Schinoussa, Greece: Island Guide, Beaches, Sights & Hotels

Schinoussa is a tiny, quiet island in the Small Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea between Naxos and Amorgos, with one hilltop village, Chora (Panagia), the small port of Mersini and about 15 sandy beaches reachable on foot. The island is low, easy to walk and still unspoilt, one of the calmest destinations in the central Cyclades. Its people descend from settlers who came from Amorgos around 1800, and three springs give Schinoussa the best water supply in the Small Cyclades. There is no airport, so you reach the island by ferry, most easily from Naxos on the Skopelitis boat.

Group

Small Cyclades

Capital

Chora (Panagia)

Port

Mersini

Beaches

About 15

The island of Schinoussa

Schinoussa is one of the smallest of the Small Cyclades, a quiet island in the central Aegean between Naxos and Amorgos, with the neighbouring islands of Irakleia, Koufonissia and Donoussa close by. It makes a desolate, peaceful impression from the ferry, and it stays that way ashore: the island has low hills, few roads and about 15 sandy beaches scattered around the coast, most reached on foot along dirt tracks and paths. The main sand is grey rather than the golden sand of Naxos and Koufonissia, which is part of why the island stayed off the tourist trail. Three springs give Schinoussa the best water supply in the Small Cyclades, and the people who live here today descend from settlers who came over from Amorgos around 1800. It is an island for walkers and for people who want peace and quiet, cozy and friendly, where everybody knows everybody and every visitor is greeted with a smile.

The Chora and the villages

Schinoussa keeps its life in two villages and one small port: the hilltop capital of Chora, also called Panagia, the tiny village of Messaria in the hills to the north, and the little harbour of Mersini where the ferries dock. A good road links the port with the Chora and carries on to Messaria; the rest of the island is walked.

Chora (Panagia)

Chora, also called Panagia, is the only settlement of any size on Schinoussa, set on a hill just above the port and hidden from the sea, a layout left over from the days of pirate raids. The village is mainly one attractive street, with a cute little square where you can eat or drink, three small mini-markets (at least two selling fresh bread), two ferry-ticket offices, an ATM and the Folklore Museum on a side street. The shops close for the afternoon siesta, from about two until six. The atmosphere is cozy and the inhabitants are super friendly, and from the Chora the paths set off to the island's beaches. The sights of the Chora are set out in the Schinoussa sights guide.

Messaria

Messaria is the island's second village, a tiny hamlet in the hills to the north with a couple of houses, a church, a few decayed windmills and about 20 inhabitants. A tavern here opens in high season. The good road from the Chora runs on to Messaria, passing a petrol station and several tavernas along the way, and from Messaria a 400-metre sandy path leads down to the beach of Psili Ammos. Fikio beach lies just north of the village.

Mersini (the port)

Mersini is the island's small port on the south coast, a harbour of only a few houses where the ferries come in. It sits below the Chora and out of sight of it, and a good road climbs the short distance up to the capital. A small sandy beach with tamarisk trees lies beside the harbour, the first beach you see on arrival. Some ferries reach Schinoussa late at night, so it is wise to arrange a pick-up with your accommodation before you sail.

The beaches of Schinoussa

Schinoussa has about 15 sandy beaches scattered around its coast, a generous number for so small an island, and nearly all are reached on foot. The best are Psili Ammos, Tsigouri, Livadi, Aligaria, Lioliou and Almiros; most offer some shade from trees, while a few catch the wind or the seaweed. Tsigouri, closest to the Chora, is the most popular; Psili Ammos in the north-east, backed by sand dunes, is the most beautiful. Gerolimnionas in the north-west is the one beach where naturism is officially allowed. The full run is set out in the Schinoussa beaches guide.

Where to stay

Accommodation on Schinoussa is limited and gathers around Tsigouri Beach and the Chora, with a few places by the quieter beaches. Options run from the family-owned Archipelagos Boutique Hotel and Grispos Villas above Tsigouri to Anatoli Studios at Vazeo, Pension Meltemi near Livadi and the Lioliou Beach Hotel by Lioliou. There is not much of it, so book ahead in high season. Compare the choices in the Schinoussa hotels & villas guide.

Where to eat

Schinoussa keeps its tavernas in the Chora, where Loza on the square and Deli both cook very well, alongside Margarita's for a meal with a sea view. Seasonal tavernas open by some of the beaches, at Tsigouri, Lioliou and Messaria. The choice is small and the evenings are quiet, so dinner is a relaxed affair on a terrace. Where to eat is set out in the Schinoussa restaurants guide.