Between Naxos and Amorgos lies a cluster of tiny islands that most visitors never reach. The Small Cyclades – Koufonisia, Schinoussa, Iraklia and Donousa – are the kind of Greece that feels like a secret. No big hotels, no cruise ships, no crowds. Just small harbours, empty beaches and a pace of life that hasn’t changed in decades.
A Cyanos Rafnar boat is the best way to explore them. Distances are short, anchorages are sheltered, and every stop feels like a private island.
Koufonisia
The smallest island with the biggest personality.
Ano Koufonisi is only 3.5 square kilometres, but it packs in some of the most stunning beaches in the Aegean. Pori, Fanos and Italida are long stretches of golden sand with shallow, crystal-clear water — the kind you see in photos and assume must be edited. They’re not.
The single village has a handful of tavernas, a couple of bars, and a waterfront where the fishing boats come in every morning. In the evening, the whole island gathers for sunset. That’s the social calendar, and it’s perfect.
By boat, you can also reach the uninhabited Kato Koufonisi just across the strait – rocky coves, wild beaches and absolute silence.
Schinoussa
The quiet one.
Schinoussa has around 250 permanent residents and roughly 20 beaches. Do the maths – you’ll probably have most of them to yourself. Tsigouri is the main beach near the port, easy and sandy. Livadi, Almyros and Lioliou are harder to reach and even better.
The village of Chora sits on a hilltop with views over the sea in every direction. There are a few rooms to rent, a couple of tavernas with home-cooked food, and nothing else. That’s the point.
Iraklia
The wild one
Iraklia is the least developed of the four and the most rewarding if you like things raw. The port of Agios Georgios has a small sandy beach and a couple of places to eat. From there, hiking trails lead to the Cave of Saint John – a sacred site with impressive stalactites – and to Livadi, a beautiful beach on the south coast with no facilities and no one around.
Anchor here for lunch, swim in water that glows turquoise over the sand, and understand why some people never want to leave.
Donousa
The remote one.
Donousa is the furthest north and the hardest to reach by ferry, which keeps it wonderfully empty. Stavros, the main village, sits above a long sandy bay. Kedros beach, on the east side, is a stunner – fine sand, deep blue water, and a feeling of being at the edge of the world.
By boat, you can explore the rocky coastline and find small coves that don’t appear on any map. Donousa rewards the effort of getting there, every time.
The Route
The beauty of the Small Cyclades is how close everything is. You can easily visit all four islands in a few days, hopping between them as the mood takes you. Start from Lavrio and work your way down through Kea and Kythnos, or head straight to Naxos and Paros before dropping south through Koufonisia and Schinoussa, crossing to Iraklia, then northeast to Donousa before circling back.
At Cyanos Yachting, we know these waters well. We’ll help you plan the route, time the crossings, and find the anchorages that make this trip unforgettable.
Ready to discover the Small Cyclades?
Get in touch with the Cyanos Yachting team. www.cyanosyachting.com