Kithnos, or Thermia as some locals prefer, is a quaint island known for its casual, fun-loving atmosphere and welcoming residents who show a particular zest for life. The landscape is enchanting, slightly remote, with woods and valleys, caves, mines, and small churches that pop up across the land like flowers in May. The harbor, Merihas, boasts one of the prettiest sunsets of the Cyclades. Hora, the capital, is built amphitheatrically on a slope and features picturesque cobbled lanes (kalderimia), arched paths, stone-built homes with shutters in an array of colors, and several windmills. At Loutra, the natural spa was once popular with Greece’s first queen, Amalia. The spa’s waters been famed since antiquity for their help with healing of gynecological ailments, arthritic joints, and bones. The island’s patron Panayia Kanala is a small peninsula of reverence. Kithnos has more than 65 golden-sand pristine beaches. Local food specialties include a selection of pies; rusks with the soft kopanisti cheese, tomatoes, and oregano; marinated sun-dried fish; and sfouggato, fried morsels of flour, dill, eggs, olive oil, parsley, and soft white cheese. Good take-home gifts are small jars of thyme honey, amygdalota (marzipan cookies), and ceramics.
