Page 185 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

A unique tomb
cut into the rock
at Kastellórizo

INSIDER TIP
Day Trip to
Turkey
The Kastellórizans do
their shopping and even
get their haircuts in Kaş,
just across the water in
Turkey. The most
reliable boat making the
crossing is the Meis
Express (www.meis
express.com/en/home).

You can walk from the
settlement Emborió to the
pebbly beaches of Trahía and
Gialí, below Horió, or more
ambitiously to Aréta on the World War I (when the French (completed during the 15th
north coast. Occasional held the island), enjoyed a century) enjoys spectacular
excursions go east to deserted brief 1930s revival as a views over nearby islets and
Alimiá island, where Germany seaplane stop on routes to the the Turkish coast. It was
berthed some submarines in Middle East. It was evacuated nicknamed the Red Castle
World War II. There are several during World War II and (Kastello Rosso) due to its
small chapels in the derelict devastated by looting and a reddish masonry, and the
village – abandoned in the July 1944 fuel dump explosion. moniker quickly got applied
1960s – and a ruined castle. Fortunes only really revived in to the entire island. Today,
1991 after Kastellórizo served the museum inside the castle
as the location for Oscar- displays lighthouse parts,
23 winning film Mediterraneo, frescoes and pottery.
A rubber-raft trip southeast
attracting numerous visitors.
Kastellórizo Now the quay of this back- from Kastellórizo town to the
Καστελλόριζο water bustles with tavernas spectacular Perastá Cave
and impromptu celebrations. should not be missed; the
~ 3 km (2 miles) S of Kastellórizo town (including large cave is famed for its
Kastellórizo town little Mandráki suburb) is the stalac tites and the eerie and
g Kastellórizo town island’s only settlement, with strange light effects on the
n 500 m (1,640 ft) N reputedly the best natural water. On a tour, you can
of port; 22460 49269
harbour between Mílos and some times hear (but not see)
Remote Kastellórizo is the Beirut. Above the town, the monk seals in an adjacent, but
most far-flung Greek island, half-ruined Knights’ castle inaccessible grotto.
just two nautical miles from
Kaş in Turkey but over 70 nau-
tical miles from Rhodes. VOTSALOTÓ MOSAICS
Known locally as Megísti (the These mosaics were used for floors in the Dodecanese
biggest), it is the largest of 14 from Byzantine times onwards. An exquisite art form as
islets. It was isolated until the well as a functional piece of architecture, they were
airport opened up tourism made from sea pebbles wedged together to form a
in 1987. Kastellórizo has no kaleidoscope of raised patterns. Kept wet, the mosaics
beaches, but its clear seas, full also helped to keep houses cool. Early examples featured
of marine life, are excellent for abstract, formal and mainly geometric designs such as
snorkelling. The local circles. Later on the decorations became more flam­

population has declined from boyant, with floral patterns and symbols depicting the
12,000 in the 19th century to lives of the house holders with ships, fish and trees.
just under 500 today. It was
shelled from Anatolia during
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