Kithira is an island that sits on its own at the foot of the Peloponnese and is awkward to reach. There are daily flights form Athens, and in summer several ferries or hydrofoils per week from the Peloponnese.

In part Kithira owes its fortunes, or lack of them, to rough seas. The difficulty of negotiating these waters was a prime reason for the opening of the Corinth Canal in late nineteenth century. Although few visitors reach the island there are numerous attractions.

The capital is Chora. Whitewashed buildings cluster on a hillside above the harbour, leading up toward the domineering walls of a hugely impressive fortress, which seems almost as big as the town itself.