Kastellorizo, Mediterranean island in the Dodecanese archipelago, Greece
Kastellorizo is an island in the Dodecanese archipelago of Greece, located just a few kilometers from the Turkish coast. The main settlement spreads around a horseshoe-shaped bay, where two-story buildings with red tile roofs and pastel facades line the waterfront promenade.
The island came under the control of Byzantines, Genoese and Ottoman rulers before joining Greece in the 20th century. During World War II the settlement suffered damage from bombardment, leading many families to emigrate to Australia.
The harbor serves as a gathering point where locals walk along the quay and sit in taverns built right at the water. The tradition of daily coffee by the shore continues today, with residents meeting at the same tables their parents did.
Visitors reach the place by ferry from Rhodes, a journey taking around four hours, or by small plane to the nearby airstrip. Since the island is small, most points can be reached on foot, and boats take guests to remote coves along the coast.
The local population numbers fewer than 500 people, yet over 30,000 descendants of emigrants with roots on the island live in Australia. Each year some of these families return for summer festivals and religious celebrations, making the streets temporarily crowded.
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