* General rule for data mobile in all Dodecanese: ensure you are not connected to Turkcell or any other Turkish operator while on international roaming. The proximity to Turkey causes often your mobile network to connect to the Turkish operator instead of the Greek one. As Turkey is not in the EU, the costs for using its mobile data with an EU sim card are extremely high, so make sure your roaming is off while in the Dodecanese with a Greek (or European) sim card.
Kastellorizo is a very remote island of Dodecanese, famous for its history and its beauty. A little gem meters away from the Turkish coast that had been on our bucket list for a long time and even so, it exceeded our expectations!
How to get there
You can get to Kastellorizo on Monday and Friday in summer from Rhodes (3 hours) and some other islands of Dodecanese, or by plane (from Rhodes, again). The island is right next to Turkey, so it can be also reached on a day trip from the Turkish city Kas.
How to move around
Kastelorizo is very small, literally 2 roads. So you do not need any transportation as you can walk anywhere. You could rent a scooter if you wanna reach some places in the interior of the island (or the monastery) but we didn’t.
Internet in Kastellorizo
We stayed at Stefanos hotel and wifi was quite okay there. Out of the hotel, we connected to the internet with our small router with a Cosmote sim card and we did not have any issues.
What to see
The real beauty of Kastelorizo is the village itself with its colorful houses. Strolling through the main road while looking at sea turtles (yes! You will most likely see them) is the main activity you will do 🙂
There are “beaches” on the island but you can swim in the Megisti hotel or from the bar next to the port. (Faros)The blue calm waters of Kastelorizo are paradise on earth!
Boat trip
We highly recommend taking one of the boat trips and go see the Blue Grotto (impressive sea cave), the Ro island (an island that was inhabited until a few years ago only by Ro – her story is quite curious) and the Agios Georgios island (a tiny island with a taverna and sun umbrellas where you can relax all day swimming in incredible waters).
Museum
There are 2 museum in Kastellorizo. One is the Archaeological museum and the other is located in the old mosque. This last one is particularly interesting because it will show you the troubled history of the island with a well curated video.
Where to eat
Meltemi is you go-to place for breakfast. Good food, good coffee and good service.
For fresh fish, we recommend Alexandra’s – make sure you reserve a table if you want to go in peak hours. In both these places you can spot sea turtles passing by as you eat 🙂
If you are on a budget, there are a couple of gyro places that do their job quite decently.
Last thoughts on Kastellorizo
Kastellorizo is a bit of an expensive (and small) island, so do not plan on spending a long time there. However, its rich history and its beauty are surely a reason to spend a few days just soaking in the magic of this island. We stayed for 3 nights and found it sufficient. Also, the ferry service that arrives on Friday and leaves on Monday makes it perfect for a weekend break.
