Castelorizzo, Greece

a Greek island in front of Türkiye, June 2022

By Francisco Morais

June 19^th, 2022

A Day in Kastellorizo: Greece’s Easternmost Gem

Our morning began before sunrise in Kas, boarding a small boat bound for Kastellorizo. As the Turkish coast slipped from view, the Aegean’s glassy surface caught dawn’s first light, hinting at the island’s hidden charms just two kilometres ahead.

Kastellorizo or Castellorizo (Καστελλόριζο), officially Megisti (Μεγίστη Megísti), is a Greek island and municipality of the Dodecanese in the Eastern Mediterranean. It lies roughly 2 kilometres off the south coast of Turkey, about 570 km southeast of Athens and 125 km east of Rhodes, almost halfway between Rhodes and Antalya, and 280 km northwest of Cyprus.Kastellorizo is part of the Rhodes regional unit.

Disembarking at Megisti’s pastel-hued harbour, we stepped into a pocket of Mediterranean calm. Narrow alleys wove between neoclassical facades and whitewashed walls, each corner opening onto sea vistas framed by bougainvillea in full bloom. The air smelled of salt, citrus, and simmering mussels in seaside tavernas.

At midday, we boarded a small boat for a five-minute hop to a tiny islet just offshore. There, a simple wooden jetty led us into crystalline waters. We anchored, shared a chilled glass of local white wine beneath the sun, then slipped into the sea’s inviting blue for a swim. The water was so transparent that schools of silvery fish swirled around us, and the quiet cove felt like a private oasis.

Back at the harbour, lunch unfolded on a shaded terrace. Grilled octopus, drizzled with olive oil and lemon, paired with a crisp Greek salad and local rosé. The clink of glasses and lapping waves provided a soundtrack to simple luxury. As afternoon waned, we wandered to the Church of Agios Georgios. Its blue dome stood out against the sky, and inside, icons glowed under flickering candles. A final espresso in a sun-drenched courtyard felt like a benediction—intimate, bright, and deeply Greek.

Retracing our wake, the return journey carried golden light across the water. By evening, Kas reappeared on the horizon, but Kastellorizo’s gentle magic stayed with us—a reminder that the smallest islands often leave the largest impressions.