One thing you can always count on in Greece is the hospitality of the people. Whether you’re up in Thrace or down in Crete the sense of filoxenia is ubiquitous. But in places like the Cyclades the term really comes into its own. Think white washed cubist house squares with old folk playing back gammon in ye ol tavern underneath the plane tree shade in the morning, and then try to think of your happiest memory as a child, multiply it by two and voila: Ces’t magnifique. Or as they say in Greece; Donoussa. If the name doesn’t ring any bells, then the universe has done its cosmic bit. If it does you’ve probably been to it and are now just blankly staring at the screen in a lucid daydream, possibly with bits of drool at the edges a-la Homer as you flashback to the sheer divinity of that Greek summer holiday. Donoussa is a paradise that sees few visitors. That is the primary basis of its appeal. It combines all the natural sensory stimuli and amplifies them until the only thing you can hear are the cicadas and the waves splashing on the shore.
The allure of this remote little wonder is precisely that. That and of course it’s out of this world beaches, of which there are many. But we would be remiss if we didn’t single out Gala and Livadi beaches for their majestic, sweeping awesomeness. Kedros and Moutsouna are equally good, with the latter offering a smidge more of amenities in the form of beach tavern and kiosks.
There’s a few hiking trails as is wont in Greece, for those looking to burn off that decadent lobster pasta dinner from last night.
To be exact, Domoussa is the archetypal family island destination; safe, clean and a million miles away from your nearest concern (toddler terror not included in holiday insurance, please consult your travel agent for adverse side effects of any teething and/or unruly babies).
