Now, these are not commonly known destinations for visitors to Greece. I certainly had never heard of them and had to rely on the Internet to educate me.
Our first stop in the morning was the tiny island of Kythira (also known as Kythera, Cythera and even Kithira ). It lies off the southeast coast of the Peloponnese peninsula of mainland Greece. It is one of the seven main Ionian islands. It is strategically located between Greece and Crete and so it was an important trading center in medieval times. Greek mythology says Kythira is where Aphrodite was born. We were bused to the small village of Kythira where a short walking tour was held in the sleepy little town. Word got out that there were tourists here and several shop owners hurried to open their shops while we were here.
Today’s agenda.
The island of Kythira, located off the coast of mainland Greece.
The harbor on Kythira.
The small harbor town on Kythira.
Advertising?
Where we are and where we are going!
Lighthouse and and early morning sky.
A small roadside chapel in the harbor. We saw others in other harbor towns.
Protection for the harbor!
The countryside as we drove to the town of Kythira (which is on the island of Kythira).
Olive tress growing along the road.
9 AM in the sleepy town of Kythira.
I liked the painted doors!
A door in Kythira.
Local store owners heard we were in town!
A quiet coffe shop on the town square.
Niki telling us about the history of the island.
Another local shop opening, hoping to make some sales after the tourist season.
Looking out over the town of Kythira (population 246).
Those with more energy could walk up to the remains of the fortress overlooking the town. The three men in our group did, while the ladies relaxed at lower elevations. We walked back down and explored the village a bit more until it was time to leave. It was a delightful visit to a very laid-back community.
The ladies resting, not wanting to make the climb to the fortress ruins. The men charged ahead!
That is where we walked to!
Walkway to the castle of Chora located above Kythira. It was built by the Venetians in the 13th century
A local snail crossing our path. We let him pass unhindered.
Ruins in the fortress.
At one time 200 people lived in this area.
Views of the sea beyond.
An old church in the fortress. Surprisingly it is still in use.
Inside the still active church.
Looking back at the harbor where our boat is anchored.
A small museum with pictures from the 1920s.
A village wedding from 1924.
Typical side street in these small villages.
Note the cat on the electrical box!
10 AM and the locals are out! Note it is only men, typical of European cultures.
Selfie of us resting before we return to the ship.
These are Semperviva (always alive) flowers that only grow on Kythira.
Not sure what it says, but it is good looking!
Surprisingly there is a decent beach at the harbor.
A turtle nest on the local beach in town.
This place acts as a music venue during tourist season.
A picture book advertisement that discusses the area’s importance.
A local guy selling his honey in town.
We were back on the ship by noon to have lunch as we sailed to our next stop, Monemvasia. Because we had extra sailing time the other tour leader, Tassos (a trained archaeologist), gave a lecture about Greek archeology in the afternoon.
Leaving the harbor of Kythira at 12:15 PM.
We were told this is a monastery tucked high on the hill behind the harbor.
Three amigos resting before lunch.
Our luncheon menu.
My eclectic lunch featuring Italian, Greek and Asian cruisine!
Finally the capitan has raised the sails! He still kept the engine running.
Tassos, a trained archaeologist, lecturing the group about Greek archaeology and history.
It’s a lovely afternoon to be under sail under a blue sky in Greece. Life is good!
We arrived at Monemvasia about 4 PM and immediately went to see the ruins of yet another medieval town/fortress. Monemvasia is a”tied” island (island connected to mainland of Greece with an isthmus of beach material). It is one of the oldest, continuously occupied fortress towns in Europe and is often referred to as the “Gibraltar of the East”. It was occupied from the 6th century by inhabitants from ancient Sparta. It is another of the ancient mountaintop fortresses where we had to take a bus to the entrance of the medieval town which has the definite appeal as a tourist destination- tiny cobblestone streets, restaurants with drop dead views, tiny boutique hotels where your luggage by taken by wheelbarrows through the narrow streets and plenary of souvenir shops. Niki led us through the town on an orientation tour, then gave us some free time to explore on our own before returning to our ship for dinner. I really liked the town and definitely would have liked to spend more time there.
Comments about Monemvasia from a guide book.
Monemvasia.
The island of Monemvasia. We are headed to the top of the mountain to visit the ancient fortress there.
A small community at the base of the mountain.
Are we riding in a food truck? Turns out it was a bus with advertisement on its sides.
Entrance to the mountain village/fortress on Monemvasia.
The narrow main street of Monemvasia.
One of the many shops on the Main Street. She came out and gave us free samples.
View of the sea from the village.
The original church dates back to 6-7th century.
Church of Christ Elkomenos.
The relic in the church.
The bell tower of Church of Christ Elkomenos.
Church of Christ Elkomenos and the fortress on the top of the mountain.
There is another old fortress at the very top of the mountain that you can go to. We chose not to go there!
The figure in the circle walking up to the upper fortress. We passed on the opportunity.
The church of Crysafitissa, built in the 17th century, is still in use today.
The well on one of the village squares.
Someone went through a lot of effort making these walkways.
Lovely small walkways throughout the village.
This door was only about 5 feet high.
There are very small boutique hotels in the village.
Another village square.
Note a small blooming red flower growing in the rock wall.
The east wall of the fortification.
East wall.
After our too short visit we were back on the ship for dinner and sailing to our next location.
6:30 PM sunset as we came down from the village
Nice sunset picture of our ship.
115 ft yacht for rent. Sleeps 11. $90,000 per week! Anyone interested?
Dinner menu.
They do a very good job of providing salads with very fresh ingredients.
Excellent pork entree.
A dessert I really enjoyed. Of course, I enjoy almost any dessert!
