Koufonisia

Between Naxos and Amorgos, hidden in the heart of the Aegean, lies Koufonisia, an off-the-radar island escape where time slows, and the sea takes centre stage. This trio of Greek islands – Pano Koufonisi, Kato Koufonisi, and the uninhabited Keros – forms part of the Small Cyclades, also known as the Minor Cyclades, alongside Schinoussa, Heraklia, and Donousa. Remote, raw, and utterly captivating, Koufonisia isn’t just a destination – it’s a state of mind.

There are more fishing boats than people here. No hire cars, no traffic, just footpaths, bikes, and the occasional boat ride. Pano Koufonisi, the only inhabited island, is small enough to cross in two hours, a place where the horizon is never far from sight. The streets of Chora, the island’s main hub, are a maze of whitewashed limestone houses, their cyan shutters wide open to the breeze. Bougainvillaea spills from balconies, while tiny boutiques and galleries tuck themselves into hidden corners. Life here is simple but never dull – morning swims, lazy lunches, sunset walks, and nights filled with fresh seafood and strong island spirits.

But it’s the coastline that steals the show. Koufonisia has some of the best beaches in the Cyclades, a collection of golden coves and rocky outcrops carved by wind and waves. Many of them are accessible only by bike or boat, which keeps them pristine. Hondros Cavos, Fanos, Platia Pounda, and Pori – each one more stunning than the last. The water is so clear, so electric blue, that it feels unreal. It’s the kind of place where you lose track of time, where the sea dictates the rhythm of the day.

Just across the water, the island of Keros looms like a silent monument to a lost world. Uninhabited and protected, Keros was once a major Cycladic sanctuary, its ancient ruins holding the secrets of a forgotten civilisation. Archaeologists have uncovered fragments of marble figurines – eerily abstract, hauntingly beautiful – now displayed in museums around the world. The island remains untouched, a stark contrast to the golden sands of Koufonisia, adding an air of mystery to the seascape.

Getting to Koufonisia is part of the adventure. From Naxos, it’s a 40-50 minute dash on the Seajet or Highspeed ferry, or a slow, scenic 2.5-hour ride on the Express Skopelitis, the legendary island-hopping ferry that connects the Small Cyclades. You can also reach it from Paros, Santorini, or Mykonos via Sea-Jet, or take the long way from Athens – 4.5 hours from Piraeus. For those arriving in style, Pano Koufonisi even has a public heliport for private Helicoptor charters.

Koufonisia doesn’t need to impress – it just exists, wild and untamed, waiting for those who seek something different. No crowds, no chaos, just sun, sea, and the quiet hum of an island that refuses to rush.