Schinoussa

Schinoussa

Schinoussa is one of the islands of Greece absolutely ideal for peace and relaxation. If you are looking for a quiet vacation then you have come to the right place. There is no quieter island than Schinoussa. The almost non-existent traffic, the very few people and the extremely slow pace are the main features of this beautiful island.

As is usually the case with the non-tourist islands of Greece, the locals are more than willing to contact you and you will find truly traditional hospitality.

The people in Schinoussa live from traditional fishing and agriculture, and because it is a very fertile island in the Cyclades, they produce wine and have enough livestock. More and more people are slowly turning to tourism, but it will take a long time before they can rely on it as their main source of income.

What is the tradition food of the island and what are the most famous delicacies?

In Schinoussa you can find good, traditional Greek food. One of the traditional dishes is fava. The cultivation of fava beans is still done with traditional practical methods and by people who love the land. The fava, the "humble legume of the South" has a remarkable production on the island and still has a prominent place in gourmet cuisine. Sometimes as a traditional food made with beans or lentils and other times as a legume of the Psychanthes family, fava easily confuses us with its name. Here, we will focus on the legume, which in Schinoussa the locals call katsouni.

In addition to fresh fish, the island is famous for its stuffed goat. Which is baked in traditional wood ovens. In Schinoussa you can find good, traditional Greek food.

What is the history of the island?

The island has been inhabited since the ancient times. According to tradition, it owes its name to the shrubby plant Schinos that thrives throughout the island. But there is another version according to which the island was named after the Venetian lord Schinoza. Many archeological finds on the island testify that Schinoussa participated in the creation of the Early Cycladic Greek Culture centered on the neighboring island of Keros.

It presented a rich commercial activity during the Byzantine times as evidenced by the abundant ceramic finds and the number of destroyed Byzantine Temples. At various historical times the island was abandoned by its inhabitants due to frequent pirate raids. From the middle of the 19th century the island began to be inhabited again mainly by families from Amorgos.