Vasilis Papanikolaou takes us on a beautiful drone flight over Paleochora and the Kakia Lagkada Gorge. Read what he has to say about it and watch the video:
«On today's outing, we're heading to a mysterious place! On the island of Kythira, full of surprises, there is a deep gorge—impressive and rugged, almost inaccessible, and about meters long—the Kaki Lagkada Gorge. Stunning along its entire length, it is home to countless goats that make their way down every day to drink water from the small lake formed at its end, where the pebbly, crystal-clear beach of Kaki Lagkada is located. At the entrance to the gorge lies the island’s Byzantine capital, Paleochora, in a location that is imposing to say the least. Here, the ruins bear witness to how life came to an abrupt halt. Agios Dimitrios, as today’s Paleochora was once called, was built by the people of Monemvasia, a fact evident in the architecture, particularly that of the Church of Saint Barbara—the only structure that remains almost entirely intact— while the settlement had approximately 80 dwellings and 21 Byzantine churches at its peak. It was destroyed by Hayreddin Barbarossa in 1537, who attacked through the Kakí Lagkada Gorge, as well as from the opposite direction, and massacred the inhabitants.
During two morning walks, we’ll visit this area, which, in my personal opinion, is the most impressive part of Kythira. We’ll approach the area first from Agia Pelagia in the northeastern part of the island. Following a coastal and nearly flat route (just under 3 kilometers, passing through Fyri Ammo in Agia Pelagia, Lorenzos Beach, and Lagkada Beach, we’ll reach the exit of the gorge and the small but crystal-clear beach of Kaki Lagkada. This route is easy and suitable for everyone. It is mostly paved, with only a few meters of passable dirt road at the very end. The 360-degree view is breathtaking. The contrast between the view of the gorge—which plunges steeply into the sea—and the serene landscapes along the route is so striking that we believe it will remain unforgettable for you, just as it has for us. We didn’t attempt to cross the gorge—it seemed too dangerous—but the next day we drove up to Paleochora, which is accessible via a passable dirt road near the village of Potamos. For both of these spots, if you visit in the summer, we’d recommend going to Kaki Lagkada early in the morning and to Paleochora late in the afternoon or early in the morning, both to avoid the heat and because the light at those times flatters the landscapes more.
We hope you enjoy this aerial tour as much as we did, and that all of you who find yourselves in Kythira in the future will visit this unique area. Until our next adventure, take care, everyone!».
