Schinoussa

Schinoussa

Schinoussa (or Schinousa, Schoinousa) is a tiny island which belongs to the Small (Lesser) Cyclades group. With its hard to pronounce name, it is usually considered to be uninhabited, if heard of at all. The island is on the route of the organized daily boat trips from Naxos and Paros, which in the summer tour around the Small Cyclades, so tourists do not see much of it. But hikers and nature lovers claim that the magic of the island is to stay for a couple of days and visit all its wild beaches, some of them accessible only on footpaths. This of course, is true for those who want to spend a holiday in an unspoiled place where time has stopped and there are hardly any other people to see.

Schinoussa has two small settlements - Hora (the main village) and Mesaria. The port where ferries arrive is called Mersini but it comprises only of a pier and a few buildings, not quite eye-catching. Ferries connect the island with Piraues, Naxos, Amorgos and the rest of the Small Cyclades.

Accommodation is provided in small hotels and villas, there are also a few tavernas, cafes and mini markets. The island is just 9,5 square km and it is best explored on foot, via the dirt roads or paths which lead to its beaches (about 15 of them to choose from, sandy or mixed). The most popular beach of Schinoussa is Tsigouri, and it even has a beach bar operating in the summer but the rest beaches are almost desolate.

highlights: unknown and unspoiled, island in Cyclades Islands, Greece