Having spent a week with Dimitra Hengen on Kythira in early September for the second year in a row, I’m only too happy to oblige her request to write a short recap of my impressions.
Actually, I could sum up the whole experience in a single word: Fantastic.
Needless to say, I had a wonderful time, and the rugged beauty of the island, coupled with the languid flow of everyday life, the charm and hospitality of the natives, and the incredible beaches and crystal clear waters transported me to a little piece of Mediterranean heaven like none I’ve experienced before.
I’m sure you will feel the same way, unless you can’t do without the following:
– Chain hotels. There are none on Kythira. There are plenty of accommodations reaching from charming hotels to B&B’s that offer comfortable rooms with breathtaking views, but no chains that virtually guarantee cookie cutter rooms and creature comforts such as flat screens or ice machines.
– Fast food restaurants. If you can’t live without McDonalds, Denny’s, or The Olive Garden, Kithera is not for you. But if you love dining al fresco under a star-studded sky, at rustic wooden tables with white tablecloths, enjoying freshly baked bread and house wine in earthenware jugs, and the tantalizing scents of the myriad of herbs and spices that characterize Greek cuisine, cooked fresh, of course, you’ll feel right at home. If you’re undecided on the menu and lucky, the cook will even take you into the kitchen and let you peak in his pots to make a choice.
– Highways. If you can’t drive unless it’s the Beltway or I-95, Kithera will disappoint. Because most roads here are only two lanes, one in each direction, and they tend to be curvy, steep, and narrow – so a certain sense of adventure is needed to negotiate them. And while you may not reach Dimitra’s perfection in negotiating them, the traffic is so light that it’s completely doable even for novices.
– Shopping Centers. Spending a rainy day at the outlet mall, like you’re used to from Ocean City or OBX? Forget it. First of all, there are no rainy days here. In early September, the temps are pretty steady around 85-90 degrees, with all the blue sky and sunshine you can handle. And there are also no shopping centers. The most modern shopping establishment you will find on the island is a supermarket about the size of a small Safeway. The rest are quaint little shops, or open markets where vendors display their wares on sidewalks, or where the baker who just pulled a pan of lemon squares from the oven will insist that you sample her product, with no obligation to buy. The local dry goods store reminds of a General Store in the Old West: A heavy wooden counter, with clerks behind it, waiting to serve you. Not at all a bad concept.
Needless to say, a gem like this is not as accessible as taking a nonstop flight to Paris or London. Once you’ve arrived in Athens, you have two choices: Take the one daily flight to Kythira on a small commuter plane, and deplane at an airport that is about the size of a WalMart. Or you can rent a car, drive about five hours to the coast, and then take the ferry.
Depending on where you are coming from, you may have to spend a night in Athens. If this sounds complicated: it isn’t. There are plenty of choices of hotels near the airport, and the Sofitel is a mere 50 Meters away from the airport counter.
Plus, you have an advantage that most travelers don’t: Dimitra. She’s pretty much a Kythira native by now, speaks Greek fluently, knows everyone and everything, and has already scouted the best accommodations and restaurants for you, in addition to being an all-purpose resource.
If all of this sounds too good to be true: It is, at least in my admittedly completely subjective opinion. But I’m sure that once you let the warm waters of the Aegean envelop you (they are so clear that you can see your toes even if the water reaches up to the tip of your nose), or have enjoyed fresh figs pulled straight from a tree during a leisurely stroll, or fresh fish that was caught only hours earlier, or spent an entire day at a breathtaking beach with nothing more to worry about than which of the beautiful rocks you want to collect to take home or throw back, you might just even agree with me ☺
P.S. Don’t worry about confusing signs pointing to Kithera, Kithara, Kythera, Kythira, Cythera, Cythira – they all refer to the same place!
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