The first settlements of vlach-speaking Greek population in the region of Kalarrytes can be traced back to the 10th century AD. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the community achieves its greatest financial, social and cultural development with the Kalarrytan merchants trading wool textiles through a well-organized commercial network to all European markets, while most of them also maintain shops in Ioannina. A large part of the population are distinguished as silversmiths, establishing Kalarrytes as one of the major silversmith centres of the Balkans. During the 19th century, the art of silver spreads from Kalarrytes all over Greece and Italy. Families of silversmiths such as Tsimouris at Ioannina and Kalarrytes, Bafas in Zakynthos, Papageorgiou and Papamoschou in Corfou, and Nessi and Bulgari in Italy are still famous today.

The economic, cultural and residential development of the community is accompanied by intellectual development as the Greek Enlightenment reaches Kalarrytes. Anastasios Bekiaris and rector Georgios Sgouros taught at the school of Kalarrytes, which was founded in 1758. The scholars Vlahoyiannis and Giourtis also originate from there. W. Leak and F. Pouqueville, who visited the community of Kalarrytes at the beginning of the 19th century, describe in their travel journals the lawful society, the culture, the exquisite architecture, the booming trade, and the high educational level of the people.

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Castle of Hora
The castle of Hora is important because of its strategic location observing the Ionian, the Aegean and the Cretan Sea at the same time. It was constructed on the 13th century A.D. during the Venetian Domination but its main part was finished in 1503 A.D.

Right in the front of the Church of Pantokratoras the headquarters of the castle is found which nowadays hosts the Historical Record of Kythira. On the headquarters’ square the former Catholic Church “Panagia of the Latinos” which was changed in 1806 A.D. to an Orthodox church under the name “Myrtidiotissa”.
You could definitely visit the castle which also provides a wonderful view from the top and combine it with a walk around Hora in the evening.

Moudari Lighthouse

The biggest lighthouse that was ever built by the English on Greek grounds is encountered on the northern spot of the island, cape “Spathi”. It was built in 1857 and is 25 metres high. The visitor is provided with a panoramic view of the surrounding place.

Kataraktis (Waterfall)

To get there you must first reach the village of Mylopotamos and take it from there on foot. There is a sign that leads you to this overgrown and wonderful place with paths, brooks and large plane trees.

The waterfall of “Neraida” or “Fonissa” is 20 metres high and forms a small lake underneath it. The place is surrounded by abandoned watermills that used to work by the force of the river water for the grinding of the grains.

Finish this amazing tour into this unspoiled and blessed place with reaching the wonderful Kalami beach.

Hytra Islet

At the south east of Kythira island, right opposite the port of Kapsali, Hytra islet is found or else referred to as Avgo (meaning “Egg”). On its north part there is a water cave that is a refuge for seals. The islet is also a place where a special and protected kind of falcon called Mavropetritis (Falco eleonorae) has built its nest.
On its steep and rough ground grows the plant called Sempreviva (helichrysum orientale) which is collected every summer by the locals and is used for handicrafts.

There is a boat to take you there from the port of Kapsali.

Oinoússes is famous for its century long naval tradition. In fact, some of the major Greek ship owners were born in this island and established later their maritime headquarters in London or New York. Monuments and sites of the island preserve this time-honoured maritime tradition. At the entrance of the port, visitors are welcomed by the bronze sculpture of the Mermaid, whereas while strolling around the centre of the island they will encounter the famous “Naftosyni Square” (meaning “a square dedicated to sailor’s craftsmanship”), where a statue in honour of the Unknown Sailor stands.

The “Nautical Lyceum”, the major “Naval Academy”, and the first regional Naval Museum also depict the island’s significant maritime culture. The museum, which was founded in 1965, features permanent exhibits, such as paintings of popular ship painters, naval instruments and ship models – most of which were constructed by French prisoners in England at the time of the Napoleonic Wars.

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The most prevalent theory about their formation is through a big river that brought geological material, such as rocks, stones and minerals, to the region. Continuous weathering by rain, wind, as well as earthquakes, gave them their present shape. It still remains a mystery, though, why such a unique place is not mentioned anywhere in the Greek mythology and why no Greek or foreign historian has written about it.

Between the 10th century and today 30 monasteries of admirable architecture have been built on these natural sandstone rock pillars, but only six of them remain in a good condition and house religious communities nowadays. For centuries, these monasteries were almost inaccessible, and the monks climbed to the top of Metéora, using rope ladders fixed to the rocks with the aid of wooden poles carefully positioned in rock cracks. The supply of the monasteries was done using nets that hauled up food, water and other necessary goods, as well as people. It was only in the beginning of the 20th century that steps were carved into the rock and facilitated the access to the monasteries. During the World War II, the region of Metéora was bombed and many art treasures were stolen.
 

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By Maria

Walk along the cobblestone narrow streets of Hóra past white houses with multi-coloured doors and windows, timeless creations of the traditional Cycladic architecture. If you need to take a rest, plane trees will offer you their cool, welcome shade. Wait until the sun sets into the eternal blue of the Aegean and join the locals in the village’s squares. Share with them homemade dishes and local delicacies, such as “matsáta” (handmade noodles with rooster or rabbit), sourotó (white goat cheese), and drink “rakómelo” (raki with honey) the famous spirit of the island. Here you will find most of the island's fine hotels.

• Tour natural and religious sites.

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary

Towering above Hóra and with a stone path leading to it, a whitewashed impressive church awaits to be discovered. Allegedly built on the site of an ancient temple, the church hosts significant ancient immured inscriptions and statues’ pedestals in its yard and interior. Tradition has it that the silver-plated icon of the Virgin Mary is miraculous. Linked to pirate stories, the icon is carried around the town in a procession held every year on Easter Sunday.

Hiking tip: Follow the rocky path starting from Poúnda square all the way to the church (walking time app. 15 min).

Ano Merá

The picturesque village of Ano Merá is a traditional rural settlement of the 19th century. To learn more about the traditional everyday life of Folégandros, visit the Folk Art Museum (open from 17:00 to 20:00 in the summer).

Chrysospiliá

Chrysospiliá is a natural monument of great interest, and not just to archaeologists and speleologists. Situated below the monastery of the Virgin Mary on a rocky beach at 30m above sea level with impressive stalactites and stalagmites, the cave is globally unique for the ancient male Greek names written on its walls and roof, dated back to the 4th century BC. Nicagoras, Themistocles, Cleon, Callimachus, Pythagoras, and Lysicrates are some of the names carved on the cave walls. According to some theories, the cave was used as a worship site where ceremonies for young men coming of age used to take place.

Important info: Accessible only by the sea, the cave is temporarily unavailable for visitors due to archaeological research in progress.

• Head to the island's pristine beaches.

This small island in the Cyclades is full of pebbly beaches covered with tamarisk trees. The scenic harbour of Karavostássis with its beautiful beach is the perfect starting point for an exploration of the glorious beaches of Hohlídia, Vitzétzo, Latináki, Pountáki and Livádi, a village with a sandy beach, turquoise waters and a camping site. Those of you, who don't feel like walking, can take a caique from Karavostássis to Kátergo, the most beautiful beach on the island, with thin pebbles and crystal-clear waters. Sheer cliff drops and azure waters embrace Agali beach to the west of the island. A trail from here will take you to the clothing-optional beach of Ayios Nikólaos, where a small taverna with delicious food and a marvelous view awaits you. In the northeastern part of the island lie the beaches of Voriná, with green stones peculiar-to-Folégandros, Ayios Geórgios and Serfiótiko, accessible only by caique or on foot.

• Taste culinary delights and local wine:

Matsáta: handmade noodles with rooster or rabbit
Sourotó: white goat cheese
Kalassoúna: cheese pie made with sourotó and onions
Cooked caper
Baked chickpeas
Karpouzénia: a local sweet made of fried watermelon (in Greek watermelon means “karpouzi”)
Sesame bars
White and red wine

Source: Visitgreece.gr

The massacre of the inhabitants by the Turks destroyed the economic fabric of this closed society.

The villages’ turbulent history is miraculously reflected on the architecture of the buildings: for defensive purposes the villages were built out of sea sight surrounded by high walls with a central tower – the last resort in case the walls were breached by Arab pirates. The tower had no door but invaders could enter using ladders as bridges thrown from the rooftops. The streets were narrow and dark with blind alleys, which not only confused the invaders but also formed the perfect hideout for the villagers to carefully plan their attacks.

Today only 24 Mastic villages have withstood the test of time, since many of them were destroyed by the catastrophic earthquake that took place in 1881. Some fortress towns are still intact, such as Mestá, Pirgí, Olýmpi, Kalamotí, Véssa, Patriká, Vounó, Eláta and Kiní forming impressive medieval settlements. Recent restoration works on old stone mansions contributed significantly to the embellishment of the landscape recreating beautifully the once prevailing medieval atmosphere.

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With so many species there are many exciting bird watching encounters to be had in the forest: Booted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Goshawk, Black Kite and Levant Sparrowhawk to pick out just a few species that may be seen.

In the whole of Europe Dadia it is the only forest where all four species of vulture can be found: Black, Egyptian, Griffon and the Lammergeier, have all been recorded or breed. In recent years the rare Black Vulture has proven something of a conservation success story in Greece, going from around 25 individual birds in the whole of eastern Europe in the 1980s (that were all in the Dadia Forest) up to 28 pairs in 2010 (WWF Greece) and 100 individual birds. There is now a 7,290 hectare area of the forest designated as a protected zone, with an additional 27,000 hectare buffer.

As well as being a wonderful place for birds Dadia has many species of mammals, more than 30. You can find Foxes, Badger, Red squirrels, Souslik and it is even possible (though very rare) to see Wolves. The forest is also home to around 40 species of reptiles and amphibians such as Dahl’s Whip Snake, Nose-horned Viper, Tortoises and the pretty Yellow-bellied Toad.

Mount Chelmos & Vouraikos Gorge National Park – butterfly mountain

Located in the north Peloponnese region is Mount Chelmos, also known as Aroania, a mountain range in Achaea. At its highest the summit range peaks at over 2,300 metres. It is generally damper and more forested than the mountains located in the southern half of the Peloponnese. Chelmos and its environs are one of the best places in the whole of Greece for the naturalist, with a diverse range of habitats and an incredibly rich array of flora and fauna. So rich is this natural bounty that it was declared a National Park, covering and area which extends for 544,000 sq. m.

Chelmos is celebrated as one of the best in Greece for butterflies, with over 100 species recorded. Perhaps its most famous butterfly is the rare and endangered Chelmos Blue, confined to the higher altitudes of Mt. Chelmos and just a handful of other places in Europe. There are plenty of other scale-winged delights to discover: Southern White Admiral, Apollo, Cleopatra, Lattice Brown, Camberwell Beauty, Powdered Brimstone, Southern Swallowtail, Grecian Copper, Nettle Tree Butterfly, Large Tortoiseshell, Queen of Spain Fritillary, Spotted Fritillary, Cardinal, Mountain Small White, Escher’s Blue, Anomalous Blue, Amanda’s Blue, Ilex Hairstreak, Greek Clouded Yellow, Olive Skipper, Oriental Marbled Skipper, Blue Argus, Osiris Blue, Odd-spot Blue, Pontic Blue, Greek Mazarine Blue (helena, often considered a distinct species), Balkan Grayling, Grecian Grayling, Blue-spot Hairstreak, Adonis Blue, Zephyr Blue, Ripart’s Anomalous Blue (pelopi, often considered a distinct species), Meleager’s Blue and many more!
Chelmos is not only adorned by these flying jewels, it is also clothed in a dazzling display of botanical beauty comprising of a very large number of plant species (including numerous endemics) – a mesmerizing sight, particularly in spring. A visit at that time of year can also mean a treat to the senses of the sights and sounds in the forested slopes of birds such as Crossbills, Serins, Bonelli’s Warblers, Nightingales, several Woodpecker species and lots more besides!

Text written and provided by Matt Berry

To keep them at bay, she came up with a devise: she promised she would come to a wedding with the best of them when she had finished weaving a shroud. So, she spent the daytime weaving it and the nighttime unweaving it. Thus doing, she managed to stay clear of the suitors for 20 whole years, until Odysseus returned to Ithaca.

“Keep Ithaca always in your mind. Arriving there is what you are destined for” Cavafy, Ithaca, translated by Edmund Keely/Philip Sherrard

Worldwide famous as the home of Odysseus, Ithaca symbolises the return to the haven; discovery and fulfillment. Despite its proximity to Kefalonia (Cephalonia) (2km northeast) it is much more peaceful, quiet and undiscovered, thus being an ideal place for alternative activities and a holiday living up to the standards of the most demanding among us. With its 27-kilometre long and 6.5-kilometre large mountainous surface, it boasts plenty of hiking as well as mountain bike trails in a sequence of blue and green alongside the coast and through olive, cypress, pine, oak, arbutus and carob trees up on the hills.

Scuba diving and sea kayaking are some of the options too, while the Cave of the Nymph will give you the chance to combine an exciting visit with a myth: Odysseus had hidden there the gifts he had brought along from the land of the Phaeacians.

Beaches

Beach lovers will take pleasure in a multitude of choices covering all tastes, from sand to pebbles, from rocky to green-clad backgrounds, from peaceful to busy ones. Some of them are: Lootsa, Filiatró, Sarakínniko, Dexá, Minnímata, Yidáki, Aetós, Áspros Yalós, Afáles, Kourvoólia.

To read more, please go to visitgreece.gr