Schinoussa & Iraklia: Further Down The Line
Schinoussa
Whoever invented retsina deserves a medal. Whoever had the idea of drinking retsina to accompany fish was inspired, and deserves a medal. If the two were the same person, they should be made a saint.
A few short hours after arriving on Schinoussa we are not only doing both, but we are doing it in a sun drenched beach bar where the tamarisk trees border the sand, the sun glints on the surface of the water, and just a handful of people share our space. There can’t be too many better feelings than this.
Not long ago when we were being windswept on Astypalea and needing sweatshirts to deal with the evening chill on Amorgos, it was as if the seasons were changing. Suddenly, first on Koufonissi and now more so here, Grecian summer has returned, with hot days and balmy evenings, cloudless skies and not a breath of the Meltemi wind which plagued us back then. Our ferry crossing to Schinoussa is on a mill pond of a sea.
Just like the first impression of Koufonissi was the colour of the sea, what hits us first on Schinoussa is the tranquility. With no Meltemi to pound the ears, this under populated, understated, under developed backwater island is a haven of peace. Our rural setting, on the edge of the chora, Panagia, up above the port, is a place of stillness and silence interrupted only by birdsong and an occasional distant jangling of goats’ bells. The motionless air is filled with the heady scent of scorched vegetation and hot pines.
Such a cute house 
Chilling out 
View from our terrace
To describe Schinoussa as low key would be an understatement, this place is as laid back as it gets even in Panagia where just a few tavernas host what chatter exists. It is a perfect retreat. How long it remains so would be interesting to monitor, because there are a lot of individual plots being developed on the island, not just around Panagia but also in prestige and remote seafront locations.
Panagia 
Panagia 
Panagia 
Panagia
These developments are already changing the face of Schinoussa, and as we try to walk its footpaths we are continually thwarted by newly built walls, fences and other barricades with which new landowners have staked their claim to boundaries. The walking map kindly provided by our hosts is, to quote Douglas Adams, at worst apocryphal and at best wildly inaccurate. It’s impossible to walk what used to be the coast path.
But for now, Schinoussa is a tranquil, relaxing location which has a wonderfully calming effect on the spirit. If you are in need of a spiritual reboot, Schinoussa is your refuge, for now at least. Who knows what its future holds.
Iraklia
Schinoussa to our next destination Iraklia is our shortest ferry crossing yet, with our last trip on the Express Skopelitis being a matter of just 10 minutes port to port. We have in fact been able to clearly see Iraklia (aka Heraklia) and even its port from our Schinoussa house.
The day we move on to Iraklia constitutes a milestone; this is Day 64 of our trip and thus becomes our longest adventure since we started travelling. We never envisaged that our retirement travels would see us spending so much time in one country and we always pictured crossing many borders on every trip, but it’s been our way of getting round the pandemic restrictions. Maybe our next trip will see a bit more freedom.
Agios Giorgos, Iraklia 
Agios Giorgos, Iraklia 
Agios Giorgos, Iraklia
Our base on Iraklia is the small port village of Agios Giorgos, from where a 30-minute walk brings us to the beach at Livadia (yet another Livadia), surprisingly undeveloped despite its huge stretch of golden sand and beautiful calm clear water.
Ferry schedules dictate that our stay on Iraklia is just 44 hours, so with such limited time at our disposal we set ourselves just a single target: to hike to the cave of Agios Ioannis. The trail to the cave is fantastic in its own right, following loose stone donkey paths through the undulating hills with the gorgeous blue Aegean appearing both left and right as the panoramas shift.
The cave itself is startling. Stalactites and stalagmites reach into the darkness, moss grows and hangs in weird shapes. Rock formations loom out of the darkness sometimes like overbearing statues, sometimes like ghostly apparitions. As our eyes adjust to the dark, shapes take on forms… the pipes of a church organ, the ribs of a giant mammal, the face of an ancient deity.
Phil leading the way 
In the depths of the cave
Crystals in the rock formations glint in the light of our head torches like precious stones; the deeper we wander, the more we see. It’s so stimulating to wander deep into this cavern after crawling through the tiny entrance, completely alone, just the two of us in this mysterious dark world buried beneath the mountain. In the entire walk from Panagia to the cave and back, we don’t see a single person: the day, and the experience, is just ours.
Agios Ioannis 
Agios Ioannis
Agios Ioannis 
Agios Ioannis
Back at Livadi, we wash off the dust and the sweat in the cleansing seas, basking in the thoughts of just where we have been today.
Darkness has fallen by the time we head out to a taverna we’d spotted earlier on the edge of Agios Giorgos where the grill is an outdoor wood fire. As we await our food, the terrace fills with more and more locals, tables pulled over and thrown together until over a dozen villagers sit chatting around the large makeshift table.
An old guy pulls out his guitar and so starts the singing of what must be traditional Greek folk songs, the whole gang joining in and the ladies taking turns to dance. We are whipped up in the atmosphere, the guitarist engages us in the fun by playing a couple of Beatles songs for us to sing along. The barrel wine flows all too freely and we know as our evening unfolds that it’s just one of those brilliant travel nights that will live in the memory for ever.
We may have had just 44 hours on Iraklia, but it’s been eventful.
Take a look at the 2 slideshows below
Schinoussa Slideshow
Iraklia Gallery
27 Comments
Monkey's Tale
Where are the pictures of you dancing in the local taverna?? Sounds like we need to get to Schinoussa soon before it’s changed forever. Lovely pictures, I’m very jealous:) Maggie
Phil & Michaela
Ha ha, well, some photos are better left untaken….like us dancing, or the naked bodies on the beach on Koufonissi!! Best left off the blog posts we think….
grandmisadventures
That cave looks like quite the adventure! So fun to see where your trip is taking us next 🙂
Phil & Michaela
It was very cool crawling into that cave and being surprised by the interior!
Phil & Michaela
Thank you – yes it was an experience!
leightontravels
44 hours vey well spent indeed. Hats off to you both for tackling the caves! I would also like to have seen photos of the dancing. Oh well, you can’t have everything.
Phil & Michaela
It was all good, not a bad quick island hop one way and another!
Lookoom
The further you travel in Greece, the more it seems that the photos are about ordinary life, taverns, donkeys, lodgings. whereas at the beginning it seemed to me that the churches, the ancient sites and the more spectacular monuments attracted you more. 64 days later.
Phil & Michaela
There’s a logical explanation for that…these smaller islands don’t have any ancient sites ir monuments in the same way. I’m sure we’ll be visiting more when the opportunity arises.
wetanddustyroads
Ah, I love this post … so many memories that you two are making! I googled “retsina” and I had a laugh when it stated that “retsina has often been likened to turpentine” 😁 … I’m sure that’s only the imitation of retsina that taste like that – you had the real Greek one!
And what an amazing hike to the cave in Iraklia! I think you are not telling us everything about THAT evening … but it sure sounded like a wonderful time!
Phil & Michaela
Retsina would not be to everyone’s taste…it’s wine made from pine resin so it has an undertaste like the smell of pine needles. We both love it far too much…and seriously it goes with fish better than ANY other drink, PERIOD! Evenings like that are just a little insight into other lifestyles. For us it’s simply why we travel…just for that to happen, now and again.
Heyjude
TBH I think retsina does taste like turpentine! Even the real Greek type! Good to know someone actually likes to drink it though.
Phil & Michaela
I get completely why it wouldn’t be to everybody’s taste, as it is different. But it goes so well with fish!
Heyjude
I think I will have to take your word for it ☺️
Toonsarah
I love your little house on Schinoussa, especially having a swing on the terrace 😀 The cave looks wonderful but I’ll pass on the retsina, as I’m not a fan. Ouzo is far more to my taste!
Heyjude
I’ll join you with the Ouzo Sarah 😉
Phil & Michaela
Yep, I love ouzo too! Anything liquorice/aniseed/fennel gets my vote, ouzo doubly so!
Heyjude
I totally agree with you 😊
Phil & Michaela
Ouzo is even better than retsina!
giacomoasinello
Wonderful! Especially those donkeys!
Phil & Michaela
Now I wonder why you said that!!!?!
Latitude Adjustment: A Tale of Two Wanderers
Retsina, now that’s a memory. When we were there we could not get past the resin flavor but there are so many other fantastic Greek wines. Do they still give you a shot of Ouzo and drop an ice cube in it complimentary in the restaurants?
Phil & Michaela
We’ve only had the one free ouzo, the rest we had to pay for! The common free end-of-meal drink is the local raki these days.
rkrontheroad
The clear waters are so wonderful. Loved the hanging mackerels and donkeys.
Annie Berger
Another fun post to read of what sounded like too short a time in a great place with idyllic beach views, caves, and locals gathering together at night and even including visitors into the music.
restlessjo
I picked this one at random because it’s a part of Greece I’ve not been to, and I loved the Greek Islands we did visit. I can think of much worse places to spend those Covid days. Don’t they seem far off now?
Phil & Michaela
Yes, seriously, they do!