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Keys to Heaven: Unlock Kythira’s monasteries
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Keys to Heaven: Unlock Kythira’s monasteries
Kythira, Ionian Islands, Greece
Journeys for Culture Lovers
Majestic Mother Nature
About this experience
Highlights
- Satisfy your wanderlust with private visits to three of Kythira’s main monasteries Agia Elesa (near Livadi), Panagia Myrtidiotissa (near Kalokairines) and Agia Moni (near Diakofti)
- Learn about customs and traditions of the Greek Orthodox religion, the country’s leading faith
- Enrich your experience with the stories and insights that your destination angel, an art historian, shares with you
- Find yourself in unforgettable settings, on top of rocky plateaus, on cliffsides, amongst rolling hills and ravines
- Stand stunned at the views of where three seas meet
- Sit back and enjoy local flavours at a traditional village kafeneio in Mylopotamos, beneath the rustling branches of plane trees
Description
If you think the most extraordinary part of this experience is that your destination angel holds the key to one of the three monasteries on the island, you may be right. You’ll get to go where others do not set foot. But there is a lot more magic in this experience than that. The keys are just the beginning. Set off on an ideal journey for lovers of culture, history, and secluded spots. We visit three monasteries of Kythira, each with their own history, each connected with a religious miracle. You will also have the opportunity to visit the quarters of the pilgrims who stay in each monastery.
We will start with a visit to St. Elesa Monastery, which seems to rise up from a hill surrounded by a lush pine forest. In the 4th century, a young woman named Elesa, escaped from her family in the Peloponnese. She wanted to devote her life to Christianity, a concept which to her pagan family, and especially her father, was unacceptable. Failing to convince her otherwise, and being unable to live with the shame of her devotion to one god, her father beheaded her. It is at the spot of this murder that the monastery now stands. Dedicated to the insistent believer, who escaped her pagan family to devote her life to Christianity, the monastery stands at an elevation of 450 meters, along the southwest coast of Kythira. It is a popular destination for religious pilgrims, especially around St. Elesa’s day, celebrated on August 1st. The main church was built in 1871 and the views and spiritual vibes you’ll get at the site are unforgettable.
From here we will move on to Panagia Myrtidiotissa, Kythira’s most significant religious destination, located on the west coast of the island. The icon of Our Lady of the Myrtle (Panagia Myrtidiotissa) is believed to be one of miracles. Legend has it that the Virgin Mary appeared in as a vision to a shepherd and told him that he will find an icon in a bush of myrtle, and no matter how many times he removes it from the bush, he will always find it there again. And yes, you guessed it, the icon is here, on the monastery’s grounds, at the temple of the Virgin Mary, right where the shepherd found it in the myrtle. Your destination angel will tell you about the three miracles of the Virgin Mary, as ascribed to in the Greek Orthodox faith. Your destination angel will fill you in on the three miracles associated with the Panagia (Virgin Mary). But this place isn’t completely all about religion.
There is plenty of nature to wonder at, as the church and the bell tower lay in the midst of a beautifully groomed garden. Here, the monastery caretaker will show you objects made by candles that show the strong belief of the pilgrims visiting the monastery. After you’ve satisfied your intellectual hunger for knowledge, we will drive to the charming village of Mylopotamos to satisfy your physical one. On the central square, beneath the shady branches of plane trees, Platanos taverna has set its tables. A mother-daughter duo, Katina and Kalliopi, deftly cook up a delicious meal. Prepare yourself for local treats such as “psomoladea”, a traditional salad of Kythira, made with its famous olive oil rusks and a main course of slow-roasted goat in lemon sauce. After our appetites are satisfied, we will head to the third monastery on our list, that of Agia Moni. Standing on the island’s east coast, close to the port of Diakofti, this monastery also bears the dedication to the Virgin Mary.
For it was here that in the late 1700s, another shepherd found an icon wrapped in cloth. It was of the Virgin Mary and St. George, and the inscription read ‘our only hope’ and legend has it that shortly thereafter, lightning struck and destroyed everything around the icon but the icon itself. It is here where pilgrims come to fast and pray for 15 days before the holiday of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on August 15th, secluded in their cells. In more recent and non-reputable history, the leader of the Greek War of Independence, Theodoros Kolokotronis, stayed in the monastery that was built in 1776 but found in dire condition. He vowed to rebuild it once Greece was liberated from the Ottomans and indeed kept his promise in 1849, and the result is what you will see before you today. Our last stop will be at a small candle factory on these grounds, with beautiful creations by Father Giorgios.
Experience Details
What is included
Your English speaking destination angel
Entrance Fees
Drinks (wine, beer and bottled water)
Lunch
What is not included
Gratuities
Personal expenses
Beverage/drinks other the ones mentioned
Things you need to know
General Terms and Conditions
General Terms and Conditions
Before proceeding with the final booking, customer has to agree on applicable terms and conditions
Payment terms
Payment terms
For payment terms click here
Deadline for reservations
The latest deadline for submitting your booking request is 4 days before the desired date
Restrictions that might influence the operation
As per terms and conditions (extraordinary cancelations)
This experience is subject to weather conditions, (rain- strong winds)
Prepare for the experience
Know before you go
- Walking duration: Approximately 2 hrs
- Difficulty level: easy
- It is important to know in advance if the guests have any food allergies/dietary requirements
- Good physical condition & sturdy and comfortable shoes are required
- Guests must be without heart, lungs or breathing health problems
Starting time
09:30 am
What to bring
- Comfortable trecking shoes, sunglasses, sun protection cream, hat and loose fitted clothing
NOT suitable
- Wheelchair users / People with mobility impairments
- Pregnant women
- Children under 12 years
Meeting point
Pierros taverna main street Livadi