Cheap flights to Kythira

Quick summary

Aphrodite's island

Kythira island, born from the sea foam

According to mythology, Aphrodite was born from the sea foam at Kythira, the island that inspired Watteau's Embarkation for Cythera. About 12 km south of the Peloponnese, where the Ionian, Aegean and Cretan seas meet, Kythira keeps tourism measured: few organised beach clubs, with umbrellas and a snack bar only at Kapsali, Agia Pelagia and Diakofti. People come for hiking, Venetian villages, thyme honey and wild beaches, about fifty minutes by air from Athens.

A small island

Kythira covers about 300 km² and had 3,644 residents at the 2021 census (Wikipedia), against a peak of about 14,500 in 1864. Villages are scattered, which is why a vehicle is needed on the island.

North and south

A green north and a wild south

Two faces on one island

The north is greener, with valleys and springs; the south is arid and windy. The island has lost much of its population since the 19th century and now has only a few thousand residents.

White villages with blue shutters, such as Avlemonas, recall the Cyclades but without the crowds. The north suits short walks, the south fine cliffs and secluded coves.

Chora

Chora and its Venetian castle facing three seas

The small capital, Chora, is overlooked by a 16th-century Venetian kastro decorated with a lion of St Mark, with views over the three seas. The archaeological museum there displays the archaic lion of Paleokastro.

A coveted island

Inhabited since the 3rd millennium BC, Kythira was famous in antiquity for the murex fishery that produced purple dye, and was strategic during the Peloponnesian War. Venice ruled it until 1797; in 1537 Barbarossa destroyed Paliochora, the Byzantine capital. The island joined Greece in 1864.

Why watch Kythira with SniperAir

You don't need to compare prices every day

Beaches

Kaladi, Fyri Ammos, Paleopoli: the beaches of Kythira

Diakofti, Halkos, Platia Ammos and Limnionas complete the list. At Kapsali, the chapel of Agios Ioannis tou Gremou clings to the cliff. The wildest coves often need a walk or a track: bring water and suitable shoes.

Villages and sites

Mills, a ghost town and a fishing village

Mylopotamos, the valley of mills

In the Mylopotamos valley, 23 old watermills follow one another up to the Nereida waterfall, about twenty metres high. Close by, the Agia Sofia cave, open from June to September, houses a 13th-century Byzantine chapel.

Paliochora

The Byzantine capital destroyed in 1537 is now a ghost town said to hold more than 70 churches, 2 to 3 hours' walk from Potamos.

Avlemonas

This fishing village keeps a small Venetian fort and serves a lobster pasta speciality.

Also

The Katouni bridge, built in 1826, 110 m long; the Moudari lighthouse, from 1857; the Panagia Myrtidiotissa monastery, a pilgrimage site on 24 September.

Hiking

The waymarked Kythera Trails

The Kythera Trails network has 15 routes and more than 100 km of Green Flag certified paths. The M41 follows the valley of mills. Kythira thus suits hikers, couples and travellers fleeing overcrowded islands.

Tips

Paths are poorly marked outside the official network and can be rocky. Start early in summer, carry water and check the weather.

Museums

Few museums, plenty of open-air heritage

Kythira is not an island of big museums: heritage is discovered outdoors, and the island's historical archives are not a museum. Opening times at the archaeological museum vary with the season, so check locally.

Food and drink

Thyme honey, ladotyri and fatourada

Thyme honey is the island's flagship product. You can also try ladotyri, a cheese matured in olive oil, fatourada, a cinnamon spirit, the sweets rozedes and xerotigana, rabbit stifado, kakavia and fleur de sel. On Sunday mornings a market is held at Potamos.

Fish and seafood

Wikivoyage mentions fresh fish and lobster, while warning that fish is sometimes frozen late in the season. Avlemonas is known for its lobster pasta.

Olive oil

Koroneiki olive groves cover much of the island; the oil is a local product to take home.

Getting there

Alexander Onassis Airport and the ferries

Seasonal flights from other cities exist according to Wikivoyage; check airlines and schedules before booking.

By ferry

From Neapoli in the Peloponnese, the ferry reaches Diakofti in 1 h 15 to 1 h 30, up to three times a day. There are also services from Piraeus (about 7 hours) and Kissamos in Crete (about 3 h 30). Diakofti is about thirty kilometres from Chora.

From the airport

Rent a car at the airport or book a taxi in advance; rental offices are also in Diakofti, Agia Pelagia, Livadi and Chora.

Getting around

Getting around Kythira

Villages and beaches are far apart: a rental car is the most practical solution, and roads are narrow and winding. A bus service runs only in summer and remains limited, according to Wikivoyage; taxis are possible by reservation. Mopeds can be rented at the airport, Diakofti, Agia Pelagia, Livadi and Chora.

Fuel and journeys

Fill up before venturing south or onto tracks, and allow more time than the map suggests.

When to go

When to visit Kythira?

The climate is Mediterranean with hot, dry summers, with about 540 mm of rain a year and a record high of 43.4 °C (English Wikipedia). The wind often blows, especially in summer.

Budget

A reasonable budget, with the car on top

Kythira remains a fairly quiet Greek island on prices, but Wikivoyage gives no precise rates, so we prefer not to quote figures. The heaviest costs are the rental car, ferry or air tickets and accommodation in July and August, which is dearer than in spring.

Where to save

Book the car and lodging early, travel in May-June or September-October, and favour village tavernas over seafront restaurants.

Trip length

How many days on Kythira

In pictures

Kythira in pictures

You might also like

Similar destinations

Greece

Kalamata

Discover

Greece

Ikaria

Discover

Greece

Milos

Discover

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about flights to Kythira