Kythnos
The faint smell of sulphur that greets you as you approach Loutra, on the northeastern coast of Kythnos, is the first clue to what...
Updated 10 July 2026
Kythnos
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The story
The story of Kythnos
From the Dryopes to the name Thermia: a history of peoples and springs
Kythnos's origins are intertwined with those of the Dryopes, an ancient Aegean population who, according to tradition, settled on the island and gave their name to the village of Dryopida. The main settlement of antiquity, however, stood elsewhere, at the site now known as Vryokastro, on the western coast, inhabited continuously from the Bronze Age to the Byzantine period. The curative properties of its hot springs were already known to ancient geographers, and for much of its later history the island was known by the name Thermia precisely because of this characteristic. Like the nearby Cyclades, Kythnos came under the Venetian rule of the Gozzadini family, suffered pirate raids that led to the abandonment of the ancient town and the birth of more defensible hilltop villages, and was finally incorporated into the new Greek state after independence.
The thermal baths of Loutra
Loutra owes its name, which in Greek simply means baths, to the thermal springs that flow along its coast, fed by waters rich in iron and sulphur with temperatures reaching 36-52 degrees depending on the point of collection. Known since antiquity and visited with growing regularity during the Ottoman period and then in modern Greece, the baths became in the twentieth century a destination for treatment for the Greek royal family, who stayed there several times. Today Loutra hosts a public thermal spa where you can immerse yourself in the hot pools just steps from the open sea, a rare experience in the Cyclades, where accessible thermal springs remain a true exception.
Kolona, the double beach
Kolona is probably the most recognisable image of Kythnos: a thin strip of white sand a few hundred metres long that connects the island's main coast to the uninhabited islet of Agios Loukas, with the sea washing both sides of the isthmus in a play of colours ranging from turquoise to deep blue. Reachable on foot from Chora in a walk of about forty minutes or by boat from the port of Merichas, the beach has no intrusive tourist facilities, just sand, shallow transparent water and the small chapel on the islet, which can be reached by swimming or wading across when the water level allows.
Chora, the capital on the ridge
The island's capital, simply called Chora or Kythnos, stretches along a hilltop ridge inland, following the defensive pattern common to many minor Cyclades: low white houses, narrow, steep alleys, churches with blue domes scattered almost at random among the dwellings. Unlike other, more touristy Choras, that of Kythnos has retained a genuine daily rhythm, with grocery shops, traditional bakeries and cafés where the village's elderly gather every morning. Strolling through its narrow streets, often decorated with geometric patterns painted on the pavement for religious festivals, offers a glimpse of Cycladic life far from the more well-trodden routes.
Dryopida, the village of red roofs
Dryopida stands out at a glance from any other village in the Cyclades for its red-tiled roofs, in sharp contrast to the white flat terraces that characterise the archipelago's architecture: a legacy probably linked to Byzantine influences or to a practical need to drain rainwater in an area more sheltered from the wind. The village, nestled in a small green valley, is traditionally the island's centre of craftsmanship, with pottery workshops still active and a long history of stoneworking. Its churches, more than twenty in a settlement of a few hundred inhabitants, testify to the religious importance the village has maintained over the centuries.
The Katafyki cave
Just outside Dryopida lies the Katafyki cave, the largest known karst cavity in the Cyclades, a system of galleries and chambers decorated with stalactites and stalagmites which, according to local tradition, served as a refuge for the population during pirate raids and, more recently, during the occupation of the Second World War. Only part of the cave is currently equipped and open to visitors along lit pathways, but it is enough to give an idea of its underground dimensions and its historical importance as a natural hiding place on an island lacking other imposing defences.
Merichas, the port and gateway to the island
Merichas, on the western coast, is Kythnos's main port and the point from which most visitors begin their exploration of the island. The small town, with a seafront of taverns and shops selling essentials, lies a short distance from some of the busiest beaches, such as Episkopi, and is the most convenient logistical base for those travelling by car or scooter towards Chora, Dryopida and Loutra. Despite the ferry traffic, Merichas has retained the proportions of a fishing village, without the building excesses that characterise the ports of more touristy islands.
Over ninety beaches of sand and pebbles
- Kolona, the famous double beach near Chora
- Episkopi, wide and sandy not far from Merichas
- Apokrousi, secluded and surrounded by low vegetation
- Skylou, small and reachable only on foot or by boat
- Gaidouromantra, among the most secluded on the southern coast
A rural tradition still alive
Kythnos's economy remained tied longer than other Cyclades to livestock farming, beekeeping and small-scale subsistence agriculture, a legacy still perceptible today among the terraces cultivated with barley and the flocks of goats and sheep grazing freely on the inland hills. Thyme honey, produced by the numerous hives scattered across the Mediterranean scrubland, is considered one of the best in the Cyclades, while fresh goat cheeses appear in almost every local dish. Religious festivals still mark the villages' calendar, with processions and communal feasts involving the whole population, especially in Dryopida, where social life has historically revolved around the parish.
When to go to Kythnos
The best season runs from May to October, with June and September ideal for enjoying the beaches and the thermal baths of Loutra without the intense heat of July and August, months in which the island nonetheless receives a more modest influx compared to the central Cyclades. Being among the islands closest to Piraeus, Kythnos is a frequent destination for short trips and weekends for Athenians, especially on summer weekends. The thermal baths of Loutra remain pleasant even in autumn and early spring, when cooler temperatures make the contrast with the hot spring water even more enjoyable, while in winter the island empties almost completely.
FAQ
Come si arriva a Kythnos?
Kythnos ha un aeroporto?
Quanti giorni servono per visitare Kythnos?
Dove si trova parcheggio a Merichas e Chora?
Le terme di Loutra sono adatte a tutta la famiglia?
Con quale mezzo ci si sposta sull'isola?
Getting there
- Nessun aeroporto sull'isola; il più vicino è quello di Atene, da cui si prosegue verso il porto del Pireo
- Si raggiunge solo via mare, con traghetti dal Pireo al porto di Merichas, in circa due-tre ore di navigazione a seconda della compagnia e del tipo di nave.
- Nei weekend estivi i traghetti sono molto frequentati dai gitanti ateniesi: prenotare con anticipo, soprattutto se si viaggia con l'auto al seguito.
Perfect for
Le sorgenti calde di Loutra, tra le poche in Grecia accessibili a pochi passi dal mare, per un soggiorno all'insegna del relax.
Oltre novanta spiagge tra sabbia e ciottoli, incluso l'iconico istmo di Kolona che divide il mare in due colori.
Dryopida, con i suoi tetti rossi e le botteghe artigiane, racconta un'isola ancora lontana dal turismo di massa.
Vicina al porto del Pireo, è una delle Cicladi più comode per un weekend fuori stagione o una breve fuga dalla capitale.
To see
