Kryfti Thermal Springs (Plomari)

The hot springs of Kryfti lie in the southern part of the island and are characterized by hot water flowing from the steep limestone rocks of a gorge. The sea is relatively warm due to the springs. These chlorosodic springs have therapeutic properties, with a temperature of about 45°C, while at points where the water bubbles up below the sea surface and mixes with seawater, the temperature reaches about 30°C. This salt spring was discovered in 1864; it lies just outside the chapel of Panagia Kryfthí—whence it took its name—at an elevation of a few meters above sea level. Because the site sits on precipitous rocks, access from nearby villages is by boat. The spring’s therapeutic water is used for bathing, carried in a container to a tub near the source.