Unfortunately, whereas Cyprus has gone so far as to reinstate festivals in her name, her other island, Kythira, alleged recipient of her first foam-borne steps, lingers in relative obscurity, cherished by in-the-know Greeks who consider it a proper setting for holiday villas.
Maybe that's okay with her - love goddesses need a secret hideaway now and then, and this island's perfect for that. But Aphrodite has always been known to be generous with her favors. Maybe she hasn't actually stood with hand on hip and purred, "Come up and see my island, sometime," but the invitation is implied. Let's take her up on it, and take a look at Kythira, Aphrodite's other island.Whether you call it Cythera, Kithera, Kithira, Kythira, Tsego, Csego, or Cerigo, put it in the Argo-Saronic or the Ionian Islands, or as a part of the Peloponnese, Kythera is an overlooked gem.
Whereas Aphrodite has name recognition off the scale, Kythira suffers under a variety of pseudonyms, variants, and alternates. Inhabited since early times and the site of an early Minoan trading post, Kythira was invaded, settled, and then invaded again and again. Placed under Venetian rule by Marco Venieri, who claimed a family descent from Aphrodite under her other name, Venus, this rugged island off the coast of the Peloponnese was called Tsego or Csego. In 1802 near Avlemonas on the coast of Kithira, the shipload of plundered pieces of the Parthenon frieze "lost" 20 crates overboard, sending them to the sea bottom where they still, presumably and hopefully, lie. Another ship (of the 33 needed to cart off the marbles) sank, but some statues were recovered by Greek divers hired by Elgin. (So much for the Brits insisting that they are more careful custodians of the pieces than the Greeks were!)
Neglected by the major guidebooks because there is little to do other than relax and enjoy the natural beauty and lack of other tourists, this island's just right for a true getaway. Spend your days looking for the satyrs who discomfited Aphrodite with their leering gazes after she arrived via sea shell sail boat. Make your way to dozens of natural hot springs. Or visit the beautiful, mysterious Cave and Chapel of Agia Sophia, where you can see one chamber called "Venus' Chambers and Bathroom", or the chambers of Pearls, Bats, and Amber. Or keep an eye out for Aphrodite herself on one of the many lovely beaches, such as Agia Pelagia or Kapsali. Kythira is one of the few areas of Greece where scuba diving is permitted, and equipment can be rented at Kapsali beach. But, perhaps like Aphrodite, Kythira doesn't go to bed early, at least in the main towns.
Larger towns on Kythira have a number of nightclubs, primarily catering to the Greek visitors but fun for other visitors as well.
Aphrodite shares the island with another sacred female, the black Virgin known as Panaghia Myrtidiotissa. Myrtidiotissa, "goddess of the myrtle", was one of Aphrodite's own names, acquired when, Eve-like, she grabbed some myrtle branches to cover her nakedness on arriving at the island. The present religious story states that a shepherd heard a voice calling to him from a myrtle bush. He went to it and discovered the dark-faced icon of the Virgin (another one of Aphrodite's titles, however contradictory). This mysterious icon is renowned for its healing powers and is a local pilgrimage stop for the people of Kythera. Each year, starting on the second day of Orthodox Easter, the icon makes a "pilgrimage" of its own, when it is taken from the monastery in Hora to visit the rest of the villages over the next twenty-five days. There are various religious celebrations at stops along its route.
Kythera is not over-run with hotels, though there are a few and visitors can also find lodging in B&B-like apartment buildings, such as the Filoxenia.
Compare prices on Hotels in Kythira (Kithira)
How to Visit Kythira:
Kythira can be reached by "Flying Dolphin" hydrofoil from Piraeus, or by ferry boat. Be aware that the route is often windy; high winds can halt the Dolphins.
Unlike many other islands of the same size, Kythira does not have a municipal bus service, and many locations will require hiring a car or taxi to visit them.
Kythira has an airport and can be reached from Athens and some other islands.
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For a selection of useful links on Kythera, go on to the next page.
