AntikytheraIonian Islands · Greece

All About Antikythera

Remote and secluded with a population of around 30-40 inhabitants, this tiny island is known the world over for the two astounding archaeological discoveries salvaged from a nearby shipwreck in 1900. Back then, sponge divers accidentally came across the mysterious ‘Antikythera Mechanism’ (a kind of ancient analog computer, created over 2,000 years ago) and the spectacular bronze boy statue dating back to 340 BCE. Antikythera lies halfway between the western Crete, the larger island of Kythira, and the Peloponnese region, coming under the Attica prefecture. Just 20.43 square kilometers in size, only a few tourists arrive on the island each year to explore its rare, wild beauty and to find total peace. The landscape of low hills, rich flora and fauna also include picturesque chapels, hidden caves, and ancient footpaths, making it ideal for hikers and nature lovers. The island has few beaches and very little infrastructure but is a hotspot for birdwatchers who are keen to observe the many migratory species that frequent the area.

There is evidence of life on Antikythera dating back to the late Neolithic period and early Bronze Age (4000-3000 BCE). The Minoans most likely used the island as a navigational point and it was often favored as a hideout for pirates from Crete. Then came the Romans, Arabian pirates, and the Venetians, who built a small garrison there. Cretan fugitives fleeing the Ottomans eventually settled on the island and it even passed into English sovereignty in 1815. A place of exile for political insurgents, it eventually became part of Greece in 1864 and fell to Italian and then German control during WWII. After the Greek civil war, the island again became a place where political exiles were sent until 1964. From the 1980s onwards, the islanders saw the building of a new harbor, paved roads, and heliport as well as the introduction of electricity, telephone lines, and a water supply network.
 

Routes and Ferries to Antikythera

You can book your ferry tickets with Ferryscanner to the island of Antikythera from the port of Piraeus. Companies such as Seajets complete the journey in around 9 hours and you can also sail from Kythira, which takes about 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can depart from Gythion (5 hours) or Neopoli (4.5 hours), both in Laconia, or from Kissamos in Crete (2 hours).

If you are flying into Athens International Airport and need transportation to the port of Piraeus, the X96 express bus will take you there directly. You can also travel by train to Monastiraki station in Athens and then take the connection to the Piraeus line. Alternatively, you can opt for a 40-minute taxi ride from the Athens airport to the port of Piraeus.
 

Ports of Antikythera

There is only one port on the island of Antikythera, which serves the ferry lines going to and from Piraeus, Kythira, and Kissamos. The port of Potamos is a very small bay where most of the island’s population are settled. Here you will find very few amenities there apart from a handful of rooms to rent, a small hotel, a medical center, and the police station. The port is a lifeline for the island’s residents as it is their only source of supplies, which are often cut off during winter due to ships being unable to sail.
 

Capital & Villages

The island has no other villages to speak of apart from Potamos. The tiny settlements of Galaniana and Charchaliana are scattered on the mountainside and the locals still rely on fishing, agriculture, and cattle breeding for a living. Potamos sits in a natural harbor and caters to the visiting ferries, as well as providing shelter for the local fishing boats. There is only one tavern and a kafeneion (coffee shop) in Potamos that also operates as a mini-market. Most island life happens here so enjoy the untouched simplicity of this very peaceful getaway.
 

Best Beaches

Antikythera has a few pristine beaches to the north of the island that boast sparkling waters in peaceful surroundings. Each one is within close distance of the other and all offer stunning untouched beauty in immaculately clean waters.

Potamos Beach

Also known as Chalara, this is the beach you will find to the left of the port upon your arrival. A small strip with a mix of pebbles and sand, it is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the magical tranquillity of this secluded island.

Kamarela Beach

Kamarela beach can be found in an area of outstanding beauty, with its turquoise waters and sculpted rock formations invoking the true essence of serenity. In order to get there, you will need to turn at the intersection to Charchaliana, where you will follow a dirt road as you pass the island’s helipad. The beach will eventually appear below and you can descend the slopes to dive into its emerald waters.

Xiropotamos Beach

There is a good road leading to Xiropotamos beach in the north of the island, although the beach itself is a small slit of dark shingle and sand flanked by verdant rocks, making it a wind-free haven. The area was often used by pirates wanting to seek shelter and hide their ships. You can still imagine them peering out to the blue horizon in order to spot oncoming vessels laden with loot as you relax on this pristine beach.
 

Things To Do

For such a tiny, unspoiled island, Antikythera has a long and intriguing history, remnants of which can still be seen or felt by visitors. From ancient castle ruins to forlorn lighthouses, take time to explore the island’s torrid past as you walk around its small highways and coastal byways.

The Temple Of Apollo

As you head towards the bay of Xeropotomos, you will find the site of the Temple of Apollo near the ancient harbor of Aegila. As well as still having some of the stones used to tie ships back then, excavations in 1880 also revealed a marble statue dedicated to Apollo. Remains of a temple to the god were also discovered and parts of the wall that encircled the temple can still be seen in the harbor today.

The Castle

Explore the island’s ancient walled city or ‘kastro’, once the stronghold of ancient Aegila, which can be found to the north of the island above the bay of Xeropotamos. The ruins cover about 75 acres and probably housed 800-1000 inhabitants at the beginning of the 3rd century BCE. You can still see the 6-meter high walls and an inclined slipway carved out of rock where warships were probably stored. Most of the archaeological objects recovered in the area reveal the island’s warring past, with stone projectiles from small catapults, arrowheads, and lead sling-shots being found.

Ancient Settlement

The tiny settlement of Charchaliana was said to have been inhabited during the fourth or fifth century AD and you can visit the site to learn more about the artifacts that remain from that period, including several graves and early wine presses or depressions carved into the rock.

Watermill

You will find a wonderfully preserved two-hundred-year-old watermill at Potamos, known as the ‘Watermill of Andronicos’. It was probably built at the beginning of the 19th century and usually functioned during the winter. Built from cut sandstone, its cistern is still intact and had a capacity of 60-70 cubic meters of water, which was filled from the nearby spring. There are also five nineteenth-century windmills dotted around the island.

Lighthouse

The lighthouse of Cape Apolytares can be found by following a magical path to the southernmost tip of the island. Built in 1926, it is an impressive monument and there are footpaths to the lighthouse from Katsaneviana and Galaniana. It remained unmanned from 1987 until 2004 when the Ministry of National Defence decided to renovate it and bring back the lighthouse keepers.

Churches

There are seven charismatic little churches on Antikythera: three in Potamos (Saint Charalambos, Saint Nicholas, and the twin churches of the Virgin Mary and Saint Dionisios). The church of Saint Constantine and Helen sits at Pateriana and the church of Saint George is in Katsaneviana. A mountainside church at Galaniana is dedicated to the Prophet Elias, while another is dedicated to Saint Myron, patron saint of the island. The latter also houses a precious icon of the saint found by Cretan visitors at a time when the island was uninhabited.

Antikythera Bird Observatory

This non-profit organization is run by the Hellenic Ornithological Society (a BirdLife partner) and its key objectives are to monitor and study bird migration on the island and in the larger area. Researchers and volunteers study the comings and goings of more than 200 species of birds all year round and if you are lucky, you may spot one of the many Eleonora’s Falcons which come here to breed.
 

Transportation Around Antikythera

Although the island has good roads, it really isn’t necessary to use any form of transport other than your legs to get around. Walking is probably the best way to explore the wild nature and rugged coastline of Antikythera and have access to the beaches. You may be able to venture to some of its closed coves by the sea with a local and also visit the lighthouse at Apolytares, weather permitting.