Here is the quietest of the Greek islands: no cars, only nature trails, the sea and the scent of thyme

Donoussa is the most isolated of the Small Cyclades: 13 km², just over two hundred inhabitants, unspoilt beaches and a pace that mass tourism has yet to catch up with.

Cars are of no use on Donoussa: the island can be crossed on foot in less than two hours. There are four villages on the island, and the main road is just a path lined with wild thyme and Mediterranean scrub. Thirteen square kilometers in the northeast of the Small Cyclades, between Naxos and Amorgos. According to the 2021 census, the island has just over two hundred inhabitants, a figure set to fall during the winter season.

No airport, no traffic. Since 2011, the island hasn't even had a town hall; it's administratively attached to the municipality of Naxos and the Small Cyclades.

Stavros

Stavros is the island's main village and port, where everything that exists is concentrated. White houses arranged in an amphitheatre around the bay, the church of Timios Stavros, a few tavernas and rare accommodation. The beach is just a few steps away, renowned for its fine sand and transparent waters. Just off the beach lies the wreck of a German destroyer sunk during the Second World War. When the sea is calm, you can see it from the surface without even having to dive.

The other villages

Mersini, on the south-eastern slope, is an exception in the Cycladic landscape: it is surrounded by plane trees, reeds and a natural spring, the island's only source of drinking water. The greenery is unexpected. Nearby is the church of Agia Sofia, which hosts a major festival every September. The village of Messaria, meanwhile, consists of a few stone houses surrounded by vegetable gardens. Kalotaritissa, at the northern end of the island, is the most isolated village; in winter, only a handful of inhabitants remain.

The beaches

Kedros is the island's largest golden-sand beach, with a clear seabed and the German shipwreck accessible by swimming. Livadi is longer and more isolated, with no services. Kalotaritissa Beach is the wildest, between pebbles and coves, with the only infrastructure a seasonal taverna. Finally, Stavros Beach is the village beach: conveniently located just a few steps from the port.

The island is also home to two sea caves, accessible by boat from Stavros. These are the Fokospilia, on the eastern side of the island at the foot of the cliffs of Cape Moschona, which owes its name to the monk seals that once lived there, now extremely rare. Tihos, on the north-western slope, in Ksilobati Bay, is characterized by a series of stalactites that filter the light at the entrance.

The trails

Donoussa has a network of signposted footpaths linking all the villages together. The main route runs from Stavros to Kalotaritissa, passing through vineyards, olive groves and old copper and calamine mines, with the sea almost always in the background. On trail no. 4, from Kedros to Messaria, you'll come across the abandoned mill of Kato Mylos, used for centuries to grind the island's wheat, now deprived of its wings.

How to get there

From Piraeus, in low season, there are around three crossings a week, a number that increases in summer. Another option? A stopover in Naxos or Paros. The average crossing takes between seven and nine hours. In winter, some crossings are cancelled due to bad weather. The best time to visit is undoubtedly from late spring to early summer, before the meltem (the typical wind blowing across the Aegean Sea) makes the crossings more eventful. August brings a few more visitors, most of them Greeks, even if the numbers are still limited and far from mass tourism figures.