An easy guide for how to get to Kythera by ferry, schedules and prices for the ferry to/from Kythera and recommendations for public transportation and services. Explore the website and find all necessary details for the Ferry to Kythera; connected routes with departures and frequency, accommodation options with real-time availability and helpful tips for transfer opportunities in Kythera!
We have prepared a small user guide that will help passengers to get to Kythera as easily and pleasantly as possible.
Find useful information on how to get to Kythera by ferry, local public transportation options to reach your overnight hotel in Kythera, port addresses and embarkation offices, ferry schedules and prices for Kythera ferry, and real-time departures and arrivals with the ferry to Kythera.
All year round there are ferries running to Kythera from Athens/ Piraeus, while from May to September there are frequent ferries from Gythion and Crete (Kissamos).
Getting to Kythera by ferry is the best option you have and it can be a very nice and exciting experience and especially if you are doing some island-hopping too. Greek islanders are seasoned ferry experts and they prefer to travel by ferry to Kythera because of the convenience and flexibility it affords!
Cars are allowed on most ferries running to or from Kythira, for an additional fee and children usually travel for half price!
Give a departure port and a date and find all possible destinations!
Notice: Each year and depending on the period, there may be more or fewer connections to/from Kythira. The biggest shipping companies (ferry operators) announce the new ferry schedules to and from Kythira by the end of December and the rest of them by January-March each year!
Public transportation services on Kythera
The ferry port in Kythera
Kythera has a safe port to the northeast, facing the village of Diakofti. The port is approx. 30 km away from Kythera’s capital city (Chora) and is connected with public buses and taxis.
Public transportation and road network on Kythera
Kythera has a big road network, in comparison to other islands of the same size. The road network is asphalt in the majority, but there are many dirt roads that in some cases are relatively inaccessible.
Public bus services on Kythera
- Transportation in the inner part of the island is supported by buses and taxis, connecting the most villages. You can buy the Kythira ticket from the bus driver when entering the bus.
- Bus schedule from Agia Pelagia: Dep. 09:00 Agia Pelagia, dep. 09:10 Potamos, dep. 09:15 Aroniadika, dep. 09:30 Karvounades, dep. 09:35 Kontolianika/Livadi, dep. 09:40 Chora, arr. 09:50 Kapsali.
- Bus schedule from Kapsali: dep. 12:45 Kapsali, dep. 13:00 Chora, dep. 13:05 Livadi, dep. 13:10 Kontolianika/Karvounades, dep. 13:30 Aroniadika/Potamos, arr. 13:45 Agia Pelagia.
- Bus Terminal phone: +30 6972964198, +30 6977032204
Taxis on Kythera
There is an adequate number of taxis operating in Kythira. The amount to be paid is displayed on the taxi-meter. Ask the driver beforehand what the estimated cost of the ride is, or check the list of suggested fares that must be displayed in all taxis.
- Taxi phone no.: +30 6945227480, +30 6944314125, +30 6944746246, +30 6977865162, +30 6944931354, +30 6944274217, +30 6944428071, +30 6974737193, +30 6944813688, +30 6944260571, +30 6944305433, +30 6977991799
Note: All above information for Kythira was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice.
Schedules, prices and availability to Kythera by ferry
Book your ferry to/from Kythira with any ferry company that suits you better and enjoy your journey in Greece! The “Easy-Way” booking system of go-ferry.com, allows the most reliable online ferry reservations and offers cheaper, faster and better services for your ferry ticket to or from Kythera.
With go-ferry.com you are able to connect online with the reservation systems of the most Greek shipping companies, to compare prices, to find information about routes and vessels, to look for alternative routes and to print instantly your Kythera ferry confirmation.
Ferry timetables may change by season, so take an optical canvassing via our search engine to receive the latest cull of dates, schedules, prices and availability to/from Kythera by ferry. With so many accommodation options to cull from, you can be sure to find the best deal for the ferry to or from Kythira at a price that fits your budget.
Complete the under bellow fields and click on "search" to compare the prices of all operators that run to and from Kythera by ferry!
Book in advance your ferry to Kythera
Arrange your ferry journey to Kythira in advance
It is very important that you have organized your ferry to or from Kythira in advance, having arranged all the details. You don't want something to go wrong, and you can achieve perfect holidays with a great organization. In addition to hotel accommodation and air-tickets, when you book the boat tickets to or from Kythira you know that everything is under control even before leaving home.
There are many reasons why you should arrange to book in advance your ferry to Kythira. Here are some of the most important:
Pay for Hotel in Kythira without using it!
During the high season in Greece, and especially in July and August, it is likely that you won't find ferry tickets to popular destinations, such as Kythira, if you don't book them in advance. So, don't make the mistake to book your hotel on Kythira without having booked the ferry pass to/from Kythira. The last thing you want is to get to the port and not find an available ferry to or from Kythira!
Save time in Kythira!
Although we charge a commission for acquiring ferry bookings to/from Kythira, this allows you not only to secure your ferry tickets o/from Kythira but also to save time in Kythira; besides receiving a service and attention of first.
Have a bigger choice of Kythira Ferry Tickets!
Buying in advance gives you a better chance of getting the ferry tickets to/from Kythira, on the ferry you prefer and at the schedule you want. It does not make sense that your trip to Kythira is interrupted by not finding available ferry departures, but it is possible.
Find more Kythira Ferry routes!
If you want to organize your vacations to or from Kythira, it is wise to check all the possible routes and timelines in order to make the right combinations between Kythira and other destinations as well as between the air and the ferry tickets. Online, you can have an overview of all the routes going to or from Kythira.
Get the best deal by Kythira Ferry prices!
Ferry tickets to/from Kythira can be expensive, so it’s natural to want to get the best deal on them. It has become a regular practice for ferries to announce special rates and deep discounts for booking ferry tickets to or from Kythira up to 3-6 months in advance.
Feeling Great having Kythira ferry ticket in your pocket!
You will feel a great feeling when having the ferry confirmation to or from Kythira in your hands. The reservation with us will allow you to secure your ferry to or from Kythira, you will be relieved to have the confirmation in your hands or on your smartphone!
Accommodation options on the ferry to Kythera
Find out about the ferry types that are running to Kythira, choose the ideal accommodation option on the ferry to Kythera and get fresh and relaxed at your destination. Comfortable armchairs, business class comfort seats, outside and inside cabins or economy deck chairs. There is a range of accommodation options to choose for a day or night ferry to or from your destination.
About Kythera
A major tourist destination, which combines well-known sights, such as the medieval Mystras, the tower city of Monemvasia and the tower houses of Mani, with landscapes of exceptional natural beauty, such as the Diros Caves, Mt. Taygetus and Cape Tenaro. It was already inhabited from the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, whilst later the tribes of Leleges, Achaeans and Iones were settled. The Dorians arrive in 1100 B.C. and make Sparta as their capital, which for centuries, along with Athens, constitute one of the most powerful cities-states of Ancient Greece, until its conquest by the Romans and, later on, by the Francs and the Turks. An enchanting small city, built in front of an imposing medieval castle. The white traditional houses and its narrow alleys give an intense islander colour.
The Kytherian sea is the birthplace of goddess Aphrodite in the Hesiodus fable. Gaia (Earth) wanted to punish her husband Uranus ( Sky) for all the evils he had caused to her. Called her children and asked them to kill their father. Cronus took from the depths of his mother a scythe and killed him cutting his divine parts. They fell in the sea of Kythera and became two islets (possibly Dragonares). The falling blood, touched upon the sea foams and by this fusion of the elements Urania Aphrodite, was born. She did not stay on Kythera. She travelled to Cyprus in a big shell and stayed there. The symbolism of Aphrodite and Kythera survived through the centuries and reached the 18 th in order to be portrayed in paintings as the "embarkation for Kythera" of Jean - Antoine Vato , to be written in the poetry of Renaissance, to occupy Charles Baudelaire of the 19 century and to continue in the cinematography of Theodoros Aggelopoulos. This symbolism will never die, as long as people search the distant and desirable idea.
Kythera is the crossroad of Mediterranean cultures. It was always the hospitable shelter of corsairs, colonists, ascetics and persecuted. Kythera was inhabited during the Neolithic age and later. Many potsherds from the copper age, early - Helladic and early - Minoan ages are "sleeping" under the earth of Kythera. Others lying on the surface, are watching the eternal course of sun and moon in the sky. Near the twentieth century B.C. Minoans dominate on the island and govern the surrounded area. One of the earliest Minoan colonies, is located in Kastri, known today Paleopoli. Skandia is the seaport of the colony. I n the mountain of Agjos Georgios, archaeologists found the traces of Minoan temple and drinking-offering vessels, stone-artefacts, cupreous figurines. Phoenicians keep a colony on the island at the 15th century B.C. processing purple (porphyra) to produce the deep red colour that they use in clothes. So they have laboratories for the purple treatment. Ancient Kythera is namedPorphyris or Porphyrousa these years. According to Herodotus, the foundation of a temple dedicated to Aphrodite is owed to Phoenicians who imported the adoration of an alike goddess from the east. After Minoans and Phoenicians there were Myceneans who came in the island at the 14th century. Although Spartans possessed the Kythera island since the 6th century B.C. till the Classic years, Athenians came enough times to claim Kythera, more specifically at the season of Peloponnesian Wars. The continuous changes of possession of Kythera from Athenians and Spartans will lead to peace in 421 B.C. In the region Kastri a lot of Athenian and Spartan potsherds testify the fact. Apart from Aphrodite, Dioscouri are worshipped on Kythera. The age of Macedonians follows and afterwards the Romanian Empire. In 365 A.C. an earthquake affected the island with dramatic geomorphic changes in the region of Skandia.
Since the 6th century Kythera, as all Mediterranean area, belong to Byzantium and the intense religiosity appears at least in three hundred monuments and temples. In 1000 A.C. the island is depopulated. The Evdemonogiannis families from Monemvasia come in the island after one century and remain the only dominants until 1204 . They built the settlement of Agios Dimitrios in Paleochora. An old legend says that Paleochora had 365 temples, one for each day of the year. Powerful Venetians blaming Kythera with other islands and regions of hellenic space. The Venetian state installs the Venieri family in the island which governed it for many years. In 1238 Nikolaos Evdemonogiannis is looking the Venetian sovereignty in the regions, weds his daughter with the Venetian feudal lord of Crete Mark Venier. However, Kythera remain nominally in the sovereignty of Venice . By the emperor of Byzantium Michael PaleologosKythera is recovered by Constantinople . Monemvasians with the members of the family Notaras at the head, impose the anti-Latin policy low of byzantine emperor in 1275. They restore the island in the Byzantine control and turn away the Venieri family . Later Venetians come back making war in all the Aegean sea . Notaras retire. During the Venetian age on Kythera the orthodox faith isn’t oppressed. Venetians respected the religious culture of the island. In 1470 the island had only 500 residents who live in poor years. The population reaches the 4000 residents in the 16th century. The residents in order to protect themselves, are organised in three central points on the island. The castles of Kythera(Chora), Agios Dimitrios (Paleochora) and Mylopotamos shelter and protect the population. In 1537 the janissary Hayredin Barbarossa, one of the most terrible pirates of Mediterranean destroys, sacks Paleochora that was drowned in blood. The 17th century a lot of refugees come from Crete in the island, carrying customs, habits and culture. In 1715 Turks touch upon Kythera. They do not stay more than three years. During the last years of Venetian sovereignty in the island the residents population will reach the 7500. The island belongs to Venetians up to the catalysis of the state in 1797.
In 1798 Frenches, who are in the highlight of their glory, come to Kythera. Afterwards, Russians andTurks will ally in order to conquer the island and control the seas. In1798 a strong earthquake, will destroy everything in the Kastri region, Skandia. In 1809 English regenerate the island with tens of works, but oppress the Greek culture. It is in 1815 that Kythera with all the Ionian islands will constitute the United State of Ionian Islands and the capital is Corfu . In 1864 the Ionian islands get linked to independent Greece . In 1903 a devastatingearthquake, with seismic focus in Mitata, levels everything in the wider region. In 1917 Kythera existed also as "Autonomous Administration" for a short interval of time. In the Second World War Kytherians participated dynamically in the National Resistance. Rebel forces are organised in Potamos village limits the control of the island against the Germans. Since 4 September 1944 the island is the first region of Greece that is released. However, it depopulates. Most young people emigrate, to Australia and the United States of America .
Sightseeing
- The bridge connecting the settlement to Makronisos
- Feidonisi islet
- Aghia Moni monastery The modern church was built in 1840 and from there you can see Diakofti,
- Avlemona and the Peloponnesian coasts
- Aghios Georgios tou Vounou on your way to Avlemona
- Travelling to Chora of Kithira
- The medieval castle of 1503. It dominates on a hill at the end of Chora and has amazing view of the Cretan sea. Byzantine churches, as well as the mansion of Agglonarmostis which nowadays houses the Historic Archive of Kythira are still preserved
- The Byzantine churches in the castle “Mesa Vourgo”
- The central square with the bars, coffee houses and the amazing view
- Aghios Markos Catholic church
- The Archeological Museum with its small but remarkable collection of findings from the Mycenaean times up to the Byzantine period
- Aghia Pelagia chapel built in a cave at Feloti bay with its beautiful beach
Events
Easter is a beautiful celebration in Chora, with an impressive Resurrection ceremony at Panagia Mirtidiotissa church. The icon procession which departs from the monastery and ends up in Chora starts on Easter Sunday. The icon is processed again around Chora and afterwards comes a big feast. The second day of Easter the icon is taken from Chora and for 25 days people process it around the villages of the island just to end up again at the monastery. Wherever the icon arrives a great celebration takes place.
Many cultural events with concerts, exhibitions and traditional dances are also organized during August.
Walking in Milopotamo Kithira
It has a particularly interesting architecture, rich vegetation and running waters, while during the Venetian occupation it was the center of one of the administrative regions of the island.It is located 15 km NW of Chora.
What to See in Kythera
The old windmill close to Piso Gialo
The pine tree forest located behind the settlement where Aghios Ioannis Theologos chapel stands (1592)
Aghios Mironas Byzantine church .
Aghia Sofia cave.
Walking in Avlemona, Kythera
It is a scenic fishing village, with bright white houses and blue windows and gardens full of flowers, built on the rocky creeks of the coast. In its leeward gulfs several small natural “pools”, very popular with all visitors of the island, are formed. It is located 19 km NE of Chora.
Sightseeing
The small Venetian castle at the port entrance
Aghios Georgios church (6th century) on top of a hill with its beautiful mosaics
Aghios Kosmas church in “Paleokastro” location
Paleopoli (3 km W) with the large and quiet beach located in the area of ancient Skandia which was destroyed by the eruption of Santorini volcano
Kaladi with its beautiful beach.
Activities
Swimming in the settlement beaches, in Kaladi, in Paleopoli, in Limni and inPiatsa. In the south you can swim in Kobonada and Firi Ammos.
Travelling to Ariniadika Kithira
It is a traditional landlocked village that produces amazing honey. It is located 15 km N of Chora.
Sightseeing
Aloizianika, Friligkianika, Kastritsianika and Pitsinades villages, all with well preserved architectural character
Paleochora castle (Aghios Dimitrios), where the byzantine capital of the island used to be. Its construction began in 1248 and it was destroyed in 1537 by pirate Barbarossa. Ruins of houses and churches are still preserved. In some of these churches you will see amazing hagiographies. The view here is unique.
Lagkadas gorge
Walking in Aghia Pelagia
It is a well known and popular summer resort with amazing beaches. From its port depart ships to Neopoli of Lakonia prefecture. It is located 26 km N of Chora.
Sightseeing
Aghia Patrikia church in the area where also the boat yard is located.
Karavas village (5 km NW). It is one of the most beautiful villages in the island built in a lush green area. From the location “Amir Ali” starts a pathway along a small river which after an hour ends up in Platia Ammos beach.
Spathi peninsula (N) with the lighthouse, the beautiful view of the Peloponnesian coasts and the isolated Aghios Nikolaos beach.
Walking in Potamos Kythera
Traditional large village (the largest in the island) with beautiful mansions and scenic coffee houses and restaurants. Every Sunday a large open air bazaar takes place in the central paved square where people sell authentic traditional products of the island such as honey, dried bread etc and many locals gather. It is located 19 km N of Chora.
Sightseeing
Panagia Ilariotissa, Aghii Theodori, Aghia Anastasia and Aghios Nikonaschurches, all located close to the village
The nearby villages Logothetianika and Kousounari
Walking in Mitata Kithira
It is a small traditional village, built in an area full of olive trees, citruses, walnut trees and vineyards and with an amazing view. The village is famous for its wine production. It is located 18 km N of Chora.
Sightseeing
Aghia Triada church standing at the village's square
The spring nearby the village
The old windmills
The black cave
Tsakonas gorge
