There is also a growing coastal settlement called Kanala on the east side of the island with the homonymous Christian Orthodox shrine, and many of the larger beaches are settled by a handful of residents.

Although the large tourist hotel there has been closed for several years, the bathhouse is still functioning and visitors may soak in its marble tubs for a modest fee.

Merihas is connected to Piraeus and to Lavrion by ferry boat, and the ride takes one to four hours, depending on the speed of the ship and the weather.

In  the Middle Ages it was called Thiramna, while Nilos Doxapatris mentions it with the name Thermia as early as 1143, from the hot springs that exist.

[5] Excavations in 1996 found intact human skeletons, along with stone artifacts and part of a floor pavement, which indicates a long-term settlement, probably of hunter-gatherers.

The earliest inhabitants of the island known to historians were the Kares (Carians), an Anatolian people probably allied to or under the dominion of the Minoans, who eventually were forced by pressure of invading tribes to move on and settle in Asia Minor.

viii, 73) records that in the 13th century BCE, another pre-Hellenic tribe, the Dryopes, originally from the Greek mainland near Mount Parnassus, migrated to the islands, first to Euboea and later spreading to Kea, Kythnos, and beyond.

A Hellenistic site at Vryokastro, above the bay of Episkopi on the northwest part of the island, was partially excavated in the mid-20th century, yielding floor plans of houses and a sanctuary, as well as a few artifacts.

In Greek newspaper articles of December 19, 2002, archaeologist Alexandros Mazarakis-Ainian announced a spectacular discovery on this site: an inner sanctum (adyton) of the temple was found intact and unplundered.

Over 1,400 objects, including precious jewels and gold, silver and bronze artifacts, terracotta figurines, and painted vases, were excavated from what the archaeologists have determined is a 2,700-year-old temple dedicated to either Hera, queen of the gods, or Aphrodite, goddess of love.

In this era, the islands of the Cyclades suffered frequent predation by pirates, and perhaps for this reason, the main settlements moved inland and to more defensible locations.

The population fluctuated dramatically during this period and at times the island was decimated due to marauders and plague (Smith, 1854 and Bent, 1885, reprinted 2002).

During this period, it was known as Thermia, a name derived from the hot mineral springs occurring on the northeastern coast at the village of Loutra (which means "baths" in Greek).

The island capital remained at Kastro of Oria or Katakefalo, which was rebuilt as a Frankish fortress and was known as the Tower of Thermia (Bent, 1885, reprinted 2002).

[13] In 1806 a pirate raid, although repelled, resulted in groups of locals emigrating to the coast of Asia Minor, from where some later repatriated, bringing back customs to the island  from the places where they had lived.

[14] Kythnos took part in the 1821 Revolution and during its duration was a safe haven for Greek refugees from areas such as Chios, Psara and Aivali.

On the other hand ceramics and pottery flourished in Kythnos, with Kythnian craftsmen leaving for Athens in the summers and returning in the winter.

[18] These mines, however, were mostly played out by World War II, and once again, the population of the island went into decline, as young people left to find employment and a better life in Athens or even further afield.

The Greek tourist boom beginning in the mid-20th century largely bypassed Kythnos because its harbor lacked a deep-water dock for ferryboats.

[19][20] With the addition of a photovoltaic system and storage batteries, the amount of diesel fuel required to supply the island's electricity has been reduced by 11%.

Due to its proximity to Athens, Kythnos has become a fashionable setting for vacation homes, in addition to being an accessible destination for foreign visitors.

It is housed in the old, Single Classroom Primary School of Chora, Kythnos, and along its exhibits visitors may find an Archaic temple treasure with various golden and precious metals offerings, plus 7th to early 5th century BC objects.

[28] Representative dishes of the local cuisine are sfougata (fried cheese balls), kolopi (pita with greens) and poulos (a bread roll filled with salted pork).

Other beaches are: Episkopi, Apokrousi, Megali Ammos, Schinari, Simousi, Martinakia, Zogaki, Naoussa, Kouri, Agios Stefanos, Vasilika, Lefkes & Liotrivi.