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You are in: Home  Greece Cyclades The Islands Iraklia & Shinousa
Iraklia & Shinousa Islands
Iraklia
Iraklia, the little island with the primitive beauty, is located to the south of Naxos and is the largest of the Minor Cyclades.
It has an area of 19 square kilometres and 120 residents. The charming port of Ai-Giorgis is built on the recess of a narrow bay which is formed by two rocky hills.
To the left of the bay is the wharf where the ferryboats dock, and behind them, lined up in a row, are the caiques of many colours. A cement road around 100 m. long leads to the village.
There is a small sandy beach in front of the village, and behind this a few houses, clean and well-tended, clamber comfortably up the two low hills.
In between them is the central road with the traditional grocery and off-licence and, further up, the church of Ai-Giorgis (from which the port took its name) and the Taxiarches (Archangels).
From Livadi the road begins to ascend the slopes of Papas, the island's tallest mountain, at a height of 419 m. On the slopes of the mountain is located Panayia - officially named Iraklia - the island's capital.
A small, simple village with the large church of the Panayia and, next to it, a smaller one of Ayios Nektarios.
The island produces high quality wine and myzithra cheese. As for the local cuisine, we can mention the pitarida (pasta) and meletinia (sweet cheese pies).
Shinousa
Schinousa, this beautiful little island, lying in between Irakleia and the Koufonisia, has an area of 9 square kilometres and 125 inhabitants.
Its port, Mersini, is located in a leeward-lying bay, and for this reason is preferred by the yachts that, even though we find them anchored to the right and the left, bob up and down over the calm waters when the meltemi wind blows.
A little beyond the dock where the ferryboats are moored, inside a green garden, rented rooms are available. As on the other Minor Cyclades, there is no bus for the Hora, which is 1,200 metres away, but the car drivers of the few hotels are willing to take you there.
That is, of course, if you decide to stay in one of their hotels. The asphalt-surfaced road rises and then, after a few twists and turns, enters the village, following its central wide lane.
The houses have one or two floors and are simple and well-cared for. Very few deviate from the traditional Cycladic architectural style. Schinousa is a low-hilled island - the tallest hill, Mylos, has a height of only 133 metres.
The island is perfect for agriculture, in which most of the inhabitants are employed. They are also employed in animal husbandry, fishing and tourism. The island's best-known produce are myzithra cheese, kopanisti (a spicy cream cheese) and meat.
As for local cuisine, the Schinousa meletinia, xerotigana and pasteli (served, as on Amorgos, on lemon tree leaves, especially at weddings) are renowned.
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