Getting from Santorini to Donoussa

Donoussa is the most remote and least visited of the Small Cyclades, sitting to the northeast of Naxos just far enough off the main ferry routes to keep the crowds away. It is a small island with a handful of beaches, a single main village at Stavros port, no pharmacy, no petrol station and no transport to speak of beyond your own feet. People who go to Donoussa are making a deliberate choice to slow down completely, and the island delivers on that in every way. Kedros beach is one of the finest in the Cyclades and almost entirely deserted by the standards of better-known islands. The hiking across the island is excellent and the tavernas in Stavros are exactly what you want after a day of walking and swimming.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Santorini to Donoussa but the connection is manageable via Naxos. Take one of the frequent daily ferries from Santorini to Naxos, which takes between 1 and 2.5 hours depending on the vessel, and then connect onto either the Blue Star Ferries service or the Express Skopelitis, the small ferry operated by Small Cyclades Lines that links Naxos with Donoussa, Koufonisia, Schinoussa and Iraklia. The Naxos to Donoussa crossing takes around 1 hour 10 minutes to 4 hours depending on the service. Check the schedule carefully as Donoussa connections from Naxos run a few times per week rather than daily, and timing your arrival in Naxos around the onward departure is essential.

What about flying?

Donoussa has no airport. The nearest airport is on Naxos, which has connections to Athens, but there are no direct flights from Santorini to Naxos. The most practical approach by air is to fly from Santorini to Athens and then take the ferry from Piraeus, which runs to Donoussa around four times per week and takes around 6 hours 45 minutes. For most people coming from Santorini, connecting via Naxos by ferry is simpler and faster than going through Athens.

Your best option

Take the ferry from Santorini to Naxos and connect onward to Donoussa from there. Check the Naxos to Donoussa schedule on Ferryhopper before you book anything and build your Naxos arrival time around the onward departure. You may need to spend a night in Naxos if the timings do not align, which is not a hardship. Give Donoussa at least three nights. Bring everything you need including any medications, as the island has no pharmacy.