Thymaina
3.0/5A working fishing island in the Fournoi archipelago — off-grid coves near Ikaria
3.0on its own→3.9with the Fournoi groupThe fishing port, the hamlet of Keramidou, and a swim in a quiet cove.
Part of the Fournoi group
Thymaina only makes sense as part of Fournoi, and Fournoi makes most sense as an add-on to Ikaria or Samos. Together it is one of the least-visited corners of the Aegean.
Base3.8Ikaria3 daysWhy 3.0: good value, serious walking country and nothing you need a car for — but there is very little to see beyond the landscape and there is no nightlife at all.
Thymaina lies just west of Fournoi in the archipelago between Ikaria and Samos — a rugged little island that remains, above all, a working fishing community rather than a resort. Its two hamlets (the port settlement and Keramidou) are connected by a handful of steep lanes; the coast is a series of quiet pebble coves reached on foot or by boat. There is a school, a couple of tavernas, and a strong sense of everyday island life carrying on regardless of tourism. It rewards travellers who like their islands genuinely undiscovered.
Good for
- Travellers who want a working island rather than a resort — Thymaina is a fishing community first
- Walkers — the steep climb from the port to Keramidou opens up views across to Ikaria
- Anyone already heading to Fournoi — the local boat crosses in about ten minutes
Maybe skip if
- If you want things to visit — there is very little here beyond the landscape, two hamlets and the harbour
- If you want organised beaches and somewhere to go after dinner — Thymaina has neither
Getting there
No airport. A small local ferry crosses from Fournoi to Thymaina in about 10 minutes, several times a week; reach Fournoi itself by ferry from Ikaria, Samos or Piraeus. Off-season crossings are infrequent.
Tip: Combine with Fournoi — Thymaina is a short hop and the two share the same ferry world.
Best time to visit Thymaina
A summer island reached via Fournoi — tavernas and rooms are busiest July to September, when Greek families and a few walkers arrive. June and September are calm and warm; outside summer, life is entirely local and boats are scarce.
Top beaches of Thymaina
Agios Nikolaos cove
A quiet, clear-water pebble cove on Thymaina's sheltered coast — one of several small swimming spots reached on foot or by boat, with no facilities and rarely another soul.
- Type
- Pebble
- Length
- 60 m
- Depth
- Deep — clear
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the northeast to southeast at over 5 Bft. East-facing — mostly sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); can be choppy on the strongest NE days
- Facilities
- None — bring everything.
1-day itinerary for Thymaina
Read the day-by-day plan on its own page →
Day 1: Port, Keramidou & a Cove Swim
- 10:30 · Thymaina port
The main settlement gathers around a working fishing harbour — caïques, nets drying, a couple of tavernas and a kafeneio. The small ferry from Fournoi ties up here. - 🍴 Stop for lunch · Thymaina port — see Eat & Drink below
- 12:00 · Keramidou
The second hamlet, a cluster of houses on the slopes with long views to Ikaria. A short, steep walk from the port through terraced hillsides — the whole island opens up along the way. - 14:00 · Agios Nikolaos cove
One of several quiet pebble coves along the sheltered coast, with clear water and no facilities. Reach it on foot or ask a fisherman for a lift by boat.