Pyrgos House organizes this unique Wild Orchids Holiday every year in March and April.
Kythira has 723 different plant varieties, of which 48 species are endemic to Greece and 5 exclusively found on Kythira. On the island there are about 60 species of wild orchids, like the Orchis italica, Vermeulenia papilionacea var. aegea, Ophrys tenthredinifera subsp. ulyssea, Serapias orientalis, Neotinea tridentata, Ophrys calypsus, Anacamptis pyramidalis var. brachystachys.
During this Wild Orchids Holiday you will explore a different area of the island every day. Your guide and Greek orchid lover Frank, together with experienced Greek orchid specialists, will show you the way along unpaved roads, rocky footpaths and through fields. These pleasant walks will be combined with visits to monasteries, churches, villages and a traditional pottery workshop. Of course there will be enough time for a lunch at the village kafeneion or a picnic in a field full of wild flowers.
During the excursions you will visit many interesting places, for example, Paleochora (a Byzantine settlement, Kythira’s former capital), Chora (Castle, Archeological Museum), Mylopotamos (waterfall and watermill valley), Myrtidiotissa (the island’s most important pilgrimage monastery), Kato Livadi (longest stone bridge in Greece, ceramic workshop), Paleopoli (Minoan graves). You will taste Kythira’s local products like thyme honey, organic olive oil and the famous Kythirian olive oil rusks.
Dates in 2025: Monday March 31st – Monday April 7th / this week is fully booked
Your guides:
Dr. Alexander Kocyan
Dr. Alexander Kocyan, curator of the Botanical Museum of the University of Zurich. He is a trained plant systematist. During his research career he worked at the Universities of Zurich, Leiden, Munich, Potsdam and Vienna as well as at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew – London. He is interested in the systematics and morphology of orchids and related monocot families. He is conducting field work mainly in the Mediterranean and Borneo.
On Kythira he explores the orchid flora since 1993 and he has a house on Kythira.
Ms. Stavroula Fatsea
Writer of the book ‘Orchids of Kythira’ and Principal of Kythira High School. She will inform you about the Kythirian orchids populations and her experience with them over many years.
Programme:
Day 1: arrival at Kythira Airport where Frank will welcome you. In our rental cars will we drive to your accommodation in Potamos. Late afternoon: dinner and information meeting.
Day 2 – 7: daily 9.30 am – 5.00 pm: an orchid hunting walk followed by lunch, then an excursion or continuation of the morning’s walk. On Sunday: after our visit to the Sunday morning market in Potamos, we will go for another orchid hunting walk.
Day 8: departure from Kythira. If you want, you can certainly stay longer, either in Potamos or in one of the other villages. We will be happy to inform you about the possibilities.
Price:
From 885.00 euro per person, based on a double room (price depends on the type of accommodation). Surcharge for single room: from 150.00 euro.
Inclusive:
- 7 nights’ accommodation (breakfast included)
- Welcome dinner on arrival day
- Shared use of a B-category rental car
- Lunches during the walks (x 6 )
- Professional guidance (English spoken)
- Per booking: a detailed hiking map (1:25.000), an English information book about Kythira and the famous Kythira’s Orchids Book (in English; written by Stavroula Fatsea)
Not included:
- Extra taxi costs if you arrive and/or depart on other dates
- Dinners (except for welcome dinner)
- Personal expenditure
Information:
- Accommodation: you will stay in one of our accommodations in Potamos. Every accommodation has a kitchenette, private bathroom, a balcony or terrace. Potamos is an ideal base for discovering the island due to its central location.
- Breakfast: will be served in one of the kafeneions in Potamos.
- Language: English.
- Participants: minimum number of participants 4, maximum 10.
- Your flight to Kythira: you arrange your own flights. There are domestic flights from Athens to Kythira. If you want, you can combine this trip with a visit to Athens. Pyrgos House is happy to advise you.
- Assistance: Pyrgos House offers the service of a telephone number (24h a day/7 days a week) in case you need any assistance.
- Rental car: a number of B-category rental cars will be available for the participants. Petrol costs are included. If you have a driver’s license and you want to be one of our drivers, please let us know and you will get a discount of 50.00 euro.
- Travel insurance: we advise you to have adequate insurance with a reputable insurer to cover personal injury, medical expenses, repatriation expenses, loss or damage of luggage etc.
- Around March 15th we will send additional information about this Orchids Holiday to you.