A Natural Thermal Spa on Kythnos

After midnight we found ourselves wading in a hot natural thermal spa on Kythnos, an experience that turned out to be the best memory of our trip there.

Natural Thermal Spa in Kythnos

Bubbling warm thermal water swirling around me.  Check. Clear summer night sky above me. Check.  Cycladic island landscape surrounding me. Check.  The natural thermal spa experience I stumbled upon on Kythnos island turned out to be my favorite and most unique experience of my short trip there.

A Sudden Spa Opportunity

“Best to go now, no one will be there. The water is 52 C.”

That’s what our waiter advised us as he nudged his head toward the corner of the beach. He was referring to the town of Loutra’s outdoor thermal spa, set off by rocks on the corner of the beach’s shore about 500 meters away from our cozy cocktail bar table. In the distance we could make out a few people sitting within the rocks that were encircled to create a small pool.  We had passed the thermal bath several times during our stay and each time it was full of people.

It seemed pretty inviting now.  A thermal bath pretty much all to ourselves! But, was the water that hot?

More About Loutra

Loutra, a little port village on the northeastern part of Kythnos, was named after its natural thermal baths. In Greek, loutra translates to baths. Our hotel was right in town, but with all the sightseeing we had done in a short span of time — we hadn’t made our way to that bubbly corner of the beach yet. The hours were winding down.   So, taking the waiter’s advice, we headed back to our hotel room, changed back into our swimsuits and found ourselves at the natural thermal water corner to take the plunge.

We couldn’t take a plunge, actually. The water was that hot.

As we stood there, a couple sitting contently in the hot water introduced themselves.  They were friendly locals and told us right away that we happened to come at the best time of the day for the summer season.

I dipped my leg further, wiggling my toes into the soft sandy bottom.

I am a huge fan, a big fan of bubbly hot spas. So, combine that with Mother Nature and it’s even better.  I slinked my way in, getting used to the hotness which melted into warmness, with a big fat smile. Ahhhh…

The depth of the pool was created by the small rock wall. It held in much of the thermal water that flowed in continuously from a natural spring that was out of sight. The water doesn’t go deeper than a foot or two.  We had to recline way back to get a full feeling of the hot water enveloping our bodies. Different parts of the pool were hotter than others. The area closest to the stream, where the hot water pours into the sea, was almost unbearable. Turns out the cooler sea water mixing with the thermal water definitely made the overall temperature bearable for humans.

A Natural Spa After Midnight

So, there we were. The other couple had left.  After we settled into the water, we both relaxed taking in the clear night sky filled with a million twinkling and shooting stars.  The lights of the bars around the harbor glowed in the distance. It was so quiet you could faintly hear some lounge music drifting in the air from the port’s bars. It was heaven.

I couldn’t imagine bearing the temps during the summer days of Greek beach weather heat.  So, all of the locals we met were right.  We decided to go at the perfect time during the summer – in the middle of the night.

There were actual bath houses are at the top of the square. I didn’t have an opportunity to tour them during my short stay. I learned that Greece’s first King, Otto, and Queen Amalia were two famous thermal bath guests.  Kythnos island’s natural thermal spa history goes back longer than Greece’s royalty. For centuries, the island’s thermal waters were known for their sulfurous, saliferous and ferrous properties.  That basically means people come to soak in the water to cure all types of ailments including arthritis, gout, rheumatism and several types of gynecological problems.

More to Kythnos

Kythos is a lovely island with some fantastic beaches, such as the two-sided Kolona beach. There are charming little towns to explore and lovely places to eat.  The time I make my way to Kythnos again, I’ll definitely make more time to relax in those thermal waters.

How to Get to Kythnos

Kythnos is a short ferry or boat ride away from many of the Cycladic islands. We boated in from Serifos.  There are also ferries departing from Piraeus and Lavrio. Check the ferry schedules on Ferryhopper which vary by season. The thermal water spa is located on the beach in Loutra.

Have you ever experienced a natural thermal spa on Kythnos?  How about in Greece?