Kythnos

With more than 70 beaches and picturesque villages, Kythnos has one of the largest caves in Greece, Katafiki Cave near Dryopida. The island was one of the oldest habitations in the Cyclades dating back 12,000 years and played an important role in ancient times due to its proximity to Athens. Only rarely is it mentioned by ancient authors: Herodotus states that Kythnos contributed two military vessels for the Battle of Salamis in 480 bc, which is commemorated on the base of a golden tripod at Delphi. It fell into Venetian hands in 1207 and remained so for 400 years. The Ottomans took control in 1617 when its capital at Orias Kastro, a fortress built on an isolated hilltop, was overrun after a young woman heavy with child approached the entrance begging to be admitted. The watchman’s daughter opened the gate for her and for the Turks hiding nearby.

It fell into Venetian hands in 1207 and remained so for 400 years.

Visiting Orias Kastro was the highlight of my visit to Kythnos, not that the beaches aren’t exceptional and landscapes challenging and exciting to discover, but Kastro is decisively unique and well deserving of the extra time spent exploring its outermost corners. Vryokastro, an area above Mandraki Bay, is where the ancient city Kythnos was founded, and from where the island derives its name. According to archeological findings, it was inhabited between the 10th and the 7th centuries BC.