KAREN HALABI
I HAVE only been on Kythera two days when a
local takes me aside to show me his tomatoes and sample his homemade ouzo.
“Please don’t write anything about the island,” he pleads. “We don’t want
people to know about it.”
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Aerial view
of the Kapsali village from the castle. Picture: Alamy
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If you see the way other Greek islands on the
main route are overrun seasonally by hordes of tourists – think Mykonos,
Santorini and Ios for starters – you’ll know why Kytherians are keen to keep
their little secret.
Unlike many other islands, Kythera has managed
to preserve its village life and community traditions. You can still see
donkeys and old ladies in black with headscarves. Religious festivals are held
in caves and they make their own wine, ouzo and olive oil.
In many ways, Kythera is Greece’s best kept
secret. Many Australians have never heard of it, but this is the island from
which the majority of Greek Australians originated.
Kytherians set up Australia’s first cafes, milk
bars, fish and chip shops, cinemas and pubs. They still consider the island
“home” and are proud of their heritage. This archaeological treasure island is
the site of the largest ancient shipwreck ever discovered, described as “the
Titanic of the ancient world”. A tiny sister island off Kythera, known as
Antikythera, is where the Antikythera mechanism – an ancient computing device
described as the world’s first computer – was discovered.
Kythera will be the focus later this year of a
part-Australian funded archaeological exploration dive to search the wreck
of British brig Mentor, the ship carrying the stolen Elgin marbles
from the Parthenon that sank just off the island’s coast. Part of the Ionian
Islands in the region of Attica, far from cruise ship and tourist routes,
Kythera sits at the foot of the Peloponnese at the crossroads of three seas –
the Ionian, Aegean and Cretan.
At 280sq km, it’s one of Greece’s largest
islands. In mythology, Kythera (Kithira or Cythera) is known as the birthplace
of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.
As I discover, Kythera is like every Greek
island woven into one. At the southern end, the capital, Chora, is a
stereotypically picturesque blue and white Greek cobblestone-paved town that
fits my every Cycladian fantasy. I drive 10km out of Chora and feel like I’m in
Tuscany with rolling green hills, green conifers and Tuscan-style ochre stone
farmhouses. Then a little further north, I see deserted stone buildings and low
beach scrub with rocky red beaches at the end of mountain goat tracks – I could
be on Mars.
The starkly diverse natural beauty of this
mountainous island, with its valleys, enchanting red and grey volcanic beaches
and rugged trails make it popular with walkers, nature enthusiasts, divers,
religious, archaeological and cultural tourists. Remnants of medieval times
including crusader, Venetian and Byzantine castles, dot the landscape along
with Roman- style aqueducts, traces of ancient Sparta and the Phoenicians and churches
spanning centuries.
The chapel of St John (Agios Iannos), marked by
its huge white cross painted on the cliff face, is built into the cliffside at
Kapsali. White monasteries dot the top of tall mounts all around the island.
The most spectacular, with panoramic views, is Agios Georgios tou Vouno (St
George on the Mount) on the eastern coast, built on a Minoan Peak sanctuary.
Kythera has about 70 small villages and each
has its own character. As my tour guide on another island, Paros, says:
“Villages have disappeared on most islands replaced by rows of tourist hotels”.
Life on Kythera centres around family and
community. Every Sunday, there’s a market in Potamos, a village in the centre
of the island. People come from all around to either sell their goods or just
to meet up in the square and sit to have a Greek coffee or Sunday mezze.
Only 3000 permanent residents live on the
island. Sparsely habited and largely rural, it doesn’t in any way pander to
tourists. There are no buses or trains, no big hotels, nightclubs or tourist
shops. This is the real Greece.
I stayed a fortnight and came to know the
locals, immersing myself in the local history and culture. I hired a car (you
can choose a Vespa instead), ate in local tavernas, lingered under platanos
trees in town squares drinking ouzo and eating octopus or mezze with the
locals, stayed in a family owned house (you can choose from numerous B&Bs)
and experienced the local life. Kytherians inundated me with figs from their
trees and tomatoes from their gardens. Kytherian wine has a distinctive flavour
and is made from “arikikas” grapes. Tess Mallos, author of Greek
Cookbook, was from Karavas, and a photo of the ruined houses of
Karavas is on the front of her cookbook.
Surprisingly, many Kytherians speak good
English, thanks largely to the Australian connection – relatives are coming and
going all the time. Every second house in Kythera has a kangaroo emblazoned on
a wall signifying that someone from the family has gone to Australia.
Former NSW minister for tourism, George Souris,
film director George Miller and the owners of Andronicus (coffee) all hail from
Kythera.
GO2
KYTHERA
GETTING THERE
Emirates, Qantas, Virgin Australia and
Lufthansa are among the carriers flying from Australia to Athens. From Athens
connect to Kythera with Olympic Air, or by car ferry departing from the
Athenian ports of Piraeus (13E) or from Neapolis (11E).
STAYING THERE
Xenónas Fos kè Chóros is a small traditional guesthouse
with four luxury guest rooms from 55 euros per night. Contact Anita or Albert
info@agreekisland.com; agreekisland.com.
Hotel Xorokampos overlooks a volcanic bay and
Paleopolis beach. Contact Lampros Friligkos, xorokampos@hotmail.com; www.kythiracampus.gr
MORE
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A
traditional arch in front of alley in Chora. Picture: Alamy
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Local bread
for sale. Picture: Karen Halabi
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