Donousa is the most remote of the Small Cyclades, a small hilly island east of Naxos with a single real village, a handful of beaches and very little traffic. People come for the quiet: walking paths between chapels and hamlets, clear coves and an evening pace that has barely changed in decades. There is no airport, so the ferry from Piraeus is the one direct way in from Athens.
This is not a quick hop. Blue Star Ferries runs the only direct boats, large conventional ships that call at other islands on the way, so the trip takes most of a day. Ferryhopper shows the shortest crossing in this direction as 6 hr 45 min, with some sailings running to over 8 hours depending on the stops. On 12 August 2026, the day we sampled, the Blue Star Naxos left Piraeus at 06:45 and reached Donousa at 13:30.
That long ride has upsides. The ships have cabins, open decks and space to walk around, and the fare covers roughly 120 nautical miles of Aegean, from €42 for one adult when we checked. If you want to break the journey, Naxos is on the way and has frequent boats to Donousa, which suits travellers who would rather split the day.
Before booking, check the day of the week. Sailings do not run every day, so your Donousa dates should be built around the Blue Star timetable rather than the other way round. Accommodation on the island is limited and fills early in July and August, so secure a room before you commit to a boat, and plan your return with the same care.
