The 8 things to do in Skyros • Wanderlix

Visit the Greek islands and the Sporades Archipelago: Here are the 7 things to do in Skyros!

Located in the Aegean Sea between continental Greece and Turkey , the island of Skyros is the southernest and largest island in the Sporades Islands, with more than 3,000 inhabitants spread over 208 km2.

At 35 kilometers from the island of Eubée, the island of Skyros is renowned for agriculture, fishing, embroidery, ceramics and the production of wood crafts. Coming to Skyros, we will also be seduced for its production of honey, dried fruit and cheese. Archaeological sites are unmissable and several Byzantine art buildings are also worth visiting Skyros.

What to do in Skyros? We will not be bored by visiting Skyros. Between beaches, hiking, tasting and cultural tours, here is our selection of the best things to do in Skyros.

1. Skyros city

Also called Chora, Skyros is the capital of the island, located northeast. Built on the west side of a rocky sparrow in order to avoid the north winds – and to be invisible to the sea and the pirates –, the village of Chora is typical of a Greek commune: barreled with blue and white, bougainvilliers flowered, steeped in small alleys, enjoying a peaceful atmosphere.

What to do in Chora? Of course, the Kasteli (the castle of Chora) and the monastery of Saint-Georges, built in the 10th century by a Byzantine emperor. In the north of downtown, the Skyros Archaeological Museum is a must for those who come to visit Skyros for its history. Many small craft shops – embroidery, weaving and weaving, ceramics, wooden furniture – will stack your bags of diverse souvenirs. In the north, the roads lead not to Rome, but to two beautiful beaches: Magazia and Molos. Dive lovers, let yourself be tempted by the diving center Gorgonia that promises you a unforgettable experience ...

Further north, the village of Gyrismata offers beautiful streets to see, hotels where to sleep in Skyros and some traditional Orthodox churches. To the west of the small centre, go up to the church of Saint Dimitri, a building dating from the 10th century.

2. Molos

Molos – no it’s not a big dog – is the village adjacent to the north of the city of Skyros. There you will find plenty of taverns where to eat and drink a drink, hotels where to stay and beautiful beaches, especially in Pouria, which offers an unusual landscape almost lunar and desert: dark rocks eroded by the sea, the island of Ermolaos, a windmill and two churches: Agios Nikolaos and Agios Ermolaos.

3. Palamari

Located close to the airport, you will stay in Palamari if you arrive by plane. What to do in Palamari? Only two must-sees of a stay to visit Skyros, but not the least: the homonymous beach and the archaeological ruins of Palamari.

The beach offers a beautiful stretch of sand in a year covered with Mediterranean vegetation, where the waters take a turquoise blue or green color depending on the lighting. When we walk north, we will fall on the archaeological site of Palamari, vestiges of a city dating from 3,000 BC.

4. Linaria

The bay of Acherounès reveals itself on the coast, near the port of Linaria. It is here that you will arrive to visit Skyros by sea: several hotels and apartments where to stay, shops to supply the necessary, a leisure park, a typical orthodox elise – the church of Saint-Nicolas -, a few taverns: there is everything you need.

Linaria also enjoys an unstoppable thing to do in Skyros: the beach of Pefkos, in the neighboring ankle further north. What to do in Skyros if you don’t want to swim? You can, of course, hike on the trails of the natural park adjacent to Linaria, the park Katafigio Agrias Zois Pefko . You will contemplate abundant vegetation in the wild: a pleasure of the eyes, protected from mass tourism.

5. Atsitsa

The road through the interior of the island of Palamari in Linaria has entered a large pine forest where it is not believed at all in Greece. Before you reach the south to visit Linaria, stop at the beach of Kyra Panagia and then at Atsitsa, a pretty hamlet located at the bottom of a gulf whose little beach is worth a look. A small terrace allows you to sip a good glass by looking at the calm sea, in the shade of the pines: the quintessence of a Greece that does not end up revealing its charms.

6. Kalamitsa

On the road south, stop at the beach of Kalamitsa: its bay extends a majestic arc south of the small port, a beautiful pebble beach where bathing in a translucent water. Before or after, you can visit the church of Saint-Georges. At the edge of the sea, there is a tavern where to eat in case of hunger. Careful, the beach can be very busy at the peak of summer.

7. South Skyros

The southern part of Skyros is less populated, wilder, almost deserted: this is where you have to go to visit Skyros if you are a follower of nature with some wild sides, to get away from the world. In the south, you can walk on rocky trails that extend to a loss of sight without crossing a single concrete house: olive trees at the tomb of Rupert Brooke, allow to fall for a short break before leaving under the cagnard.

8. A boat ride

To make the most of the island and its crystal clear waters, what better than a boat ride?

Indeed, rent a boat in Skyros will allow you to explore the island and its surroundings. Thus, you will have the opportunity to discover the landscape in another way, seen from the waters. A great experience to live with your loved ones to perfect your stay in Skyros!

How to get to Skyros?

To go to Skyros, there are two weekly flights from Athens. You can choose the one that best matches you by taking a look at our partner's website Ulysses . By sea, you board a ferry from the port of Kimi in Eubée: there are two boats a day in the tourist season. There are also three boats per week starting from Skopelos and d Alonissos .

Where to stay in Skyros?

To stay in Skyros (Chora), aim Magazia, Molos, Linaria and Kalamitsa. There are several dozens of hotels and beach resorts – think to book in advance -, a campsite in Atsitsa and maybe even the possibility to rent a bedroom/apartment home in the villages.