Tour of Kythnos Island
Kythnos is the first island of the West Cyclades.
It is a beautiful island with many natural beauties, magic beaches, picturesque villages built according to the traditional architecture and friendly hospitable inhabitants.
Kythnos is the ideal place for quiet holidays.
Tourist infrastructures satisfy all demands: there are hotels, apartments and rooms to let, taverns, coffee houses and bars.
KYTHNOS (CHORA)
KYTHNOS (or Chora), also called Messaria by the locals, is 8 kilometers from the harbor.
It is a nice traditional settlement with cobblestone pavements, arcades, stone houses and windows painted with the characteristic Cycladian colors, small churches and wind mills.
On a small hill stands the monastery of Panagia Nikous, where there was a “secret school” during the period of Turkish domination.
On Chora it is worth visiting the remarkable churches of Agios Savvas dated from 1613, of Agia Triada and of Sotiras.
On the capital you will find fine shops, restaurants, coffee shops and bars.
LOUTRA
An asphalt road, 4,5 kilometers long connects Chora with the coastal settlement of LOUTRA to the north, where there are mineral springs.
In the region you will find hotel units, rooms to let of all categories, taverns, coffee shops, bar and clubs for your nightlife.
On the first route to Chora-Loutra, we first encounter the first small sandy beach Martinakia.
In a picturesque little bay south-east of Loutra is the peaceful beach of Agia Irini.
Tour of Kythnos Island
MERICHAS
South-west of Chora is the harbor of MERICHAS with a graphic small settlement around it. Merichas’s gulf still remains beautiful with thin sand and crystal clear waters, appropriate for fishing and even swimming.
Merichas has big tourist development: here you will find hotels, rooms to let, many scenic taverns serving fresh fish and local recipes, coffee shops, and bars.
EPISKOPI
The beautiful beach EPISKOPI is a short distance to the north and at VRIOKASTRO (or Ovriokastro), further north still, are the remains of the ancient city of Kythnos.
The beautiful Episkopi’s gulf followed by a series of lovely beaches, the ones of Apokrousi one of the longest sandy beaches of the island, Fikiada and the most special in terms of natural beauty the Kolona beach. In the first three beaches you can also find traditional fish- taverns.
DRYOPIDA i
The head village of DRYOPIDA is in the interior of the island.
Here you will see two-storey houses with tiled roofs, something unusual for an island of Cyclades.
One of the most important features of Dryopida is the Katafiki Cave, one of the biggest unexploited caves in Greece with stalactites & stalagmites.
On the village you can visit the Folklore Museum & the small Byzantine Museum which is housed in Ai-Giorgis church. It is worth to visit the church of Agios Minas which has a fine wooden temple.
On a hill with a superb view over the Aegean, 16 kilometers south-east of Chora, is the monastery of the Panagia Kanala, the patron saint of the island.
Not far away from Driopida there is a road that leads to an amplitude of lovely beaches located in the eastern side, like Kalo Livadi, Liotrivi, Lefkes, Zogaki, Naousa, Kouri, Agios Stefanos a protected beach with sand and pebbles, Ai-Giannis & Vasilika.
In some of these places you can also find rooms to let and traditional taverns.
Megali Ammos is a long sandy beach situated to the right gulf underneath the Panagia Kanalas church.
At the south part of the island is Agios Dimitrios a picturesque village with a beautiful beach.
Tour of Kythnos Island
TRADITION – EVENTS
Among the most important events are considered the festivals that take place in honor of Holly Mary on 15th August (Panagia of Nikous, Panagia Kanala, Panagia Stratolatissa) & on 8th September (Panagia Flanbouriani) as well as “Kythnia” which are organized every summer by the municipality of Kythnos.
LOCAL PRODUCTS – CUISINE
The most famous products of the island are the cheeses and the local wine of fine quality.
Don’t miss to taste the famous amygdalota sweets that have tradition in all Cyclades islands, and honey.
In the tourist shops in Chora you will find fine handmade ceramics.
