Meis Island: Kastellorizo The Colourful Paradise and Hidden Beauties of the Mediterranean

Meis Island stands out as a lovely paradise in the Mediterranean. It offers an unforgettable experience with its colorful houses lined up along the coast, narrow streets, attractive bazaar, pleasant cafes and fishermen.

This island is located at the farthest point from mainland Greece and is located just opposite the Kaş district of Antalya. Meis is a corner of paradise with its natural beauty, warm atmosphere, delicious Mediterranean cuisine, caves to explore and unique beaches, which you can reach with just a 20-minute ferry ride.

During the summer months, the population of Meis swells to 500 people, but during the winter months, locals return to mainland Greek cities such as Athens and Thessaloniki.

Unlike other Greek islands, Meis has a multicultural architecture due to its geographical location; it is possible to see Italian, Ottoman and Greek influences together.

The most well-known attraction of the island is the Blue Cave, and it should definitely be seen by visitors to the island. This cave, which can be reached by a 40-minute boat ride from the island center for 3-4 people, is a natural beauty worth seeing. The round trip boat fee is 10-15€.

On Meis Island, you can stop by the restaurants around the port or visit the museum built in the 18th century and now used as an ethnographic museum. There are also places worth seeing such as St. George Beach and the Aya Savvas Church with its magnificent view.

Meis Island is a piece of land in the easternmost part of Greece, part of the archipelago called Dodecanese and is only 2.1 km away from the Kaş district of Antalya. Kastellorizo, known throughout history as Kızılhisar, was named after the Knights of St. Jean. During the Ottoman Empire, the island was called Chateau Roux (Red Castle) due to its reddish cliffs visible from afar. The island, which was part of the Ottoman Empire until 1915, was occupied by the French, Italians and British during World War I and was transferred to Greece with the 1947 Paris Treaty.

Meis Island is currently part of Rhodes and the only settlement on the island, Megisti, is an important source of income from sponge diving. Meis is the closest Greek island to Turkey and is known for its fresh food, old Italian-style houses and hospitable people. Meis can be reached from the east coast and since 2007 there have been daily ferry and plane services from Meis to Rhodes.

Although the official language in Meis is Greek, English and Turkish are also spoken. The Euro is used in Greece.

Meis is in the same time zone as Türkiye and has a population of only 400 people.

To go to Meis, you need a Green Passport and a Schengen visa.

You can reach Meis Island in 20 minutes by ferry from Kaş district of Antalya, which departs every day at 09:00 during the summer season. The return is at 16:30 on the same day. There are also additional trips on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the summer season.