
Kastellorizo, the tiny Greek island gem
These days, Kastellorizo attracts a cosmopolitan creative set looking for seclusion, serenity and the liberating simplicity afforded by an island where beauty is everywhere but very little to do. Only one tarmac road connects the tiny airstrip to the harbour town. There’s just one taxi, but everything is accessible on foot or by boat.
There is no nightlife to speak of, though dinner party invitations are highly prized among the artists and patrons who have handsomely restored summer houses on the island. Art collector Silvia Fiorucci has even created three artist residencies, including 4Rooms, with technicolour rooms designed by five different designers. The designer Michael Anastassiades is designing his own home in collaboration with Bijoy Jain, the cosmic architect behind Studio Mumbai. In late August, filmmakers from far and wide come for Beyond Borders, a documentary film festival with a cult following.
You have to lie down flat to squeeze through the opening of this sea cave, but suddenly, you’re floating inside a dome of liquified blue light. Swimming through the cave is akin to an out-of-body experience, even when other excitable visitors are bobbing around you. Allegedly, the cave is home to a resident seal, as elusive as the Loch Ness monster. Access is only possible when the sea is calm.
Swimming
There are basically no beaches (sandy or otherwise) on Kastellorizo, and yet swimming, snorkelling and messing about in boats are some of the best things to do here. You can dive straight into the sea from the pier at Faros or Mandraki, another natural harbour just around the headland from the ferry dock – you might find yourself swimming with the turtles who lie in wait near the seafood tavernas. Or follow footpaths to remote swimming holes like Plakes, with flat limestone rock formations for sunbathing.
St George’s Island
Cruise over to the tiny islet of St George, whose rocky coastline is ideal for snorkelling. The island is uninhabited apart from a simple beach bistro run by a Greek-Turkish couple, Tsikos and Hurigul. The short menu blurs culinary boundaries, withgozleme(stuffed Turkish flatbread) served alongside Greek salad and club sandwiches.
Website:saintgeorgebeach.gr
There’s more excellent swimming and snorkelling around the equally tiny island of Ro (home to a small Greek military base, a lighthouse keeper and two castaway coves), but you’ll need to take your own provisions. You can rent your own boat, take a sea taxi or book an organised trip with the excellent local travel outfit, Visit Kastellorizo.
Monastery of Saint George of the Mountain
With its stunning mosaic floors and intricately carved iconostasis, this fortified monastic complex is totally worth the stiff hike up 400-odd steps carved into the rocky hillside above the harbour. The monastery is usually locked, but Yorgos, the island’s only taxi driver, has the key if you want to explore the secret crypt under the church. If you keep walking over the headland, you’ll reach Paleokastro, the ancient acropolis at the island’s highest peak, and the ultimate perch to watch the sun setting over Turkey.
Museum of Puzzles
Like many locals, Pantazis Houlis is Greek-Australian: he was born in Perth but grew up on Kastellorizo. A mathematician, Houlis is both a collector and inventor of puzzles; many of the 4000 puzzles he owns are on display at his highly interactive and entertaining Museum of Puzzles, where visitors can test their brainpower. Houlis also leads walking tours around the island.
Kastellorizo Historical Collection
This small museum is easy to spot: it’s housed in a mosque whose minaret punctuates the waterfront in the old Ottoman quarter. Household objects, folk art, costumes and archival documents tell the story of the island’s 19th- and 20th-century history—a long tussle for control by the Greeks, Ottomans, French, British, and Italians. Look out for the small, domed hammam nearby, beautifully renovated by restoration specialists Ifo architects.
Ta Platania
With its gingham tablecloths and wooden chairs set beneath trees twinkling with fairy lights, the adorable taverna Ta Planatnia on Saint George’s Square looks like a film set. In fact, some scenes in Gabriele Salvatores’ Oscar-winning film Mediterraneo were shot here. The taverna also served as the crew’s canteen. Order the octopus stifado, slow-roast goat and stuffed onions (a local delicacy), all cooked with love by three local women.
Alexandra’s
Many regulars swear Alexandra’s is the best seafood restaurant on Kastellorizo. Once you’ve tried the gill-to-tail catch of the day, prepared multiple ways by chef-patron Michalis Papoutsis, you’re likely to agree.
Lazarakis
A popular lunch spot for the smart yacht set, Lazarakis is the most well-known of the harborside fish restaurants. Go for baby Symi shrimps, grilled octopus, lobster linguine or whole grilled fish, paired with a list of crisp Greek wines. “Imperative: book a table on the jetty,” says Marie Rivalant. She should know: the owner, Georgios Lazarakis, is her husband.
Old Story, Old Time
Less fancy and more authentic than many of Kastellorizo’s waterfront restaurants, this friendly, family-run taverna is honestly priced. The fish soup, roast goat, and dolmades (stuffed vine leaves) are especially delicious.
Faros
At the entrance of Kastellorizo harbour, near the mosque, this mellow beach bar is perfect for horizontal afternoons, dipping in and out of the sea from the quayside daybeds. It’s a popular spot for sunset cocktails, too.