Kythnos

Kythnos is one of the quietest islands of the Cyclades, and that is its great charm. A small ferry lands at Merichas, the little port, and from there a road climbs to the chora, a beautiful village of white houses and flat roofs that sits on a hill above the island. Kythnos is famous for its warm springs — the island has been known since antiquity for its healing waters — and an afternoon in the thermal baths at Loutra is a simple, wonderful experience. The island's beaches are among the most beautiful in the western Cyclades, and most of them are nearly empty: Kolona, the extraordinary double beach joined by a sandbar, and the wild coves of the coast. Kythnos is an island for people who want the Cyclades without the crowds — quiet beaches, warm springs, friendly villages, and a pace of life that allows room to breathe.

Kythnos has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and in antiquity it was known for its healing springs and its fine cheese. The island's warm baths at Loutra were famous in antiquity and have been used for centuries. In the Middle Ages Kythnos was part of the Duchy of the Aegean, and later it was a refuge for the pirates who troubled the Cyclades; the old chora, built high above the sea, was fortified against them. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Kythnos was a poor but proud island of farmers, shepherds, and fishermen, and it has kept that quiet, authentic character today. Its population is small, its beaches are unspoiled, and its way of life is unhurried. Kythnos is the Cyclades at their most genuine — an island that has not been transformed by mass tourism, and that rewards those who come looking for the real thing.

The name is recorded by Stephanus of Byzantium in the sixth century AD. His Ethnica is not a book of stories but a dictionary of Greek place-names, and for this one it says: "It is named from Kythnos who founded it". (Ethnica, s.v. Κύθνος).

That is the whole of what an ancient source has to say about how the place got its name. It is a shorter answer than the guidebooks give, and it is the only one with a source behind it.

Kythnos has some of the most beautiful beaches of the western Cyclades, and almost all of them are uncrowded. Kolona, at the south, is the icon: a strip of sand joining the island to a tiny islet, with shallow turquoise water on both sides. Apokrousi, nearby, is a long, wild beach with clear water. The beaches of the north coast — Agios Dimitrios, Kanala, and the coves below the hills — are quiet and lovely. And the island's many small coves are perfect for a solitary swim. The water is clear and calm, and the swimming is some of the most peaceful in the Cyclades. Bring water and a picnic, and you will often have a whole beach to yourself.

Kythnos food is the honest cooking of a small, self-sufficient island. The island is famous for its honey, its cheese, and its bread — the local speciality of sourdough bread and the island's own recipe for cheese are known across the Cyclades. The tavernas of Merichas and the villages serve the classic Greek table: grilled fish, goat and lamb, and the island's excellent vegetables. The local dishes include the island's pasta and its stuffed vegetables, and the honey is among the best in Greece. For a real Kythnos meal, order the goat, a plate of the island's greens, and finish with the honey and the local cheese.

May, June, and September are the best months on Kythnos: warm, quiet, and beautiful, with the beaches calm and the island at its most peaceful. July and August are livelier, but Kythnos is one of the least touristed islands of the Cyclades and never feels crowded. Spring is lovely, with wildflowers, and autumn lingers warm into October. Whenever you come, stay at least a few days, and let the island's slow rhythm set your pace — Kythnos is a place for long swims, long lunches, and long, quiet evenings.

Kythnos is reached by ferry from Lavrio in about an hour and a half and from Piraeus in about two hours, with seasonal boats from the other Cyclades. There is no airport on the island.

A car or scooter is essential to explore the island's beaches and villages. Swim at Kolona — go early or late for the best of it — and soak in the warm springs at Loutra. Visit the chora and its folk museum, and the cave village of Dryopida. Bring cash, as the island's small shops and tavernas do not always accept cards. And remember: Kythnos is a place to slow down, and its quiet is its gift.