Kythnos Beaches: Kolona, Merichas, Agios Stefanou & Flambouria
Kythnos has beaches in abundance, led by the Kolona sandbar that links the shore to the islet of Agios Loukas, the best beach at Agios Stefanou on the east side, the town beach at Merichas, Flambouria in the west and big sandy bays near Kanala. Kythnos is not specialised in tourism, so several of its finest beaches have no bus and are reached on foot or over a rough road. Hire a car to explore Kythnos at your own pace, covered in our Kythnos car hire guide.
- Group
- Cyclades
- Marquee beach
- Kolona
- Best beach
- Agios Stefanou
- Main port
- Merichas
The beaches of Kythnos
Kythnos has beaches in abundance, too many to name, from small coves to big sandy bays with a bit of everything. The marquee beach is the Kolona sandbar west of Merichas, the best beach lies on the east side at Agios Stefanou, and the port of Merichas has its own town beach with more sands just north of it. The west coast holds Flambouria beneath its clifftop church, and the south-east around Kanala keeps large, beautiful sandy beaches. Because Kythnos is not specialised in tourism, several beaches have no bus and are reached on foot or over a rough road.
Kolona: the double-sided sandbar
Kolona is the most famous beach of Kythnos, a narrow sandbar just west of the port of Merichas that links the shore of the island to the small islet of Agios Loukas in front of it. Sea washes both sides of the sandy strip, so you can walk out to the islet on foot with water to your left and right. It sits beside Fikiado beach and, like several of the island's best beaches, has no bus, so it is reached on foot or by boat. The island's accommodation nearest to it is described in the Kythnos hotels & villas guide.
Merichas & the beaches near the port
Merichas is the port where the ferries arrive, set in a bay on the west side of the island below barren brown mountains. In front of the quay it has a beach of pebbles and sand, backed by a few tavernas, shops and some trees. Just north of the port lie two good beaches, Apokrousi and Fikiado, while Fikiado itself sits just west of the port beside the Kolona sandbar, from where you cross on foot to the islet of Agios Loukas.
Agios Stefanou: the best beach
Agios Stefanou is the best beach of Kythnos, on the east side of the island. Because Kythnos is not so specialised in tourism, there is no bus to it, so a visit means going on foot. The reward for the walk is the finest stretch of sand on the island.
Flambouria & the west coast
Flambouria, also spelled Flabouria, lies on the west side of the island and has a large sand-and-pebble beach. On a rock in the sea stands a beautiful large church, the Panagia Flabouriani, which watches over the bay. Flambouria is one of many beaches marked by a blue dot on the island map, where a beach is to be found.
Kanala & the south-east
Kanala sits on the south-east side of the island and has big, beautiful sandy beaches nearby. These southern sands round out the choice on Kythnos, an island where beaches come small and large, sandy and pebbled. The monastery of Panagia Kanala stands on a rock above the village, and is covered in the Kythnos sights guide.
