Episkopí, Apókrousi and Kolónna

Evaluation: This hike leads you to the three most beautiful beaches of Kýthnos, so it get an evaluation of **.

Estimated time: The hike itself only takes a little over three hours both ways (AWT). However, these tree beaches provide for such a great swimming experience that you definitely have to turn this hike into a full day trip!

Route description: It is possible to make the complete hike on foot, but then you do have to walk quite a distance along the asphalt road to Episkopí, and then further over the gravel road from Apókrousi to Kolónna. An alternative is to take the bus to Chóra/Loutrá, where you have to ask the driver to get off past the big bend around the bay of Episkopí, at the beginning of the monopáti to Apókrousi.

We will make this whole hike on foot, so you leave on the road to Chóra, just above the port at hotel Kýthnos. You pass the first beach of Martinákia and some 15 minutes later you already reach the bay of Episkopí. Just around the curve you can take a steep path going down and in this way you get to the beautiful sandy beach.

The sun is setting on the beach of Episkopí.

You walk across the long beach and at the other the end you take a trail going up on the right hand side. This trail gets a little neglected after some time, but you can still get back to the asphalt road quite easily after 10 minutes – in this way you have cut off two large bends.

At the moment you get to the asphalt road, you see on your left side two monopátia: the trail of the left goes to the Vryókastro (there is a sign), the trail of the right goes down in the direction of some water in the distance. This is a very nice trail, although you will encounter a barricade of fallen rocks after about 15 minutes. You continue by walking along side a long and rather impressive wall on the right hand side. Five minutes later you get to the first house.		 At this point the road gets broader and after 5 more minutes you already arrive on the beautiful beach of Apókrousi – large trees on this beach provide some most welcome shade. At this time of the day it is quite hot, so this is the ideal moment to take a refreshing swim. Later on you can spend the hottest moments of the afternoon on this beach.

The large bay of Apókrousi.

At the other side of the long beach you find a gravel road going up on the left, in the direction of Kolónna. The trail rises continuously for about 20-25 minutes. When you reach the top of this pass, you will finally see the sand tongue of Kolónna to the left. This final destination still looks very far away, but fortunately, you can cut off a large bend, some 20 metres past the top. To do this you take an old path which goes down steeply. After 5 minutes you are at the bottom and then you only have to follow the road for another 15 minutes until you reach the double beaches of Kolónna. On the left you will see the wonderful bay of Fykiáda.

The sand tongue of Kolónna.

This place is ideal for swimming and there is also plenty of time to discover the peninsula in front of you.

To go back, you can take the bus when you get to the top at the bay of Episkopí – so, do not forget to enquire about the time table of busses leaving from Chóra when you are here in the morning. You do have to realize, though, that the setting of the sun on the beach of Episkopí is great!

 

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