Where to Stay In Kythira: Best Villages and Hotels of 2024
Kythira is a hidden gem of a Greek island located on its own and in the mix of three seas, the Aegean, Cretan and Ionian. Being surrounded by beautiful turquoise water means it’s most famous for its stunning beaches, wild scenery and coastline.
Among locals and those seeking paradise off the radar, it’s notably known as one of the best non touristy island alternatives.
Although the island is less frequented, there is no shortage of boutique Kythira hotels, villas and affordable studios for a peaceful beach holiday.
In this guide, you’ll find the best small towns to stay in while visiting Kythira in addition to hotel, villa and apartment recommendations.
Quick List: Best Areas to Stay in Kythira
- Avlemonas
- Chora, Kapsáli & Kalamos
- Milopotamos
- Diakofti
- Agía Pelagia
- Potamos
The Essentials: Choosing Where to Stay on Kythira
🌸 Comparatively, tourism on Kythira is quiet. You will not find large resorts and hotel chains on Kythira. Instead, book an apartment, villa, or boutique hotel that’s family-operated.
📷 For a quick or day trip to Kythira, stay in the port town of Diakofti.
👍 The best overall and picturesque area to stay in Kythira is Avlemonas. Our personal recommendation for where to stay in Avlemonas are the Palaeopoli Villas.
🚗 Getting around Kythira is almost impossible without a car. Arrive on Kythira with a rental car if you plan on spending more than one day on the island.
🍽 Spend your time on Kythira island by relaxing at one of the many beautiful beaches, visiting historical sites, and eating local cuisine.
Types of Accommodation on Kythira
As a lesser developed island, huge hotel and resort complexes are not very common on Kythira. Instead, you will find a lovely selection of smaller and family owned hotels, stone homes and apartments.
Apartment stays are an affordable solution for those looking to visit Greece on a budget. Generally, you’ll find more apartment related stays than Kythira hotels, mainly due to existing structures being utilised instead of built new. Since studios or apartments are usually self serviced, you’ll save a fortune by simply cleaning up after yourself.
Luxury and romance is best experienced at one of the island’s boutique hotels, which are also the most charming of stays. Boutique style accommodation on Kythira can typically be found in the form of a reconstructed but astonishingly preserved stone structure.
For large groups or families, Kithira is very well stocked with villas or entire homes for rent. As most locals who own generational land don’t live on the island full time, it’s freed up opportunities for tourists to enjoy the wonderful properties year round.
Map of Where to Stay in Kythira
The Best Areas to Stay in Kythira
1. Avlemonas
Avlemonas is a small village on the east coast and arguably one of the best places for Kythira hotels. Its claim to fame is the wondrous Baths of Venus, a popular and picture perfect swim spot with a petite beach.
The intimate area is home to many charming hotels, some near the beach and some in the hills above Paralia Paleopoli. For couples seeking a quiet and romantic stay, this area is an ideal choice.
Attractions Near Avlemonas
Paralia Paleopoli
Baths of Venus
Paralia Kaladi
Paralia Limni
Where to Stay in Avlemonas
💰 Anastasia Studios or Kanellis Studios
💰💰 Villa Venus or Palaeopoli Villas
💰💰💰 Avlemonas Luxury House or Avlemonas Bay Sea Houses
2. Chora, Kapsáli & Kalamos
The towns of Chora, Kapsáli and Kalamos are situated on the southern end of Kythira. Each village has something different to offer but by staying in one, you’re very close to the others.
For a traveller looking for easy access to multiple attractions nearby, this is the best area to stay.
Chora is elevated and a perfect place to stay for culture and history. Kapsáli is a classic seaside town with a wide mouth beach and waterfront restaurants.
Kalamos sits inland which means it’s more quaint and boasts a fantastic selection of rural or farm like stays. Kythira hotels are very diverse along the southern cost of the island.
Attractions Near Chora, Kapsáli & Kalamos
Paralia Sparagario (Σπαραγαριο)
Firi Ammos
Paralia Melidoni
Archaeological Museum of Kythera
Paralia Kapsali
Paralia Chalkos
Castle of Chora Kithira
Where to Stay in Chora, Kapsáli & Kalamos
💰 ARONIS Studios or Nostos Guesthouse
💰💰 Filio Rooms or Elea Apartments
💰💰💰 Villa Spilies or Estia 3
3. Milopotamos
To escape the beach crowds, Kythira hotels found in Milopotamos are best for any nature lover and land explorer. In addition to the handful of natural marvels near Milopotamos, it’s also in close proximity to a handful of endearing villages such as Aroniadika, Friligkianika, Aloizianika and Pitsinades.
Attractions Near Milopotamos
Saint Sophia Cave
Kato Chora Castle
Neraida Waterfall and Phill’s Watermill
Paralia Kalami
Limnionas Beach
ANTIKΕΣ Antique Store
Where to Stay in Milopotamos
💰💰 Athena Hotel
💰💰💰 Entire House near Aroniadika
4. Diakofti
The port of Diakofti is easily the one of the most striking ports you’ll ever arrive in. If you’re visiting Kythira for a short trip of only two or three days, staying in Diakofti will maximise your time.
Particularly if you do not have a car, enjoying Diakofti locally and its tremendous beaches is the best solution. Diakofti is also only 15 minutes away from the island’s airport.
Attractions Near Diakofti
Paralia Diakofti
The Shipwrecked Fishermen of Kithira and Nordland Shipwreck
Aphrodite Hiking Trail
Church of St George
Where to Stay in Diakofti
💰 Athena Kythera or Agnadi Studios
💰💰 Sirene Villas or Hotel Porto Diakofti
💰💰💰 Kythira Golden Resort or SempreViva Sea Houses
5. Agía Pelagia
The most classic beach town on Kythira can be experienced by staying in or near Agía Pelagia. Agía Pelagia is also especially suitable if you’re travelling with children.
The town’s main beach offers umbrellas for rent, sand and a shallow entrance into the water. You’ll also find activities to keep the entire family entertained such as boat charters.
Attractions Near Agía Pelagia
Kakia Lagada Gorge
Firi Ammos (Ag. Pelagia)
Paralia Agia Pelagia
Marina Agia Pelagia
Amir Ali Springs
Where to Stay in Agía Pelagia
💰 Stella’s Houses or Agias Pelagias Little Beach House
💰💰 Pantonia Apartments or Venardos Hotel
💰💰💰 Castri Village Kythira Quality Resort or Kythea Resort
6. Potamos
Potamos is Kythira’s largest town, which comparatively isn’t saying too much but it’s the closest thing to a city center. Along the main road which runs through Potamos, you’ll find a handful of shops, restaurants and even trendy bars.
Since it is not on the coast, accommodation in this town tends to be much cheaper. Your chance of scoring a great deal is high if you have your own car to get to the beach from Potamos.
Attractions Near Potamos
Palaiochora
Paralia Likodimou
Moudari Lighthouse
Firrogi Winery and Distillery
Where to Stay in Potamos
💰 Porphyra or The Stone House
💰💰💰 Domus Arch Suites or Olive Cottage
How to Get To Kythira Island
Reaching the many spectacular Kythira hotels and beaches is fairly straightforward for hopeful visitors. Getting to Kythera can be accomplished by both ferry (with or without a vehicle) and by plane.
By ferry, the quickest route departs from the town of Neapoli which sits on the southern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula. The ferry journey to Diakofti port on Kythera takes 1.5 hours.
🗺 Read More: How to Get to Kythira
Additional ferry routes to Kythira are available, but only in peak season. The ferry from Athens to Kythira and the ferry from Crete (Kissamos) to Kythira are also convenient ways to reach the island.
The most direct flight path to reach Kythera is from Athens. Other than this, the island’s airport does not welcome international flights and rarely sees flights from other Greek islands.
Although additional flights are added in the summer, the most reliable flight option to Kythira is the one departing Athens.
✈️ BOOK NOW: Cheap flights to Kithira Airport
What to Do in Kythira
Enjoy the Dreamy Beaches
Kythira is a remote island when compared to the booming islands of the east and in the northwest. Due to its secluded stature, it’s not an island for those looking for the hippest beach clubs or bar filled promenades. Kythira is above all, an ideal island for relaxing.
You’ll be surrounded by peace and quiet, nature and most importantly, beautiful Kythira beaches. Undoubtedly, the best things to do in Kythira revolve around its coastline.
For anyone looking to spend their entire holiday at the beach, Kythira is the perfect destination. The beaches alone are gorgeous but when you factor in the absence of crowds, it makes them that much more delightful.
🌊 Read More: The Best Kythira Beaches
See the Interesting Historical Sites
For days not spent at the beach, Kythira offers a great number of historical sights to visit. It’s been said the beginning of Kythira dates back to the New Stone Age, which means the island is unquestionably steeped in culture and history.
There are many ruins and even entirely abandoned villages which still stand on Kythira island.
At some point in time, Kithira has been occupied by a vast number of different empires. You’ll find remaining influences of Roman, Venetian and Byzantine civilisation sprinkled throughout the island.
Most notably, Cythera is renowned for being the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love.
Try the Remarkable Food
One of the beauties of visiting a lesser known island like Kythira is its authenticity. Personally, there is nothing that irks us more than visiting a place filled with places to eat that are plainly geared towards mass tourism.
Thankfully, you’ll find that a majority of the restaurants on Kythira serve traditional food that has not been watered down. Each restaurant we tried on Kythira was absolutely fantastic, regardless if we could even read the menu or not!
Without a doubt, one of the best things to do in Kythira is to simply eat.
Where to Eat in Kythira
Skandeia Restaurant
This restaurant was recommended to us by our host, near the town of Avlemonas. Skandeia serves local and traditional dishes, some which we’ve never seen on a menu anywhere else in Greece. The restaurant itself is beautiful with indoor and outdoor seating plus a few friendly resident dogs.
Platanos Restaurant
We stumbled upon the picturesque outdoor terrace of Platanos while wandering through Milopotamos. The food here is simple, inexpensive and the absolute best meal we ate on the entire island. The local sausages and cheese pies sprinkled with honey and sesame seeds are particularly exceptional.
Karavas Bakery
This bakery is found on the north end of the island and offers everything from salty, crunchy to sweet and soft treats. Along with picking up snacks for a beach day, Karavas Bakery also makes for the perfect gift shopping stop.
One thing that really stood out to us at Karavas Bakery was the limited ingredients listed on the packaging. It seemed like all the products were simply made from 2-3 items but yet were so delicious!
Mihalis Taverna
The food at Mihalis Taverna is terrific but what you really want to come here for is the view. Together, the meal and panoramic view of the valley below make for one of the most scenic and memorable meals you’ll have on Kythira.
Enjoy a cold beer, listen to the wind and practice ordering a dakos salad in Greek.
Souvlike
There are only a handful of “main roads” on Kythira and Souvlike conveniently sits on one of them. We drove by many times, always noticing that a happy customer was leaving Souvlike with a juicy gyro wrap in their hand. For a quick, affordable and unpretentious bite to eat without any fuss, this is the spot.
Kythira Travel Resources
☔️ TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA or VisitorsCoverage
✈️ FLIGHTS: Skyscanner, CheapOair or Kiwi.com
🚙 CAR RENTALS: Discover Cars or Rentalcars.com
🚊 TRAINS & BUSES: Busbud, Trainline or Omio
🛳 FERRIES: Direct Ferries
🛌 ACCOMMODATION: Booking.com, Agoda or Trivago
☎️ ESIM / CELL PHONE DATA: Airalo
📸 TOURS & ACTIVITIES: GetYourGuide or Viator