🎬 Isolated Donousa

📍 Donousa is a small island of the Lesser Cyclades archipelago, located east of Naxos and north of Amorgos.

✔ Donousa, the isolated gem of the Cyclades, is an untouched small island with an authentic and peaceful ambience, stunning natural landscapes and incredible beaches with turquoise blue crystal-clear water.

▪️ There are ferry connections with Athens and the surrounding islands of the Cyclades, especially Naxos and Amorgos.

▪️ Inhabited since prehistoric times, and named Donousa comes from the Greek God of wine Dionysus, the island has only about 200 inhabitants in 4 villages: Port and capital Stavros (Chora) and 3 small villages Messaria, Mersini & Kalotaritissa.

▪️ Untouched natural landscapes with fascinating views, picturesque traditional villages with a relaxed and tranquil atmosphere, combined with authenticity and hospitality, as well as incredible beaches with transparent blue waters are the features of this unique small island.

▪️ An island for a relaxing and tranquil vacation, enjoying and swimming on extraordinary pristine beaches, hiking on exceptional trails & exploring breathtaking landscapes and fascinanting natural beauty.

Tranquil Stavros

Tranquil Stavros

Stavros (Chora) is a port and the capital in the southwest of the island, located on a low hill around the picturesque port and on the other side of the bay connected by a wonderful beach.

Stavros is the main tourist spot with authentic Cycladic white houses and narrow cobbled alleys adorned with lovely flowers and greenery of irresistible charm. In the center is the beautiful Timios Stavros church, the patron saint of the island.

The settlement is divided into 2 parts by a bay with an exceptional wide sandy beach with pretty powdery sand and turquoise blue clear water. An excellent choice for families with children due to the shallow water and tamarisk trees in the background with plenty of shade.

Around the port, picturesque colorful fishing boats floating in transparent water create an enchanting picture.

Tranquil and relaxed atmosphere will seduce every visitor at first glance! You need to experience all the charms, colors and scents. You’ll wonder why I haven’t visited this fascinating place earlier?!

An extra flavor of the delightful surroundings give traditional taverns and cafes where you can enjoy in local food and a nice ambience.

Top 10 Donousa beaches

Top 10 Donousa beaches

The main asset of the isolated gem of the Cyclades is the incredible, breathtaking beaches with turquoise blue crystal-clear water and a wonderful seabed.

Pristine sandy and pebble beaches with stunning landscapes are ideal for nature lovers, swimming and enjoying in unique natural beauty.

All beaches are accessible by foot along exceptional paths, and most can be reached by boat from the Stavros capital.

▪ Top 10 Donousa beaches. My recommendation! ⬇

1️⃣ Livadi

2️⃣ Kedros

3️⃣ Fikio

4️⃣ Stavros

5️⃣ Mesa Ammos

6️⃣ Kalotaritissa

7️⃣ Sapounochoma

8️⃣ Vathy Limenari

9️⃣ Limni

🔟 Ammoudi

Hiking

There are a few exceptional hiking trails that pass through incredible natural scenery of unreal beauty. The trails will delight all lovers of nature and hiking!

The trails lead to the highest peak of Mount Papas at 383m with spectacular panoramic views, stunning cliffs & impressive sea caves, fascinating beaches & coves that leave you breathless, interesting locations and sights…

One of the exceptional trails goes along the sea from the capital of Stavros towards the East, all the way to the most beautiful Livadi beach and the village of Mersini.

Kedros

The first location reached after about 20 minutes of walking is the impressive Kedros bay, which is the largest beach on Donousa.

A spectacular beach with fine yellow sand and fascinating turquoise crystal-clear water.

Ideal for relaxing and enjoying in an exotic ambiance and swimming in incredibly transparent water.

An interesting diving attraction is the wreck of a German ship from World War II, located on the seabed near the coast.

There is a tavern on the beach where visitors can enjoy in local food.

Vathy Limenari

After Kedros beach, the trail passes through the scenic landscape by the sea to the picturesque Vathy Limenari bay with deep turquoise water and white coarse pebbles.

An interesting location where there is a windmill on the surrounding hills, as well as the remains of an ancient site from the Geometric period.

The trail continues along a narrow path along the sea, offering incredible landscapes with a stunning views of the Aegean blue and the surrounding islands, all the way to the gem of Donousa…⤵

Livadi

Livadi is a magnificent beach and one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece!

A true Paradise that enchants with its unreal beauty and takes your breath away from the first moment you see it!

Divine blue with white powdery sand along with an incredible landscape with a fantastic view in the distance on the magical Amorgos.

Pristine natural beauty and stunning surroundings with exotic water and a wonderful seabed with a rich underwater world are a delight for nature lovers, for swimming and enjoying a unique ambiance.

Mersini

After Livadi beach, there is the great small sandy Fikio beach with gorgeous turquoise clear water and exceptional rocky landscape. This remote, untouched beach is perfect for enjoying in tranquility and privacy.

The trail then goes uphill to the small village of Mersini. In the immediate vicinity, there is a natural spring of drinking water, under a plane tree with plenty of greenery for rest and break from the Sun.

On the hill above the village is the beautiful Agia Sofia church, one of the most scenic locations with an amazing panoramic view on the endless Aegean blue and in the distance Amorgos.

Fokospilia

After Mersini there are no hiking trails and the Kalotaritissa village is reached by an asphalt road that passes at high altitudes.

Along the way, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the impressive cliff of Cape Moschonas, where the Fokospilia sea cave is. An attraction that can be visited by boat, where you can enjoy in the striking ambience and swimming in the deep blue sea.

All the way to the village of Kalotaritissa there are fascinating untouched landscapes and views of the sea.

Kalotaritissa

The asphalt road ends in the small village of Kalotaritissa, situated at the foot of Mount Papas. In the bay around the village, there are 3 pebble beaches with turquoise transparent water: Sapounochoma, Kalotaritissa and Mesa Ammos.

The beaches are shown in order in the pictures ⤵

1. Sapounochoma

2. Kalotaritissa

3. Mesa Ammos

The last one is the isolated and most beautiful beach of Mesa Ammos, which can be reached after a 20-minute walk along coastal path from the village. A pristine natural setting for relaxing and enjoying in the wonderful surroundings with a view on the imposing Mount Papas.

Mount Papas 

An exceptional hiking trail that goes from the port of Stavros, north uphill to the highest peak of Mount Papas, and after that the trail descends all the way to the village of Kalotaritissa.

Along the way, you pass through amazing natural landscapes and past stunning cliffs overlooking the western side and the island of Naxos in the distance.

At one point, the trail turns towards the top of Mount Papas, and further continues to the village of Kalotaritissa.

The highest peak of Mount Pappas at 383m, offers a spectacular panoramic view on the surrounding islands of Naxos, Keros, Amorgos and in the far distance, Ikaria.

The superb view from the steep cliff on the Kalotaritissa bay and the small islet of Skilonisi stands out and it leaves you breathless!

Western trail & Aspros Kavos

After visiting the top of Mount Papas, a tour of the western side of the island follows.

First, out off the regular trails, a descent via steep and difficult path to the rocky Ammoudi beach, exposed to the influence of the north wind.

Then journey continues along the coastline, off the regular paths, all the way to the Aspros Kavos peninsula.

Along the way, you can see a picturesque landscape with steep cliffs and intriguing multicolored geological rocks, leading to the interesting sea cave Spilia tou Tichou (Wall Cave).

On the way back to the port of Stavros, trail number 5 passes by the secluded Limni beach.