red sand at the water's edge, while a second Firi Ammos near Livadi has red pebbles and some of the cleanest water on the island. Chalkos is a 200-metre pebble beach on the south-east coast near Kalamos, good for snorkelling. Paliopoli is a long sand-and-pebble beach popular with Greeks, and Platia Ammos, a long sandy beach on the north-west coast near Karavas, has a taverna and a view of the Peloponnese.

Where to stay on Kythira

Athena Apartments and Studios, Diakofti

Athena Apartments and Studios stand 200 metres from a golden sandy beach in Diakofti, a charming, quiet coastal village directly connected by ferry to Athens, Crete and the Peloponnese. The self-catering, daily-serviced studios are simply furnished with air conditioning, a kitchenette and a TV, and restaurants and traditional coffee houses overlooking the bay are close by.

To Lagadi Tou Karava, Karavas

To Lagadi Tou Karava lies in Karavas, a green village in the north of Kythira, and consists of three traditional stone houses, renovated and furnished in old island style but with all modern comforts. The setting is surrounded by green landscapes and forest, near the famous springs of Amir Ali, with the beach a 10-minute drive away - ideal for a quiet holiday combining sea and greenery.

Elea Apartments, Kalamos

Elea Apartments sit in Kalamos village, not far from the Venetian castle, the beaches and the cosmopolitan area of Kapsali. It is a small, affordable complex, ideal for a relaxing, quiet holiday, with the Cave of Saint Sofia to explore nearby and a car-rental service for longer excursions.

Cengo Hotel, Kapsali

The Cengo Hotel is in Kapsali, in the south of the island below Chora, with rooms that look out over the sea and the Chora above. It was recommended by a fly2greece correspondent who valued the authenticity of Kythira and the quiet of Kapsali.