ESCAPEESCAPEKYTHIRA
A unique blend of Cycladic, Ionian and Peloponnesian
charm, the island of Aphrodite and Eros means either
love at first sight or nothing much. It is located in southern
Greece, south of the Peloponnese and south of Elafonissos
island and Cape Maleas. There are numerous places worth
visiting here but, first and foremost, visit the numerous
traditional villages, scattered in close proximity to one
another. You need a means of transport to move around
freely on a neat road network with a large central road
that runs along the island from North to South. The most
popular accommodation options can be found in Chora with
its wonderful castle and right below Chora, in the small
holiday village of Kapsali with the upbeat nightlife, as well
as in the resort of Agia Pelagia up north and in the inland
villages which feature small ecotourism guesthouses.
Among the villages worth visiting are Milopotamos with
its picturesque central square, the ruins of the Venetian
castle and the beautiful surrounding nature featuring
spectacular waterfalls, the village of Mitata, the seaside
village of Avlemonas with the traditional fish taverns,
Potamos village with its bustling market, and Aroniadika
and Kastrisianika, villages of special architectural interest.
Walk through the gorges in the heart of the island and
discover stunning beaches amidst the almost impenetrable
pine tree forests of the North.
PA X I
Two small havens, the emerald lilliput islands of the
Ionian Sea, Paxi and Antipaxi are only 7 miles south
of Corfu, just 8 miles off the coast of the mainland and
12 miles away from Parga. The eastern coast of Paxi
is smooth, while the western side is craggy, featuring
remarkable formations, caves, arches, domes and steep
cliffs. When travelling by sailboat, you will see a series
of caves in Achai, as well as the huge ravine of Ipapanti
and the cliff of Erimitis. Yet, the most breathtaking
encounter would be that with Ortholithos, a massive rock
in the shape of a menir, standing upright in the water.
Voutoumi and Vrika in Antipaxi are the favourite beaches
of those arriving by boat. The capital of Paxi is Gaios, a
picturesque village built at the harbour and protected
by two small isles. The northernmost and smallest is
called the Isle of Panagia and the southern one closest
to the harbour is the Isle of St. Nicholas, home to the
castle of the same name which has been declared a
protected monument. Construction started in 1423 and
it was reconstructed in 1510 by the Venetians based on
Leonardo da Vinci’s architectural plans, which are kept
in the Archives of Venice. On the north side there is the
village of Lakka and on the eastern coast stands the
picturesque village of Loggos.PHOTOSALEX BLAJAN / DIMITRIS HOUNTAS / GEORGE KONTARINIS / ALEX ANDER MILS / MA X-VAN-DEN-OETELA AR / SOTIRIS PATARIS / ALBINA PITSOLOU / EIRINI VENERI TRAVASAROU