Day 4: From Windy Mykonos to Peaceful Donousa (via Naxos and a Pizza Break)

Introduction

After a rough night’s sleep thanks to noisy neighbours and that ever-glowing light outside the hotel room door, I was up at 7 a.m. feeling more groggy than refreshed. I packed the last of my things and headed out in search of breakfast – and something different from the usual routine.

I found a nearby café (unironically called Delicious) that looked promising, but it wasn’t open yet, so I took a walk down to the beach instead. The wind had eased off compared to the previous day, and the sea was still a bit wavy, but the skies were mostly blue with only some cloud hanging further north towards the port.

When the café finally opened, I ordered a generous bowl of Greek yoghurt with honey and muesli (€9) and an americano (€4). It wasn’t the cheapest breakfast, but it was big enough that I couldn’t finish it. I lingered over it until around 8:30, enjoying the calm before what I suspected might become a chaotic day.

A Ferry Fumble Turned Lucky Break

While at breakfast, I checked on my ferry – the small Super Jet 2 bound for Naxos – and noticed it hadn’t even left Piraeus, despite being scheduled to start from Milos. Not great. It wasn’t clear whether yesterday’s strong winds had left it stranded out of position, or if today’s more moderate breeze was still enough to keep it in port. Either way, I needed a contingency plan if I wanted to avoid missing my Donousa connection on Naxos.

A quick look at Ferryhopper showed there was a larger SeaJets Champion Jet 3 leaving earlier at 10:35, so I decided to head to the port sooner than planned in case I needed to swap ferries–assuming I could get my ticket changed, that was.

I checked out of Mina Studios around 9 a.m., refuelled the moped, and made it to the port by 9:30. After a short wait at the ticket office, I explained the situation and, to my relief, was given a paper ticket for the earlier ferry at no extra cost. Very impressed with how smoothly it all went, especially considering my original booking was made online. The lady in the ticket office never did confirm whether Super Jet 2 was running, but either way, I was glad my island-hopping plan was still intact.

I messaged CCC Mykonos to let them know I’d arrived early and gave them directions to where I’d parked the moped. They said they’d be there close to 10 a.m. – fair enough – so I took the chance to film some vlog clips around the port, including two massive ferries that had docked.

While others may find the port experience stressful, I’m a seasoned Greek island-hopper and now relish in the chaos of ferry arrivals and departures–even cracking open a slightly early morning beer to celebrate the next leg of my trip!

I got a call right before 10 to say someone had arrived to collect the moped, and I handed over the keys with no issues, just in time to board the incoming Champion Jet.

Crossing to Naxos – Sun, Swell & Smooth Sailing

The ferry left a little late, around 10:45, and there was a bit of a swell once we were underway. A few passengers looked like they were struggling with the motion, but I felt surprisingly fine for the whole crossing, grateful I’d swapped to the larger vessel.

We arrived in Naxos just before noon to sunshine and light cloud – a welcome change. The first sight to greet me was Apollo’s Gate on the hill, watching over the bustling harbour. Even this early in the season, Naxos was clearly drawing a good number of travellers.

Lunch Stop in Naxos Town

I wasn’t starving, but I was definitely in need of two things: food and a toilet. I walked south along the waterfront and ended up at a place called Diogenes. It was fairly busy and had decent online reviews, so I went with a pepperoni pizza (€12) and a glass of white wine (€5). The pizza was freshly made and surprisingly good.

Midway through my meal, the waitress mentioned the power had gone out, which explained why my Wi-Fi had dropped. Thankfully, the outage was brief – good news for my YouTube upload plans.

Onward to Donousa

Just before 1:30 p.m., I spotted the Express Skopelitis in the marina. I grabbed a can of Coke and a small bottle of water from a nearby kiosk (needing a sugar boost after the wine), recorded another vlog segment, and boarded the ferry around 1:45.

We left a little late, around 2:15, but made steady progress. The first part of the route toward Iraklia was a bit choppy, but as we turned east, the sea calmed and the sun came out. By the time we reached Donousa at 6 p.m., it was full sunshine with only a light breeze – perfect island arrival conditions.

First Impressions of Donousa

A minibus from the accommodation picked me up along with three other passengers. The drive was a bit roundabout – the kind that makes you realise walking would’ve been quicker – but I was just glad to arrive.

After a quick unpack and shower, I headed out across the beach to the local mini market. I grabbed some basics: water, orange juice, and biscuits (€5). No yoghurt, though they sold pots of honey – guess I’ll try the other shop in the morning.

I also took a short walk around the headland to Kedros Beach. It looked very pretty, though already in shadow by the time I got there and totally deserted, so I didn’t linger.

Dinner was at the restaurant attached to my accommodation (Iliovasilema Studios), where I had baked feta with honey, moussaka, and 0.5 litres of house red (€4.50 – more like rosé and a little rough, but for that price, no complaints!). I finished up around 9 p.m., full, slightly tipsy, and ready for bed.