Kythira, Kithera or Kythera - The island of Aphrodite.

Kythira, Kithera of Kythera: It wouldn't be a real Greek island if it does not appear in many different names. The island of Kythira (this is the name which is used most) is 278 km2 in size and has about 2700 inhabitants. It lays separated from other island groups, between the mainland (Peloponnesos) and the west of Crete. The only other nearby island is smaller Antikythira. Because it is so on its own the ferry connections are limited and it is quite and unspoiled island. Most of the visitors are the Greeks themselves, the tourists who have travelled to the Peloponnesos and the occasional lost person that boarded a ferry in Kissamos in Crete. Historically seem, the island belongs more in the Ionian islands (with a Venetian rather than a Turkish domination), but in terms of appearance (the white chalked houses and the landscape) it looks more like an island of Cyclades. It's hilly but it does not have really high mountains and the valleys are fertile. In the spring, the island full of flowers. The east side of Kythira is fairly flat and here are most of the beaches, while the west coast is more steep and has cliffs/ The beaches vary from pebble to sandy beaches (sometimes red in colour). The island is often recommended to people who like walking. Many Australian immigrants have found their house on the island, and many houses in the villages have been transformed from village cottage to holiday house. There are not that many tourists on the island and so the public transport leaves something to be desired. Kythira is een van die eilanden die je het beste met je eigen auo of met een huurauto kunt gaan verkennen. Kythira is one of those islands you best explore with your own car or with a rental car. The island has its own international airport (so not only domestic flights from for example Olympic Airways). You can check out if there are direct flights from your country to the island. If not you can also fly to Athens and then go on to Kythira with Olympic Airways. Most ferries dock in the northeast of the island, in the port of Agia Pelagia. In this village are a number of tavernas scattered over the long quay and in the village itself there are some accommodations (hotels, studios, rooms) for rent. On both sides of the harbor are several small coves with sandy beaches. In the south of the island on the mountain lays the photogenic capital Chora, with its white houses, strangely shaped chimneys, and an old castle. The views from Chora are magnificent. Ten zuiden van Chora, aan de kust, ligt het haventje van Kapsali, dat soms veerboten ziet komen als slecht weer het niet toelaat dat deze in Agia Pelagia aanleggen. South of Chora, on the coast, lies the port of Kapsali, which sometimes sees ferries when it is really bad weather and the ferries cannot dock in Agia Pelagia. In Kapsali in a bay are two pebble beaches which are separated from each other by a rock with a church on top of it, of course. The best sandy beach of the island lies just southeast of Kapsali in Fryiammos, at the end of a path. You cannot get there by car, so you will have to walk or you can try to get there by motor cycle. Potamas is another village that is on the move. Het ligt op de route van Agia Pelagia naar Chora en vormt een soort tussenstation. It lies on the route of Agia Pelagia to Chora and is like a sort of "in between station". In Potamos there is a market every Sunday and there are a number of larger shops. The rest of the island is hilly and with little vegetation. Many of the villages are practically empty.

The history of Kythira in a nutshell.
Archaeological excavations have shown that Kythira was already inhabited since 3000 BC. Because the island is strategically located it was regularly fought for and the island has had various rulers. In de buurt van het huidige Palaiopoli, in het oosten van het eiland Kythira, stond een antieke stad, en in het even beneden gelegen Avlemonas was de haven. Situated near the current Palaiopoli, in the east of the island of Kythira, there was an ancient city, and below in Avlemonas below the port was located. Here in this area on a hill Minoan tombs have been found. Athens and Sparta have often battled for the domination of the island during the so-called Peloponnesian wars, and therefore the island changed owners several times. After the end of these wars the island ended up in decay and became largely uninhabited. During the Byzantine domination Kythira prospered and many houses, churches and monasteries were built on the island. Nevertheless, even during this time there was a shadow hanging over the island because of the frequent attacks by pirates. In 1204 AD Kythira came under Venetian rule and several castles were built. The capital was strategically located at Paliochora which is surrounded by. Eventually 7000 people lived here but the town was attacked in 1537 by the pirate Barbarossa and Algerian pirates and completely destroyed. The leader of the pirates, Kemal Reis, sold the rest of the inhabitants as slaves. The domination of the Venetians lasted until 1797 after which Kythira respectively was under French (until 1809) and English reign. In 1864 Kythira became part of the Greek state. During the Second World War just like almost every other Greek island it was occupied by the Germans. After the island was liberated it went economically very bad and many of the residents left for Australia. Many of these emigrants have gradually returned to Kythira and this explains that many people also speak English well. The nickname of the island is for this reason, "Kangaroo Island".