Although it is built on a hill, just 1.2km from the port, Chora (or Panagia) cannot be seen from the sea at a glance. Its settlers chose this place out of fear for the pirates and made the settlement’s houses so as they would touch each other leaving only two sides free for entrance and lighting. The older ones are single-roomed, structured with local materials. Over the years and as the historical conditions got smoother they became taller. The type of “anokatogo” (two-storey) was the most widespread one. The fact that their fully white surfaces are rarely plane and almost no line is straight, gives them that special grace of the traditional Cycladic architecture.
The rare icon of Panagia Akathi (Virgin Mary of the Akathist Hymn) is kept at the most elegant church of Isodia tis Theotokou (Presentation of Virgin Mary), in Chora.
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Schinoussa has about 1000 beds, restaurants, traditional cafés, groceries as well as places of entertainment with live traditional music. The active local Cultural Association is responsible for the latter.
