Schinoussa

The loveliest and most agricultural of the Little Cyclades, cattle, goats, sheep and crops. Hilly (rather than mountainous) but easy walking.

The Chora contains the bulk of the island's accommodation, along with a few mini markets and tavernas and a very good bakers (which also sells sun cream, parasols and fruit). There's also the office selling Blue Star ferry tickets (which doubles up as the Post Office) and a separate place selling Express Skopelitis tickets. The island is small enough for car hire to be usually unnecessary, but a bicycle helps.

There are official No Camping and No Nuddism (sic) signs at Psili Ammos, Campos and Livadi beaches. There could be similar official-looking signs elsewhere on the island. However, in June 2010 there were relatively few visitors, making nudism perfectly possible on several beaches.

A copy of a good, large-scale, printed map of the island is available. My contributors were given a copy by the Hotel Iliovasilemas, where they stayed. That map shows the only beach marked as FKK as being on Fidou Islet, just to the south of Schinoussa - and completely inaccessible without a boat!


Gerolimionas

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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 contributors visited it in June 2010 they spent five minutes on arrival clearing up the rubbish and then had a lovely day. They were the only couple there all day except for a Greek guy who came for quick swim in mid-afternoon and then immediately left. It is a bit difficult to access, though - you get to the end of a track, climb over a wall and walk down without a real path to the beach.

The beach has no signs, is used by nudists but has some rubbish from the sea.. It is sandy and in the corner of a very sheltered fjord rather than a bay. It is absolutely delightful - sandy and gently shelving. The swimming was marvellous but beware, there are sea urchins on the rocks on the right hand side.

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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 Ammos. 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, but generally straight, track. Follow this track up and over the hill - someone has been busy with a bulldozer at its former termination and you now (Sept 2010) hairpin left then sweep right, finally ending at a parking/turning place in open ground. Abandon any remaining wheels here. Follow the top of the ridge down towards the beach and look as you go for the easiest way through the last wall. In June 2010, the walk from Chora took my correspondents about 40 minutes.

When we arrived in September 2017 there was one other couple on the beach. During the afternoon another three couples joined. Even with 10 people on it, the beach didn't feel crowded.
All couples, save one, were full-nudist, the remaining two people just wore pants, the woman going topless.
The beach is now signposted, so it should be easier to find, though the path is somewhat adventurous.
Some flotsam and jetsam, but take 5 min to clear some away and you'll be grand.


Tsigouri

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July 2013: No nudism at all. A lot of rubbish at the beach.

Early July 2016: One (or one day, two) nudists at the far end - away from Grispos Taverna - but otherwise lots of textiles on the beach, and most days several yachts. No-one seemed bothered about the nudism. Lovely sandy beach, no rubbish, nice beach bar with free sunbeds (clothing required). Clothed women were not topless.

Passed in the evening in September 2017. One naked swimmer on the far side, otherwise virtually empty beach.


Livadi

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July 2013: No nudism at all.

September 2017 : all textile, some monokini at most. Beach has official 'no nuddism'-sign (sic).
Take a rock from the sandy beach, secure your swimming gear in the water and enjoy a good naked swim.


Alygaria Kampos

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Easily the best beach on the island.
You reach it by following the road to Lioliou but taking a right before the final bend towards Lioliou. It's signposted, so it's hard to miss. The beach itself is sand and pebbles and there's lots of cracks in the cliff to find some shade for either yourself or your kit.
The water is crystal clear and there's plenty of fish if you're into snorkelling.

If you swim out a bit, some 30 metres, there's another beach to the southeast that is even lovelier. It appears to be only accessible by sea or a difficult climb up the cliff-face.

When this reporter visited in September 2017 there were two other nude couples on the beach.


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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. Lio Liou beach is a no-no - recently-built accommodation, and anyway it can be very exposed to the wind.

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