Disvover Skyros
The picturesque village of the island
Skyros, is an island of stark contrasts that captivates every visitor.
It combines the green color of the Sporades in its northern part with the Cycladic character in its southern part.
The picturesqueness of Chora, the traditional streets, the Skyrian houses that are like small museums, with the traditional Skyrian decoration, the terraces and the small courtyards of the houses with jasmine and boukanvillia literally “enchant” you.
The archaeological site of Palamari
On the NE coast of Skyros there is an entire settlement at Palamari, with free entry for everyone, since it is considered one of the island’s attractions. It shows the excavations of a settlement from the Bronze Age.
This ancient settlement remained buried under the sand for 3,500 years, while its name is still unknown. The settlement had the form of an organized and fortified city, of which a large part has now sunk.
The rich traditional gastronomy
The island’s main feature is its rich and traditional gastronomy. Taste the ladopitas with honey or cheese, the delicious goat cheese, gruyere, xinotyri, the delicious lobster pasta, the teropitaria and pies, its handmade pasta with mint and grated Skyrian mizithra, fava beans and honey. If you are invited to a wedding or baptism, you will enjoy the special loukoumades with honey.
The main Skyrian dishes:
Katsikaki lemonato: with Skyrian goat and lemon juice that makes it tender and juicy.
Ladopita Skyrou: is a fried bread served with Skyrian feta or local xynotyri, a type of soft cheese with a slightly sour taste.
Skyriani fava: Skyros is known for the fava beans grown on the island. Fava beans are yellow peas and are served in many taverns on the island as a dip. Skyros fava beans are registered in the National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Greece!
The Skyrian Horses
The Skyrian Horse is an important symbol of the Skyrian tradition and is identified with the cultural heritage and everyday life of the Skyrians. It belongs to one of the rarest horse breeds and is considered a descendant of the horses that Achilles had with him in Troy.
It is associated with the horses of Alexander the Great, while they claim that it is connected to the horses depicted in the Panathenaic procession, in the Parthenon frieze. It is strong, companionable, social, robust, intelligent, with a particularly friendly behavior and today belongs to the protected species.
The European Union has included them among the rare breeds of farm animals and funds initiatives aimed at their protection. One can visit the Skyrian horses on private farms that host them and take care of their feeding and reproduction.
Alternative tourism
In Skyros you can live the vacation you dream of. You can wander around the island enjoying the unique experience of riding specially trained horses and visit the farms that host the Skyrian ponies.
You can walk on paths relaxing in the Skyrian nature or even get involved in climbing.
If you are a fan of diving, water sports such as windsurfing and kitesurfing, head to the southern beaches of the island.
If you choose sailing and snorkeling, off-road routes by motorbike or 4X4 car, Skyros is your destination. And don’t forget to live the experience by participating in one of the Skyrian festivals that take place during the summer season or experience the Skyrian Carnival.
The Skyrian Carnival custom
Carnival in Skyros is a special experience, it is one of the most popular traditional events in Greece. It has Dionysian origins and is associated with the ancient festivals of fertility and the welcoming of spring
It is associated with three figures, who give a peculiar color to this custom, dancing in the picturesque streets of the island. It is worth coming to the island during the three days of Carnival and experiencing this traditional custom up close! The sounds of the bells, the music and above all the spontaneous festivities create a unique atmosphere.
Skyros Lighthouse "Lithari"
Unique in Greece At the southeastern tip of Skyros, at the Lithari cape, is the only lighthouse in Greece with a two-story building built at the base of the tower. It is a square two-story building, with a circular tower 12.5 meters high, which first operated in 1894. Its focal height is 96 meters.
During World War II, it remained out of service and, as part of the reconstruction of the Lighthouse Network, it was reactivated in 1949 with oil as an energy source. In 1988, the oil machines were replaced and the lighthouse operated as a monitored solar one.
On June 15, 2012, by decision of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the lighthouse, owned by the Greek State (Hellenic Navy Lighthouse Service), was designated as a monument “because it is an architecturally remarkable construction and a representative example of a special category of buildings, lighthouses, has contributed to the development and safety of navigation in the region, is connected to the maritime tradition of Greece and is a point of reference for sailors and for the inhabitants of the island of Skyros”.
The original mechanism of the lighthouse (mechanical parts, counterweight lifting mechanism, conical wheels, rotating plate, chronometer, Fresnel optical system) was also designated as a monument, “because it constitutes important technical and scientific testimony to the lighting systems of lighthouses at the end of the 19th century”.
