Greek Islands Portal

Schinousa belongs in Small East Cyclades in the prefecture of Naxos. It has an extent of 9,5 square kilometers and is located southerly from Naxos and northeast of Iraklia.
It has 3 villages: Schinousa or Chora the capital, Messaria and Mersini the port which is considered one of the best harbors of small ships in the whole world.

According to tradition Schinoussa was named after the bushy plant “schino” found all around the island.
It was probably inhabited at least in the 10th c. BC. The island had been invaded by pirates who had probably settled down on the island at different times.
The Venetians owned Schinoussa from the 13th c. – 16th c, and the island was probably inhabited then. During the Turkish rule, it served as a pirate nest.