SUMMER SCENES: Between Mykonos and Santorini lies Koufonissi

Editor’s Note: This gallery is part of a summer series from The Cavalier Daily photo desk staff. Over the course of the summer, photo staffers will craft galleries which capture moments from different places in Charlottesville and beyond.

Koufonissi doesn’t announce itself; it lets you stumble into its charm. On a friend from Athens’ recommendation, we skipped the crowd-pleasers for an island small enough to cross on foot, layered with coves, turquoise shallows and wind-bent paths. Its variety comes without excess, its beauty without performance. This is Greece unguarded: quietly confident and welcoming without ever trying.