Walking Trails & Inland Landscapes

Standing as Kythnos’s highest peak, Mount Kakovolo rewards those who climb it with more than just elevation; it offers a deep sense of perspective. The trail begins gently, winding through arid hills and sparse vegetation, before revealing sharper inclines and scattered remnants of the island’s mining past. Rusted carts, narrow shafts, and stone ruins speak quietly of lives once shaped by iron and toil, now long folded into the landscape.

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As you ascend, the views open gradually. The sea first teases through narrow gaps in the terrain, then slowly unfolds until, at the summit, it surrounds you entirely. A full 360° panorama stretches across the Aegean, touching distant islands on the horizon and capturing the scattered white villages of Kythnos from above.

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The air is thinner here, but also clearer. Many say you can feel the difference in silence alone. No traffic, no crowds, just the wind and the whisper of a timeless island.

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Mount Kakovolo isn’t just a hike; it’s a journey through geology, memory, and myth. Local stories still cling to the mountain’s curves: tales of hidden spirits, guardian birds, and miners who never truly left.

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Whether you go for sunrise, when the rocks turn amber and gold, or late afternoon, when the sea turns silver, this is one of the most unforgettable things to do in Kythnos.

Winding from the outskirts of Chora toward the chapel of Agios Ioannis, this trail is one of Kythnos’s most beloved inland walks.

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It’s not just about the destination,  though the hilltop chapel, built of timeworn stone and surrounded by dry-stacked walls, offers sweeping views of the Aegean and the surrounding hills. It’s the journey there that captures the spirit of the island: quiet olive groves, thyme-covered slopes, and the distant hum of cicadas.

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Along the way, you'll pass dry wells, ancient terraces, and hidden corners that feel untouched by time. The path is well-trodden by locals; many of whom still walk it to celebrate the chapel’s feast day. But remains refreshingly uncrowded, even in high season.

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It’s a walk that invites you to slow down and notice the small things: the way the wind moves through the grass, the shimmer of sun on stone, and the sudden, quiet beauty of a whitewashed chapel at the end of the road.

Tucked between Loutra and the inland ridges, Maroulas holds the quiet weight of deep time. This open-air archaeological site dates back over 11,000 years, making it the oldest permanent settlement discovered in the Cyclades.

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What survives today are the stone foundations of circular homes, ancient burial sites, and tools that whisper of a people who fished these waters, carved these stones, and lived here long before the idea of “Greece” ever existed.

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Walking among these remnants feels like stepping through a time portal. There are no grand monuments or fences; just the wind, the land, and the sea in the distance, the same elements that shaped life here millennia ago.

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It’s not a tourist attraction in the usual sense; it’s something more personal. A place where the past doesn’t perform, it simply lingers.

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Maroulas isn’t just important archaeologically, it’s emotionally resonant. A reminder that even on a small island like Kythnos, history runs incredibly deep.

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And if you’re the kind of traveler who likes your discoveries unfiltered and unscripted, this is one place you’ll carry home in quiet awe.