Schinoussa, the quiet island on my wishlist

Schinoussa is one of the few islands in the central Cyclades I have not visited yet, but it is very high on the wish list of islands that I want to visit, because I am told by the visitors of my website that it is still very unspoilt and an absolute must for people who love peace and quiet. And because my website is about the peaceful and quiet places they tell me that there is ONE island that I have forgotten: Schinoussa. The island is so beautiful they say that this actually should remain a secret. Upon arrival on the island by ferry it makes it such a desolate and quiet impression that the tourists seem to be scared off. I remember that the ferry made a stop there on the way to Donoussa and Amorgos (and later on the way back), and this is true: the port of Mersini where the ferries come in consists of only a few houses (in 2001 I saw about three houses as far as I remember), and even for me, an experienced islandhopper, it was a little intimidating. I suggest that perhaps you book a room before you travel to Schinoussa or take a few phone numbers with you so that after you have landed in Greece and you have found a ferry that is going to Schinoussa and one that is going back you can make a reservation by phone, so you will be picked up and brought back to the port of the island. Especially smart since some of the ferries arrive at Schinoussa at a late time. You can check Blue Star Ferries and Nel Lines for their schedules.

The only settlement of some size on the island is called Chora of Panagia and it is just a bit up the hill from the port (you can not see when you arrive at the port because it is hidden behind the hill). From the Chora itself there are good views of the sea, but it's not visible. This is a remnant of the pirate days when the island was often attacked and people were killed. The people who now live on Schinoussa descended from residents of the island of Amorgos, which populated the island again around 1800. Chora consists mainly of one street and it is attractive, even though there are not so many old buildings. In the Chora there is a small village shop that sells ferry tickets just before the ferries depart. In this street there are also a couple of tavernas (some also offer rooms for rent) and a number of small shops. From Chora begin the paths to the fifteen beaches of the island (Tsigouri, Livadi, Aligaria, Lioliou, Almiros, Foudana, Psili Amos, Fikio and Gerolimnionas). Most of these beaches are made of gray sand and not the golden sands that you for instance find on the neighbouring islands of Koufonissia and Naxos. This perhaps explains in part why it is a less popular destination. For me, it would be a minor reason: who cares what color the beaches are.

The road from the port to the Chora is a good road, the rest of the roads on the island are just paths making Schinoussa ideal for walks. The only other small settlement on the island is called Messaria and is located in the north of the island in the hills. It is home to some 20 people. In Schinoussa there are three springs making Schinoussa the island in the small Cylades with the best watersupply.