Donousa

Donousa is the far edge of the Cyclades, a small island east of Naxos that few people can even place on a map, and that is exactly why it is wonderful. The ferry lands at the little harbour of Stavros, where the white houses of the village climb the hill above the bay and the fishing boats rock in the clear water. The island is dry and stony, one of the driest in the Cyclades, and what it has instead of greenery is a network of paths linking four scattered villages to beaches that almost nobody uses. At the beach of Kedros a shipwreck lies on the sand, and the water is clear enough for the wreck to seem to float; the long beaches of the east coast are often completely empty. In the evening, grilled fish is eaten at a taverna by the harbour, looking out over the sunset. Donousa is the Cyclades at their most genuine — a place of small farms, big skies, and the deep peace of an island that has kept its soul.

Donousa has been inhabited since antiquity and Pliny lists it among the Cycladic islands. It had roughly three thousand residents in the early 18th century, working the aluminium and copper mines at Kedros, and it had a population of 213 at the 2021 census. In the Middle Ages it was, like its neighbours, a refuge for pirates and a base for the communities of the Small Cyclades. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Donousa was a poor island of farmers and fishermen, and its population fell to a few hundred; many Donousiots emigrated, and the island was nearly abandoned in the mid-20th century. From the 1980s, the Small Cyclades were discovered by travellers, and Donousa has become a favourite of those who love the quietest, most authentic islands of Greece. Today it is a small, welcoming community of a few hundred people, living between the fields, the sea, and the wind.

The name is recorded by Stephanus of Byzantium in the sixth century AD. His Ethnica is not a book of stories but a dictionary of Greek place-names, and for this one it says: "It seems to be Dionysia, and by corruption Donousia". (Ethnica, s.v. Δονουσία).

That is the whole of what an ancient source has to say about how the place got its name. It is a shorter answer than the guidebooks give, and it is the only one with a source behind it.

Donousa has some of the most beautiful beaches of the Small Cyclades, and almost all of them are empty. Kedros, on the south coast, is the most famous: a long, sandy beach where a shipwreck lies on the sand, with water of astonishing clarity. The beaches of the east coast — including the lovely coves near the village — are long, wild, and beautiful. And the little beaches of the north and west coasts are perfect for a solitary swim. The water is deep, clear, and warm, and the swimming is among the most peaceful in the Cyclades. Bring a mask, water, and a picnic, and you will have the beaches of Donousa to yourself.

Donousa food is the honest cooking of a small farming island. The island produces excellent honey, cheese, and wine, and its fields grow vegetables and the island's herbs. The tavernas of the harbour serve the daily catch — grilled fish, octopus, and the tiny fried fish of the island — with the classic Greek table and a warmth that is the true taste of the Cyclades. For a real Donousa meal, order the fish of the day, a plate of the island's greens, and a glass of the local wine, and eat by the harbour as the boats come home.

May, June, and September are the best months on Donousa: warm, quiet, and beautiful, with the beaches empty and the island at its most peaceful. July and August are livelier, but Donousa is one of the least visited islands of Greece and never feels crowded. Spring is lovely, with wildflowers, and autumn lingers warm into October. Whenever you come, stay at least a couple of nights, and let the island's simple rhythm set your pace — Donousa is a place for swimming, walking, and the deep pleasure of being far from everything.

Donousa has no airport and is reached by sea. The main route is the ferry from Naxos, about two hours, with additional services from Piraeus, Paros, Amorgos and the other Cyclades.

The island is small — walk, or hire a bicycle or scooter. Swim at Kedros and the beaches of the east coast, walk the paths of the island, and spend your evenings by the harbour. Bring cash, water, and a good book. And take a day trip to the neighbouring islets if you can — the Small Cyclades are a world apart, and Donousa, at their far edge, is one of the purest places left in Greece.