Last updated 27 May 2007

The loveliest and most agricultural of the Little Cyclades, cattle, goats, sheep and crops. Hilly but easy walking.

The mini markets are quite poor, it is important to come into these little islands in early season with plenty of essentials such as mosquito tablets and sun-cream. There were no stamps available on neither Schinoussa nor Iraklia until the boat came in, even in the post office. We did not find out which boat and did not get any.

There are official No Camping and No Nudism signs at Psili Amos and Livadi beaches, There could be similar official looking signs else where on the island.

Gerolimionas

A small deserted beach at the north-west coast of the island. The beach is small - 20 metres long - but very wide. It has the best sand on the island and is within a huge inlet well-sheltered from the wind - swimming is like swimming on a lake. When my contributor visited it there were at most 6 of us there, 4 of us nude. It is difficult to access, though - you get to the end of a track, climb over a wall and walk down without a path to the beach.

The beach at was difficult to get to, has no signs, is used by nudists but has a great deal of rubbish from the sea.. It is 25 metres long, sandy and in the corner of a very sheltered fjord rather than a bay. It is absolutely delightful if you do not look at the rubbish behind you. The swimming was marvellous but beware, there was a large colony of sea urchins on the rocks on the right hand side.

It is really difficult to find so do take these directions with you. Leave the Chora on the Messaria road, after about 1 km there is a rougher track going up to the left but you should continue on the road as it swings right towards Messaria. Cross a small section of concrete road and at the junction at the bottom there is a Messaria sign and a sign towards Psili Amos. Turn left here away from Messaria and follow this road towards the brow of the hill. After passing two new buildings on your right turn left onto a much rougher track Follow this track until it ends with stone wall across it. A piece of wire fencing acts as a gate just before the stone wall.  Go through the small doorway in front of you and almost immediately go left through a hole in the wall. Follow the top of the ridge down towards the sea, going left as you near the beach will take you to the easiest way through the last wall. When picking you way down it is advisable to stay close to the wall most of the way.  If you do not follow these directions you will have to surmount some huge goat proof walls with prickly tops.

There are other small beaches all around the island, many of them completely empty of people as the island is small with not many tourists. A copy of a hand-drawn map of the island can be obtained from the shop at the 'Hotel' Anesis.