Book a Flight to Skyros from €45

Chora: The most picturesque village of Skyros, Chora is built to a semicircular plan on the east slopes of mount Olympos, in the shadow of the medieval castle and the Byzantine monastery of Ai Giorgis Skyrianos. Follow the uphill road, Megali Strata, crossing Chora, and you will discover a traditional village of exceptional architecture, made up of whitewashed cubical houses with tiled roofs and blooming yards. Make a stop in the square of Eternal Poetry [Eonias Poiisis], to see the solitary stature of poet Rupert Brooke and enjoy the fantastic view to the Aegean sea. Climb up to the Byzantine Castle of Chora, to admire the impressive lion on the entrance and the picture of the entire whitewashed village, framed by the deep blue of the sea.

Monastery of Agios Georgios Skyrianos: Built on the top of Chora's rock, by the emperors Nikiforos Fokas and Ioannis Tsimiskis, the Byzantine monastery of the 10th century, suffered significant damage after the 2001 earthquake and for a long period entry to the public was prohibited. Today, part of it is restored and can be visited.

The villages of the island: Other villages worth visiting are Linaria, the port of the island, the seaside villages Magazia and Molos, the village of Aspous with the beautiful Achili beach, the verdant Pefkos and the picturesque Agios Fokas with the fantastic beach, as well the beautiful Treis Boukes in the south.

Archaeological Museum: It is in Chora and has a collection of typical artefacts from the rich history of the island, that experienced its peak in the Mycenaean period. You will see pottery items, tools, jewellery and other everyday items from excavations on the island, with the main one being that in Palamari, which is still in progress. The folklore collection is also worth seeing, as it represents a traditional house of Skyros, famous for its characteristic wooden furniture, functionality and operability, as well as pottery, wood carved furniture, embroidery and traditional costumes.
Tel.: +30 22220 91327

“Manos Faltaits” History - Folklore Museum: One of the first folklore museums in Greece, it is housed in an old mansion of a well known family of Skyros with Byzantine ancestors. It is worth visiting for its location alone, as it dominates on the greatest tower of the ancient Pelasgian walls of the island, Palaiopyrgos as locals call it, where an ancient temple used to stand. Its collections cover the local history and folklore tradition from the post-Byzantine era to the modern day and include at least 3,000 objects and tools of everyday use, as well as rare publications and manuscripts from the 16th century to the modern times.
Tel.: +30 22220 91232. www.faltaits.gr

Archaeological Site of Palamari: It is located 13 km north-west of Chora, at the north-east coast of the island. There, the excavations of the archaeological agency revealed one of the most important prehistoric fortified villages in the Aegean of the early and middle Bronze era (2500 to 1800 B.C.), with obvious city planning - streets, central ducts and building ruins. After “diving” in the past, take a real dive in the crystal blue waters of the beach with the same name.

Linaria: The port of Skyros, 10km from Chora, is a picturesque fishing village with whitened churches and colourful yards, where the main roads for the other villages of the island start from. Walk up to the chapel of Agios Nikolaos, with the typical blue dome and enjoy the view to the sunset, which - to locals - is one of the best in Greece.

Pouria: While touring Skyros, do make a stop at the ancient quarry, at the location Pouria, north to the village of Molos. The ruins of the quarry, combined with the wild morphology of the area and the impressive rocks that penetrate the sea, create an eerie landscape. The mystifying scenery is complemented by the chapel of Agios Nikolaos, “perched” on the rock, as well as the old windmill that today operates as restaurant.

Beaches: Skyros has many beaches, yet some of them have the unique privilege of remaining empty even in August! Its most popular is the the U-shaped beach connecting the villages Molos and Magazia, under Chora. Generally most beaches in Skyros are secluded and ideal for relaxation and chilling. Take a swim in Palamari, next to the archaeological site of the same name, in Gyrismata, in Agios Petros of the pine clad Atsitsa, Agios Fokas, Kyra-Panagia and Theotokos, as well as in Pefkos, Kalamitsa, Renes, Acherounes and Kareflou, when there are no northern winds.

Trips: A boat trip will give a special note to your visit to Skyros. Start from Linaria and tour the island or access inaccessible beaches and sea caves, like the eerie cave of Glyfada at Sarakino island and the caves Pentekali, Diatrypiti and Gerania.

While wandering in Chora you will easily see the famous folk art products of the island, such as pottery, wood carved goods or embroidery. However, it will be hard to resist buying even a complete room of furniture, as the island is famous for its amazing wood carved furniture. If you want something simpler, you can buy exceptional traditional products, such as Gruyère, myzithra and xinotyri cheese and frumenty and honey.

Skyros is famous for its spaghetti with lobster and spaghetti with urchins, because of their abundance in the seas of the island.

The cuisine of the island is rich in seafood as well as local meat and dairy products. The cheese pie of Skyros and the “teroptaria” with frumenty and rice, the “marmarita” (with pumpkin and myzithra cheese, baked on a ceramic plate), the “yaprakia” (dolmades of Skyros), the oil-pie with xinotyri cheese, the agalipokeftedes, the meatballs of Skyros and the local kid goat in lemony sauce, spaghetti with lobster and spaghetti with urchins, pancakes with honey, marzipan sweets and sweetened fruits, are some of the flavours that are worth trying in one of the tavernas of the island, in Chora, with a view to the sea or hiding in verdant, cool gardens. 

Although it often comes as a surprise, Skyros offers very good night-life options at refined hotspots. In Chora, Linaria and Molos you will find nice hangouts for coffee and drinks, as well as traditional coffee houses.

• Carnival: Cultural events and happenings keep the island in a vibrant atmosphere all year round, while customs and traditions dating back to the Middle Ages are preserved intact to this day, with the main being the Carnival of Skyros. The customs of “Geros”, “Korela”, “Fragos” and “Trata” are revived during the Carnival period and transform the island in a buzzy fair, where the Dionysian characteristics are dominant. 
• Weddings and celebrations: If you are lucky and happen to visit the island on the day before a wedding or a christening, you will taste pancakes with honey offered as a treat to visitors by the relatives, in a dish on a clean cloth, which, according to tradition, you must return unwashed.
• Fairs: The atmosphere in the fairs of Skyros is also very festive, as they are held all year round, in one of the 365 churches of the island. The following are the fairs that stand out: the fair of Agios Ermolaos, on 26 July - access to the chapel is made by boat from the cove of Molos - of Agios Artemios, in a cave of Mountain Kochylas, on 18 October and of the island's patron saint Agios Georgios, with a brass band litany of the Saint's icon.

Getting to and from the airport

Aegean Airlines lands on Skyros National Airport, which is located on the north part of the island, 4km from Chora. For your transportation you may use a taxi or private means.