Donousa

Donousa is the northernmost and most isolated of the Small Cyclades, lying east of Naxos out towards the open Aegean. Smaller and less visited than nearby Koufonisia, it has long attracted a devoted following of walkers, swimmers and free campers drawn by its rocky landscape, empty beaches and unhurried pace. The island has just a few hundred residents spread across a handful of tiny settlements, and life centres on the port village of Stavros, where the ferries dock and most of the rooms and tavernas are found.

For its size, Donousa has a surprising wealth of beaches. Kedros, a short walk from the port, is the best known, a sheltered bay of pale sand and clear water backed by tamarisk trees and popular with campers. Livadi, Kalotaritissa and other coves lie scattered around the coast, several reached on foot or by the small boat that shuttles swimmers along the shore in summer. The water is clean and calm, and the sense of space is part of the appeal.

Walking is the island's other great pleasure. A network of waymarked paths crosses the interior and links the villages of Mersini, Kalotaritissa and Messaria, passing terraced fields, chapels and viewpoints over the sea. Along the northern coast, the sea cave of Fokospilia can be reached by boat or on a scrambling walk, a natural chamber where light plays on the water. Nowhere on Donousa is far, and the modest distances make it a rewarding island to explore slowly on foot.

Evenings are simple and sociable, spent over fresh fish and local wine in the tavernas of Stavros, with little in the way of organised nightlife. Free camping at Kedros has been part of the island's summer culture for decades, and Donousa retains an easygoing, low-key atmosphere that feels increasingly rare in the Cyclades. It rewards travellers who want genuine quiet, good swimming and a landscape best measured at walking pace, and it pairs naturally with the other Small Cyclades on a longer island-hopping route.