Kastellorizo(Megisti)

Map of Kastellorizo

Although Kastellorizo's official name of Meyisti means "Biggest", it's actually among the very smallest Dodecanese islands with 9km²  extension and 500 residents. It's just the biggest of a local archipelago of islets. It's also extremely remote, located more than 100km east of Rhodes and barely more than a nautical mile off mainland Asia. At night its lights are outnumbered by those of the Turkish town of Kas opposite, with which Kastellorizo has excellent relations.

The island's population has dwindled from around ten thousand a century ago to five hundreds now. Having been an Ottoman possession since 1552, it was occupied by the French from 1915 until 1921, and then by the Italians. When Italy capitulated to the Allies in 1943, 1500 Commonwealth commandos occupied Kastellorizo. Most departed that November, after the Germans captured the other Dodecanese, which left the island vulnerable to looters, both Greek and British. By the time a fuel fire in 1944 triggered the explosion of an adjacent arsenal, demolishing half the houses of Kastellorizo, most islanders had already left. Those who remain are supported by remittances from more than 30,000 emigrants, as well as subsidies from the Greek government to prevent the island reverting to Turkey.

Yet Kastellorizo has a future of sorts, thanks partly to repatriating "Kassies" returning each summer to renovate their crumbling ancestral houses as second homes. Visitors tend either to love Kastellorizo and stay a week, or crave escape after a day. Detractors dismiss it as a human zoo maintained by the Greek government to placate nationalists, while devotees celebrate an atmospheric, little-commercialized outpost of Hellenism.

Kastellorizo

The island's population is concentrated in Kastellorizo Town on the north coast - neatly arrayed around what's said to be the finest natural harbor between Beirut and Fethiye on the Turkish coast - and its "suburb" of Mandhraki, just over the fire-blasted hill and boasting a half-ruined Knight's castle. In summer, it's what Greeks call a klouvi(a bird cage) - the sort of place where, after two strolls up and down the pedestrianized quay, you'll have a nodding acquaintance with your fellow visitors and all the island's characters.

Most of the town's surviving original mansions are ranged along the waterfront, sporting tiled roofs, wooden balconies and blue or green shutters on long, narrow windows. Derelict houses in the backstreets are being attended to, and even the hillside is sprouting new constructions in unconventional colors, though the cumulative effect of World War I shelling, a 1926 earthquake, 1943 air-raids and the 1944 explosions will never be reversed. The black-and-white posters and postcards depicting the town in its prime, on sale everywhere, are poignant evidence of its later decline.

Beaches

Kastelorizo ​​has no beaches except the small beach of Mandraki. The only way to swim is the boat that will go in the few beaches around the island (Ro, Agios Georgios and Stroggili). The main beaches in Kastelorizo ​​are:

Mandraki

Ro (Western Kastelorizo):
In islet of Ro is the only significant beach.

Mandraki (East Kastelorizo):
Small beach with some sand and pebbles near the port.

Lighthouse - Kavos - Plates - Port (East Kastelorizo):
These are not beaches, but you can dive from rocks and rigs.

Sights

Blue Cave

Castle of Knights
The Castle of the Knights of the 14th century is situated on the hill above the harbor, in Castello Rosso.

Blue Cave
The famous Blue Cave is known as Cave Parasta or Fokiali because of seals that live there, and is the most famous attraction in Kastelorizo.

Lycian Tomb
The Temple-shaped Lycian Tomb of the 4th century is carved into the rock and is the only of its kind in Europe.

Archaeological Museum Max
Housed since 1984 in a two-storey building of Kastellorizo, part of the medieval castle of Agios Nikolaos.

Transportation

By plane: Katsellorizo's airport, 1km above the harbor, is served by regular Olympic Air flights from Rhodes (4-6 weekly). A minibus shuttles once between town and airstrip at flight times.

By ferry:  Kastellorizo is connected to: Astypalea(1 weekly, 15hr), Kalymnos(2 weekly, 11hr), Kos(2 weekly, 10hr), Naxos(1 weekly, 20hr), Nissyros(2 weekly, 8hr), Paros(1 weekly, 20hr), Pireas(2 weekly,25hr), Rhodes(3 weekly, 2hr), Symi(2 weekly, 4hr), Tilos(2 weekly, 7hr)

Useful Phone Numbers

Municipality of Kastellorizo: 22460 49269

Police Station: 22460 49333

Port Authorities: 22460 49270

Medical Center: 22460 49267

Airport: 22460 49250

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