Skyros is the largest and the southernmost of Sporades group. It is one of the most charming and beautiful islands in Greece, which keeps its traditions alive.
The beaches of Skyros are famous throughout Greece for their crystal clear waters.
Skyros has a good tourist infrastructure and a convenient road network, and can easily be toured in a car. There are also excursions around the island by small boats, which visit the inaccessible rocky south coast with its enchanting sea caves.
The capital of the island is SKYROS town (or Chorio as it is called by the locals). It lies 11 kilometers from the harbor of Linaria.
The town spreads over a steep rock, with the older part hidden behind it, so that it is not visible from the sea.
SKYRIAN HOUSES
The tiny, cubic, gleaming white houses ascend the side of the hill in a series of steps, creating a distinctive picture with their grey flat roofs. In the older houses, the roofs are covered with “mélangi”, a dark clay, spread over dry seaweed and internally, the ceilings consist of thick, parallel beams with tightly packed reeds between them.
The traditional Skyrian house has a marvelous interior layout and decoration, combining inventive, economical use of space with the grace of folk art. The houses are adorned with meticulously worked embroideries, excellent ceramics, finely woven textiles and copper objects. They are furnished with the unique carved Skyrian furniture. Both the furnishings and the decoration of the Skyrian houses are still produced by experienced local artists, whose workshops are in Chorio and Magazia.
Some women, too, are engaged in embroidery and weaving, and still create authentic folk motifs. Many houses in the village are veritable museums of folk art.
The street running through the middle of the town and the market place is called “Megali Strata” (Main Street). This begins in the square, at the Town Hall. On either side of it, there is a large number of shops, taverns, snack bars, bars, etc.
Roughly halfway along it is the church of Panagia Melikarou, the cathedral of Skyros with its carved icons. A number of narrow alleys run off Megali Strata up to the Castle at the top of the hill. This is built on the site of the ancient 5th c. BC acropolis, a few architectural members of which have survived. Inside the fortress, a Byzantine structure with Venetian additions, is the monastery of Agios Georgios, the patron saint of Skyros. The monastery is a dependency of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos. From it there is an enchanting view over the open sea, the intricately indented coastline of the island and the village.
There is also a superb view from the small Brooke Square, named after the English poet Rupert Brooke, who died on the island. The square contains a statue dedicated to Eternal Poetry. Here, too, are the two museums of Skyros: the Archaeological Museum (tel.: 22220 91327), has some fine exhibits from excavations on the island, Roman and Byzantine reliefs and a reconstruction of a traditional Skyrian house. The Historical and Folklore Museum (Faltaits Museum) houses items of Skyrian folk art, embroideries, textiles, household utensils, tools, furniture, local costumes, a library and a reconstruction of a Skyrian house.
The churches of the Eleimonitria, Archontopanagia, Agia Triada, Taxiarches, Agios Ioannis and others, are also worth visiting. There are wind-mills at several places outside the town, most of them in ruins.
Chorio is one of the most developed in tourism regions of Skyros. Here you will find numerous hotels, apartments and rooms to let of all categories, restaurants, taverns, coffeehouses, bars and many shops.
Beneath the dominating rock of Chorio spread a number of golden sandy beaches: Basales, Papa to Chouma and Petroula (for nude bathing).
MAGAZIA is one of the most important tourist resorts on Skyros.
It is the first settlement built under Chora and it is a district of the capital. The region is inhabited since ancient times. The archaeological excavations brought into light graves from the 9th – 10th c. BC.
Its endless beach is fully organized and is ideal for water sports. In the region there are hotels, rooms to let and taverns.
MOLOS is a small harbor for fishing boats and one of the most busy tourist resorts.
From here you can take a boat and tour around the island.
The homonym beach attracts many visitors in the summer. There is a range of accommodation available for visitors in the region, including many rooms and to let and apartments. You will also find various taverns and café bars.
After Molos you will find the beautiful sandy beach of Pouria. Really impressive is the small church of Saint Nicholas, carved into the rocks.
GYRISMATA on the north-east coast has a popular sandy beach with crystal clear waters. Close to the beach there are hotels and rooms to let.
The lovely and extended beach of Agios Petros surrounded by cedar trees attracts thousands of bathers.
At Palamari traces have been found of a Bronze Age settlement (3rd and 2nd c. BC). Near the site of Ancient Palamari you will find a nice beach ideal for relaxing and swimming. The airport of the island is near Trachy, 11 kilometers from Skyros town.
There are fine beaches with many pine trees on the west coast, amongst them Kyra Panagia and Pefkos. In the cove of Pefkos the landscape is magic.
It is worth visiting this beach and enjoy the green nature.
ATSITSA is located in the northwest part of Skyros and 18 kilometers from the capital. It is characterized by many small coves and by pine trees.
Agios Fokas is a magic beach of endless beauty that you will find after 6 kilometers of dirt road from Atsitsa.
In all the regions there are rooms to let and taverns.
LINARIA is the harbor of Skyros. It is a small graphic port, in a closed cove, protected from Aegean winds. The homonym settlement with its traditional architecture lies around the port. In Linaria you will find hotels and rooms to let of all categories, restaurants, taverns, coffee shops and bars. From the port there are daily trips to the famous caves in the south part of the island which have impressive stalactite interior.
Near the harbor of Linaria is Acherounes, set in a sheltered bay, with the uninhabited islands of Skyropoula and Valaxa opposite.
The beach of Acherounes is one of the most popular on the island with its soft golden sand and its crystal clear waters.
East of Linaria is the cove of Kalamitsa, one of the most developed and busy tourist beaches on the island.
Thousands of visitors come every year in order to swim in the crystal clear waters and to enjoy water sports. In the region you will find rooms to let and taverns where you can taste dishes from the traditional cuisine.
Further to the south is the large natural harbor of Tris Boukies, with the uninhabited islands of Sarakiniko and Platia at its entrance.
At the narrowest point of the island, roughly in the middle, are the beaches of Aspous and Achili, on the east coast (a marina is being constructed at the latter). Aspous is a coastal settlement with a few residents and an excellent sandy beach.
Achili is the point from where the mythic hero Achilles left for Troy. In the region you will find hotels and rooms to let. In Achili there is the small chapel of Agios Nikolaos that is well worth visiting.
Another chapel worth mentioning is that of Prophet Elias, which is located on the top of the mountain.
SKYRIAN PONY HORSE
The unique Skyrian Pony Horse lives wild in the mountains in this area. It is a vanishing species and in recent years there are have been attempts to preserve it. The horses are ideal for children due to their body shape and good character. This rare specimen of horse is found only in Skyros.
TRADITION – EVENTS
Traditions are still alive on Skyros.
Throughout the year, a variety of cultural, artistic and religious events take place all over the island.
The Skyrian carnival, one of the most important and most authentic in Greece, has its roots in the worship of the god Dionysos. On Shrove Monday, the custom of the Trata is revived.
Weddings on Skyros too, are still celebrated in the traditional manner, with the old local folk costumes.
The bride or groom’s family has the task of visiting every house in the village and offer «Tiganites» – small fried donuts – with honey, placed on a small plate and wrapped with a clean cloth. The tradition says that the plate must then be returned unwashed to the owner.
The ceremony is followed by feasting, folk music and dancing.
Food is offered at several local festivals-normally local goat cooked in large ports over a wood fire in the open air. The festival then continues with singing and dancing.
Some of the most known religious festivals in Skyros include: Agios Ermolaos in 26th July, Agios Mamas at Kalamitsa on the 2nd September, Agios Nikolaos on the 12th December, at the island’s port, Prophet Elias in 19th July at Trachy, in 15th August the celebration of Panagia Meglou and the Dormition, while the next day is the festival for Agios Mironas. The religious festival of Saint George is one of the biggest in Skyros, and a procession with his icon takes place, accompanied by a band and parade by the marine and air force personel, that are based on the island.
LOCAL PRODUCTS – CUISINE
The island has a long tradition in pottery, needlework, wood carving and furniture.
Don’t forget buying handmade ceramics and wood carved items.
At the taverns and restaurants around the island you can enjoy fresh fish and seafood, local meats and cheeses.
Skyros is known as the island of the lobster. The most famous dish from the local cuisine is spaghetti with lobster called astakomakaronada. The well known cheese pie of Skyros is made with local cheese. Some other local tasty dishes include “teropitadia” made with rice and trahanas (a mixture of milk and dried flour), “marmarita”, “giaprakia”, fava, and Skyrian soutzoukakia (meatballs with tomato sauce).
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