The Lady of Ro
For decades, Despina Achladioti raised the Greek flag alone every morning on the barren islet of Ro. A quiet, tireless guardian of the border.
Explore the island
Pick a point on the map or in the list
Waterfront
The Harbour
1/15
Colourful neoclassical mansions mirrored in the natural harbour.
Scan the QR on-site to auto-play
Trails
The new municipal trail network, digitally
Palaiokastro route
To the Doric acropolis and its chapels, through the island's interior.
GPS file (GPX)To Navlakas
A demanding route to the fjord for experienced hikers — with a swim at the end.
GPS file (GPX)“Europe starts here.”
The easternmost point of Greece, just two nautical miles from the coast of Asia Minor, where the harbour turns ochre, pink and blue with every sunset. Barely 500 residents keep this edge of the continent alive, one generation after the next.
An Oscar born here
In the island's blue waters and stone alleys, Gabriele Salvatores filmed “Mediterraneo,” which won the 1992 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
A story of 2,400 years
Drag the divider: the harbour then and now
~1910 · 10,000 residentsToday · ~500 residents4th c. BCAncient Megisti
A Doric acropolis at Palaiokastro; the Lycian Tomb is carved into the rock.
1306–1440Knights of St John
The Castello Rosso is built — the 'red castle' that names the island.
1522Ottoman period
Centuries of maritime prosperity; the island's fleet plies the eastern Mediterranean.
~1910The great peak
The population reaches 10,000 — one of the region's wealthiest harbours.
1943–44War & evacuation
Bombing, evacuation and the great fire; the islanders scatter across the world.
1948Union with Greece
The Dodecanese — and Megisti — are formally united with Greece.
1991'Mediterraneo'
The film is shot here and wins the Foreign Film Oscar — the island becomes famous.
TodayMegisti today
~500 residents, thousands of 'Kazzies' abroad in Australia, and visitors worldwide.
Historical archive
Moments from the island's past
Do you have an old family photo from the island? Help us build our shared archive.
Send a photoEvents
The island's summer, month by month
21May
Feast of Saints Constantine & Helen
A village feast day with vespers, treats and live traditional music in the church courtyard.
10July
Music night at the harbour
The municipal orchestra and guest musicians play beneath the harbour lights, with the boats as backdrop.
20July
Feast of Profitis Ilias
Locals climb to the chapel for vespers, with views to the Turkish coast, and descend by lantern light.
7March
Reunification Memorial Day
An official ceremony marking the 1948 union of the Dodecanese with Greece, with a service and speeches.
15August
Kastellorizo Summer Festival
Three evenings of traditional dance, local food stalls and music, built around the Feast of the Assumption.
Taste guide
Four flavours that define the island
Stravomakarouna
Hand-rolled pasta twisted around a knitting needle, served with caramelised onions and grated cheese.
Where to find itAt the harbour restaurants, year-round
Stuffed goat
A festive dish: young goat stuffed with rice, liver and herbs, slow-roasted in the oven.
Where to find itAt the island's feast days and celebrations
Melekouni
A sesame-and-honey sweet from the Dodecanese, cut into diamonds — traditionally served at weddings and christenings.
Where to find itAt the local sweet shops and village feasts
Fresh fish at the harbour
Whatever the day's catch brings — often bream, red mullet or sea bass — grilled simply with oil and oregano.
Where to find itAt the taverns along the quay, depending on the catch
Build your itinerary
Indicative itinerary — adjusts to actual sailing/flight times.
Arrival: 09:00
Day 13 stops
- 09:00 – 12:00
- 12:00 – 15:00
- 15:00 – 17:00
Getting here
Three ways to Megisti
By plane
Rhodes → Megisti
~40 min
- Olympic Air, 3–5 flights per week
- The airstrip is 10 min from the harbour
By ferry
Piraeus / Rhodes → Megisti
~2.5 h
- Blue Star from Piraeus (via Rhodes)
- Dodekanisos Seaways from Rhodes · more sailings in summer
Day boat
Kaş → Megisti
20 min
- Daily boats in the summer season
- Passport required — Schengen entry point
PracticalMedical centre · +30 22460 49267Port authority · +30 22460 49333Municipality · +30 22460 49269Police · +30 22460 49333
Sailings & flights this week
Ferries, flights and the Kaş day boat — a look at the week
Blue Star Ferries
Piraeus ↔ Megisti2 sailings/week, via the Rhodes/Dodecanese island line
MonTue17:00WedThuFri17:00SatSun
Dodekanisos Seaways
Rhodes ↔ MegistiHigh-speed catamaran, same-day return — more frequent in summer
Mon09:00TueWed09:00ThuFriSat09:00Sun
return: 16:00
Olympic Air
Rhodes (JKL) ↔ MegistiDaily except Sunday
Mon10:15Tue10:15Wed10:15Thu10:15Fri10:15Sat10:15Sun
Kaş day boat
Kaş (Türkiye) ↔ MegistiSummer season, daily — passport required
Mon10:00Tue10:00Wed10:00Thu10:00Fri10:00Sat10:00Sun10:00
return: 18:00
Indicative schedules — always confirm with the agencies before travelling.
Where to stay
A small, indicative selection — the island has many more options
Hotel
Megisti Hotel
Harbour
A modern hotel right on the harbour, facing the colourful mansions.
Hotel
Hotel Kastellorizo
Harbour
A small, family-run hotel by the water, in the heart of town.
Apartments
Poseidon Apartments
Harbour
Self-catering apartments a few steps from the harbourfront cafés.
Apartments
Mediterraneo Studios
Mandraki
Quiet studios above the second cove, away from the bustle.
Traditional mansion
Αρχοντικό Χωραφίων
Horafia
A restored 19th-century mansion with stone arches and a courtyard.
The Municipality does not broker bookings — contact accommodations directly.
The island in pictures
A stroll for the eyes — tap to enlarge
Panorama 180°
The island at a glance — from Palaiokastro to the harbour.
drag to explorePhoto: Camcool11 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The Kazzies — Megisti's world
Roots that travelled, ties that stayed
In 1943, with the island under bombardment and a devastating fire soon after, nearly all of Megisti's residents were evacuated to the Middle East and never fully returned. Thousands ended up in Australia, where they built communities that still call themselves "Kazzies" today — an affectionate shortening of "Kastellorizian." Their descendants, many generations removed from the island, come back every summer in search of their roots.
≈10.000residents in 1910
≈500residents today
10.000+Kazzies in Australia
Family names of the island
Find your rootsΠαλάσσηςΜαλαξόςΚακάκηςΛουκάςΣαντραπέςΜαγκλήςΠλατρίτηςΧαλκιάςΚομνηνόςΒενέτηςΚρητικόςΨαρός
The figures and names below are indicative, for the purposes of this prototype.
The Municipality of Megisti
The institution keeping the frontier island alive — close to residents and visitors alike
Kastellorizo does not simply offer holidays — it offers an authentic experience that stays engraved in your memory. With the new digital platform we open our island's window to Greece and to the whole world.
Projects & initiativesMunicipal trail network 2026Waymarked routes opening the island's interior to hikers.Digital QR audio guides 2025QR codes at the points of interest, narrating their story in multiple languages.'Smart Islands' conference 2025The island hosted the 2nd International Conference on smart Mediterranean islands.Official informationkastellorizo.gov.gr — official website & e-servicesMegisti Town Hall · Kastellorizo, 851 11 · +30 22460 49269
A marine treasure
Rare species live in the crystal-clear waters around the island
Caretta caretta
Sea turtles nesting in the crystal-clear waters.
Monachus monachus
The rare Mediterranean monk seal shelters here.
Ready for Kastellorizo
Plan your trip to the edge of the Aegean
Flights, ferries, trails and sights — all in one interactive guide, ready before you set off.