Kastelorizo (Megisti), Dodecanese Islands

In brief
What is it that lends Kastellorizo its unique character? It could be the great distance cutting it off from the rest of Greece and the hair’s breadth of 800 meters (from cape to cape) separating it from Turkey. It could be the incomparable embrace of the harbour with the narrow street touching the deep, crystal clear water and the quite magnificent mansions. It’s a tiny place, but if you’re looking for that special something, you’ll uncover more than you ever thought possible.

General Information
Kastellorizo (or Megisti) is the Aegean’s easternmost island. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The Dorians who settled it later constructed fortified acropolises near the present day town and at Palaiokastro, where some ruins can still be seen. The name Kastellorizo comes from its castle, Castello Rosso (or red castle), erected by the Knights of St. John.
The island’s only settlement is Megisti, otherwise known as Kastellorizo, on the northeast coast. Its houses line the horseshoe-shaped port and climb up the foothills of the mountain behind it. The top of the mountain is crowned by the aforementioned castle, where Lambros Katsonis fought the Turks in 1788. 

The gracious two-storey neoclassical houses with their brightly painted doors and windows, wooden balconies and tile roofs on the waterfront and the majestic domes of the churches testify to the island’s former prosperity. A photograph in the Archaeological Museum will show you how many hundreds of houses there used to be. Most of them were destroyed by World War II bombs.
As you’ll easily confirm, it’s far lovelier than you imagined. “Mediterraneo”; an award winning film which was shot there, offers a slight tease of the magnificent scenes one might discover in there.

Sightseeing 
A striking feature of the islands only village, Megisti, is the brightly painted houses. This goes back to the Byzantine and Turkish time, when the colours of the house would display the status of its mistress.
In Megisti there is an archaeological/folklore museum worth a visit, as well as a few churches of special interest. The Church of Agios Constantinos and Eleni was built partly with materials from the ancient Apollo temple in 1835. The Church of Agios Nikolaos was built on top of the temple.

The Castle of the Knights dates back to the 14th century and was built on an ancient temple site. This castle gave the island its current name since it was built on red rocks: Castello Rosso. There are also some ancient ruins here, as well as the remains of a Turkish bath.
Parastras is a stalagmite cave worth a visit.

Beaches

Though there are no beaches as such on the island, you can take a little boat to the particularly beautiful blue grotto of Parasta, and there is excellent swimming from the rocks near the port. Boats are also on hand to take you to the nearby islets of Ro (6 n.mi. west) and Strongili (5 n.mi. southeast). Both islands have wonderful beaches. Ro became famous when its sole inhabitant, the lady of Ro, used to raise the Greek flag there every morning. 

Useful Information
How to get there
By sea from Piraeus
Piraeus Port Authority: +30 2104226000-4, +30 2104114005
By air from Athens
Olympic Airways: +30 2103550500

Useful telephone numbers Area Code: +30 22460
Municipality: 49232, 49269
Police: 49333
Port Authority: 49270
Olympic Airways: 49250
Health Center: 49267

http://www.megisti.gr