Visit the Greek islands and the Sporades archipelago: here are 7 must-do things to do in Skyros!
Located in the Aegean Sea between mainland Greece and Turkey, Skyros is the southernmost and largest island of the Sporades archipelago, with over 3,000 inhabitants spread over 208 km².
Just 35 kilometers from the island of Evia, the island of Skyros is renowned for its agriculture, fishing, embroidery, ceramics and wooden handicrafts. Visitors to Skyros will also be seduced by its honey, dried fruit and cheese production. Archeological sites are a must, and several Byzantine art buildings are also worth a visit.
What to do in Skyros You’ll never get bored visiting Skyros. Between beaches, hiking, wine tasting and cultural visits, here’s our selection of the best things to do in Skyros.
1. Skyros city
Photo credit: Flickr – dimitris mimaros
Also known as Chora, Skyros is the island’s northeastern capital. Erected on the western flank of a rocky outcrop to avoid the northerly winds – and to be invisible from the sea and pirates – the village of Chora is typical of a Greek commune: variegated in blue and white, flowered with bougainvillea, steeped in narrow streets, enjoying a peaceful ambience.
What to do in Chora? Of course, the Kasteli (Chora Castle) and the monastery of St. George, built in the 10th century by a Byzantine emperor. North of the town center, the Skyros Archaeological Museum is a must for those visiting Skyros for its history. Numerous small craft stores – embroidery, weaving and braiding, ceramics, wooden furniture – will fill your bags with a variety of souvenirs. To the north, the roads lead not to Rome, but to two magnificent beaches: Magazia and Molos. For diving enthusiasts, the Gorgonia diving center promises an unforgettable experience…
Further north, the village of Gyrismata offers beautiful narrow streets to see, hotels to stay at in Skyros and some traditional Orthodox churches. To the west of the small center, climb up to the 10th-century church of Saint Dimitri.
2. Molos
Photo credit: Flickr – Yannis Tzevelekos
Molos – no, it’s not a big dog – is the village that borders the town of Skyros to the north. Here you’ll find plenty of tavernas to eat and drink, hotels to stay in and beautiful beaches, especially at Pouria, which offers an unusual, almost lunar, desert landscape: dark rocks eroded by the sea, the island of Ermolaos, a windmill and two churches: Agios Nikolaos and Agios Ermolaos.
3. Palamari
Photo credit: Flickr – Stelios ZACHARIAS
Located very close to the airport, you’ll be staying at Palamari if you arrive by plane. What to do in Palamari There are only two things you need to do if you’re visiting Skyros, and they’re not the least of them: the beach of the same name and the archaeological ruins of Palamari.
The beach offers a beautiful stretch of sand in a cove covered with Mediterranean vegetation, where the waters take on a turquoise blue or green color depending on the lighting. Heading north, you’ll come across the Palamari archaeological site, the remains of a city dating back to 3,000 BC.
4. Linaria
Photo credit: Flickr – Jim Makos
The bay of Acherounès comes into view as you approach the coast, near the port of Linaria. This is where you’ll arrive to visit Skyros by sea: several hotels and apartments to stay in, shops to stock up on essentials, a leisure park, a typical Orthodox church – the Church of St. Nicholas – and a few tavernas: there’s everything you need.
Linaria also adjoins a must-see Skyros attraction: Pefkos beach, in the neighboring cove to the north. What to do in Skyros if you don’t want to swim? You can, of course, go hiking on the trails of Linaria’s adjacent nature park, Katafigio Agrias Zois Pefko. Here you’ll find abundant wild vegetation: a feast for the eyes, sheltered from mass tourism.
5. Atsitsa
Photo credit: Flickr – Chris Amies
The road through the island’s interior from Palamari to Linaria takes you into a large pine forest, where you wouldn’t think you were in Greece at all. Before heading south to visit Linaria, stop off at the beach of Kyra Panagia and then at Atsitsa, a pretty hamlet set at the end of a gulf whose small beach is well worth a visit. There’s a small terrace where you can sip a good drink in the shade of the pine trees, looking out over the calm sea: the quintessence of a Greece that never ceases to reveal its charms.
6. Kalamitsa
Photo credit: Youtube screenshot
On the way south, stop off at Kalamitsa beach: its bay stretches out in a majestic arc to the south of the small port, a beautiful pebble beach where you can swim in translucent water. Before or after, you can visit the church of St. George. On the seafront, there’s a tavern where you can grab a bite to eat if you get hungry. Beware: the beach can be very crowded at the height of summer.
7. South of Skyros
Photo credit: Flickr – Stelios ZACHARIAS
The southern part of Skyros is less populated, wilder and almost deserted: it’s the place to go to visit Skyros if you’re a nature-lover with a wild side, to get away from the world. To the south, you can hike along rocky paths that stretch as far as the eye can see without coming across a single concrete house: olive trees at Rupert Brooke’s grave provide shade for a short break before setting off again into the heat.
8. A boat trip
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Kris Gk
To make the most of the island and its crystal-clear waters, what could be better than a boat trip?
Indeed, renting a boat in Skyros allows you to explore the island and its surroundings. You’ll have the opportunity to discover the landscape in a different way, as seen from the water. It’s the perfect way to round off your stay on Skyros!
How do I get to Skyros?
To get to Skyros, there are two weekly flights from Athens. You can choose the one that suits you best by taking a look at the website of our partner Ulysse. By sea, you can board a ferry from the port of Kimi, in Evia: there are two boats a day during the tourist season. There are also three boats a week departing from Skopelos andAlonissos.
Where to stay in Skyros?
For accommodation in Skyros (Chora), visit Magazia, Molos, Linaria and Kalamitsa. There are dozens of hotels and beach resorts – remember to book in advance – a campsite at Atsitsa and perhaps even the possibility of renting a room/apartment with a local in the villages.
Map of hotels and accommodation – Skyros,gr