The whole island of Schinoussa covers an area of 7.8 square kilometers. Is the smallest inhabited island of Cyclades. It is located south of Naxos, northeast of Irakleia, and has two villages Chora and Mesaria.
There are two theories about the origin of the name of the island. The first says that the name comes from the local shrub schinos and the second that comes from its Venetian governor Schinoza during the Frankish period.
Chora is built on the top of a hill, something quite typical at the time, in order to avoid pirate raids. In Schinoussa time seems to have stopped, with characteristic houses of Cycladic architecture, white narrow roads, and yards full of colored flowers. In the middle of Chora, there is the church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Other attractions are the archaeological museum, with exhibits from the Early Cycladic civilization and the folklore museum, with traditional clothes and items of everyday use of people of previous generations.
Mesaria is another settlement located three kilometers away from Chora. It is a small village with an old windmill and the church of Evaggelistria, which stands for its beautiful, colored temple from 1909. Really close to Chora someone can find Mersini, a very small port, one of the safest refuges for small boats in all Aegean. It is a village well-known for its restaurants and tavernas that serve fresh fish.
Most beaches in Schinoussa are accessible on foot and the longest walking distance is less than 20 minutes away. The beaches of Piso Ammos and Tsigourio are the organized beaches of the island, with restaurants and cafeterias. There are many more wild beaches, like Chochlakias, Almiro, Fikio, Fountana and Gero-Limnionas. Finally, someone can enjoy a swim in Fidou and Agios Vasileios, two beaches that can be reached only with a boat.