A Literary Guide to Memories That Fit in a Suitcase
Kythira is not just an island. It is a sensation. A slow breath among the cypress trees, the salt drying on the skin, the sun setting over the arches of Chora. And when the time comes to leave – because it always comes – there remains a need to take with you something more than photographs. To keep a piece of this land, something that smells of sea, olive oil and old grandmother. This guide is for those things that are not touristy. They are authentic local products of Kythira. And made with the hands and hearts of the Kytherians.
Faturada – The Grandmothers’ Liqueur
Faturada is not just a drink. It is a winter evening by the fireplace, stories told quietly, old glasses with designs. It is made from tsipouro, with orange, cinnamon, cloves and love. You can find it in beautiful glass bottles, as if a relative from the past gave it to you. A few sips are enough to bring you back to Kythira, even when you are far away.
Thyme Honey – The island’s sun in a jar
If you could capture the midday light on a dry hillside, that would be Kythira honey. The island’s thyme is strong, with a scent that fills the air and bees that work silently, on hills where time seems to have stopped. The result? An amber honey, thick and with a taste that stops you for a moment. Ideal for pouring over yogurt, bread or just a spoonful.
Olive rusks & traditional sweets – The island’s everyday life
The bakeries of Kythira don’t just bake bread. They bake memories.
The famous Kythera oil rusks, crispy and full of olive aroma, are the ideal accompaniment to a piece of cheese, a little tomato or just a little silence.
The aniseed rusks, lighter, have something of a breakfast in the yard, with the sun leaning on the table.
And the xerotigana? These are for celebrations. Thin strips of dough, wrapped like ribbons, with honey and walnuts – a sweet that looks more like an ornament than something edible. But you eat. And you want more.
Olive oil & olives – The blood of the island
The olive tree is not just a tree on Kythera. It is a legacy, a family, roots. The oil produced here is pure, green-gold, and has the taste of stone, sun and silence. Small producers, old olive mills, winter toil. Grab a bottle and you’ll carry a piece of their life with you.
Herbs – The island in your cup
Oregano, thyme, dittany, sage. In Kythira, herbs are not something you buy, they are something you gather. From rocks, from paths, from the courtyards of houses. They are dried with patience, tied into bunches, and scent the coming winter. A cup of sage is like sitting on the stone veranda of a small village again. At the specialized herbal shop Elixrisos located in the village of Mylopotamos, you will find everything from herbs, therapies, and olive oil soap from Kythira.
Olive oil soaps – Memories of cleanliness
Who doesn’t remember the smell of grandma’s old soap? Here they are still made, handmade, from olive oil and herbs. Simple, pure, with lavender, chamomile or mint aromas. They are small works of art, which cleanse not only the body, but also the mind.
Ceramics, wood & paint – The art of patience
In small workshops, men and women still work with their hands. They mold clay, carve wood, weave. You can find small plates with blue patterns, cups that remind you of jasmine, and ceramics that seem to have come from another era. They are not souvenirs. They are pieces of people.
The wine of the company & the spirit of the soul
Wine in Kythira is not made to be sold. It is made to be shared. In groups, at festivals, on shaded afternoons. White, red, or raki – every sip is a story. Look for it in grocery stores, or ask to taste it at the Kythira Stratigou winery. You won’t regret it.
Aphrodite and her island
Here, they say, the goddess of love was born. And so there is no shortage of gifts inspired by her: magnets, t-shirts, jewelry. They may seem simple, but if you look at them with your heart, they carry something of the magic that still lingers on the island.
Books about Kythera – Take a little word with you
And finally, if you are one of those who like to carry words, then a book about Kythera is just what you need. Stories, myths, photographs, albums. Another journey within your journey.
Before you leave, fill your suitcase with local products full of flavors, aromas and sounds. You will find the best products in the shops of the island. Not only for you. But also to tell those who haven’t been there, what Kythera is like. Because you carry this island inside you for a long time.
