Sights
REGION
The southern part of the Island attracts many visitors throughout the year. Our first stop will be Chora, the capital of Kythera. Hora is a castle city built on top of a large hill. Its architecture has strong Venetian characteristics, combined with buildings from the British occupation and neoclassical elements that harmoniously blend with the local Ioanic Island architecture.
Our next stop is quite close to our first, reaching it by foot from the entrance of Chora in a few minutes. This will be the medieval settlement of “Mesa Bourgo”, or Inner Castle, with its multiple churches. The Venitian castle, overlooking Chora, was built in 1503 on top of the remnants of an older Byzantine fortification built in 1150. Visiting the castle, the traveler transcends time, finding themselves in a bygone era. The view is enchanting, especially during sunset, as the Sun seems to set inside the open Cretan Sea. The Archeological Museum is also there and is well worth visiting.
Now to our next destination, only 2,5 kilometers away from Chora is its port, Kapsali, a cove that offers protection from the open sea and strong winds that usually blow around Kythera. The waters are crystal clear, and the beach is one of the best the Island offers, starting with pebbles and rocks on one side that turn into fine sand on the other. Multiple restaurants and bars are available near the beach to eat and rest.
After Kapsali, let’s travel Northwards. About 4km north of Chora is the village of Livadi, where you can find many shops, restaurants, cafeterias, and rooms to rent. A short drive away is the old stone bridge of Katouni, built during the English occupation (1826) by the local populace under forced labor. It is 110 meters long and stands on top of 13 arches, one of the biggest bridges of this type in Greece. From Livadi, you can travel to Agia Elessa, a temple built in 1871 with a breathtaking view to the west. Watching the Sunset from Agia Elessa is highly recommended.
REGION
19 km north of Chora is Potamos, the largest village of the island. There is a great open market taking place here every Sunday. A short drive away is Agia Pelagia, the port of Potamos that offers complete tourism infrastructure and used to serve as the main port of the island until the new port was built.
Driving further North, we arrive at Karavas, a beautiful village, built among plane and almond trees and several streams. The most prominent sight here is the fountain of Amir Ali, a natural water spring that offers a refreshing respite during the hot days of summer.
REGION
In the center of the Island is Karvounades, this is a traditional Mediterranean village from where many routes start that lead to beautiful sights, as well as the airport and the port of the Island. Among the many sights you can visit is the abandoned medieval city of Agios Demetrios, or Palaiochora, where the remnants of 80 dwellings and 21 churches can be found. This was the Byzantine capital of Kythera, destroyed by Barbarossa. A short distance from Karvounades are two picturesque traditional villages, Aroniadika and Aloizianika, as wel as the village of Mitata, with running waters and a breathtaking view of the large gorge that leads to the sea.
REGION
West of Karvounades is the monastery of Myrtidia. This is where the miraculous icon of Panagia Myrtidiotissa, protector of the Island, is located and celebrated on the 24th of September. One of the most beautiful villages of the island is also found in the western part, the village Milopotamos. Streams run through the village under the shade of large plane trees. The waters come from the close by waterfall of Fonissa, and give life to the deep gorge beside the village. From the center of the village, and only a short walk away, is Kato Hora, the ruins of the Venitian castle city and the entrance to the cave of Agia Sofia. Visiting the cave is a unique experience.
REGION
On the eastern shoreline of Kythera was located the ancient city of Scandia, and according to Pausanias, here was the oldest known temple to the goddess Aphrodite. A short distance away from Skandia is the fishing village Avlemonas; it has a long history and is a central point of tourism attraction. In the entrance to Avlemonas stands guard a small Venetian fort, and the cove of Agios Nikolaos tells the story of the ship “Mentor”, belonging to Lord Elgin, and how it sank in September 1802, while carrying stolen Greek antiquities (among them the marbles of Parthenon) to England.