Skyros

the largest island of the Sporades

Aerial view of Chora and the sea

Skyros

Skyros is the largest of the Sporades Islands although administratively it belongs to Evia. A curious fact is that in terms of architecture and landscape, it resemble more an island of the Cyclades group with its cubical white buildings and the impressive capital village built on a high rock.

Until recently Skyros was one of the undercover destinations in Greece because of the lack of ferry connection with other islands. Although it has a small airport which has been welcoming a growing number of foreign travelers in the last years, tourists are still predominantly Greeks.

Hotels in Skyros

Quick Guides

General information about Skyros

View from the east coast road

The population of Skyros is less than 3 000 inhabitants. The island has two villages - Skyros Chora and Linaria - and a few hamlets/resorts around some of the beaches. These settlements are either very small or seasonal, so they are alive only in the summer, in contrast to Skyros Chora where everything functions all year round. Chora is a scenic village built on the slopes of a hill overlooking the sea, with ruins of an ancient castle atop and small white buildings spreading down toward the sea.

Everything is concentrated in the north half of the island which has greenery, while the south half is wild, rugged and there are hardly any roads.

Where to stay in Skyros?

Morning

The seaside resorts of Molos and Magazia are the most preferred for accommodation. They have large sandy beaches with amenities, variety of hotels and tavernas, and on the hill next to them rises up Skyros Chora where you can have walks in the evenings. Chora can be even accessed on foot from Magazia, via a path with steps.

The resorts of Aspous, Acherounes and Kalamitsa are also close to Skyros Chora but they are small and offer limited number of places to stay.

Which are the best beaches of Skyros?

Skyros have both sandy and pebbled beaches. The most suitable beach for kids is Kalogria because it is sandy and very shallow around the shore. Molos, Magazia and Aspous are entirely sandy, too, but they quickly get deep after the first 5-6 meters.

Popular beaches are Pefkos, Agios Fokas and Kalamitsa - they have sand mixed with tiny pebbles and the sea is usually very calm, without waves. The most exotic beach of Skyros is Agalipa, with fine soft sand and pink rocks but it can be reached only by boat or on foot (the hike takes 30-40 minutes).

Interesting fact about Skyros

In a windy day

On Skyros there is a special breed of horses known as Skyrian horses and their height is approximately 1 meter. They are found only on this island and considered one of the rarest horse breeds in the world. You won`t see them walk freely on Skyros (unlike the goats that seem to be everywhere) but you can visit the farm where they live.

Skyros has long traditions in making ceramics with vivid colors and elaborate decorations, and recently the local artisans have regained this tradition. You can see their precise hand-made ceramic items in Skyros Chora.

In Greek mythology Skyros is known as the island of king Lycomedes and the place where Achilles was sent to live when he was young, disguised as a girl for his safety.

The English poet Rupert Brooke was buried on the island and the Brooke Square in Chora was named in his honour.

What to do in Skyros?

The list of sights and interesting things to do in Skyros includes:

- Walk in the charming village of Skyros Chora
- Skyros Castle Town on the top of Chora
- The rock Church of Agios Nikolaos and Anemomilos Cafe next to it
- The emblematic rock formations of Pouria
- Mouries Farm, the horse breeding center of the island
- Boat trip to the blue Diatripti Cave on the southernmost coast
- The church of Agios Panteleimonas, for the beautiful panoramic view
- The archeological site of Palamari
- The grave of Rupert Brooke in the southernmost part of the island

How to get to Skyros

Approaching the island by ferry

You can reach Skyros by plane or by ferry. The national airport of the island is on the north coast, 10 km away from Skyros Chora.

The ferry to Skyros departs from the port of Kymi (Evia) and arrives at the port of Linaria. The trip duration is 1 hour and 40 minutes. There is also a seasonal ferry which connects Skyros with Alonnisos and Skopelos but it runs only in summer or in certain periods and its schedule needs to be checked in advance.

Skyros photo galleryx