By Nicolas Bard

The picturesque country of Skyros is built amphitheatrically on the northeast side of the island, just above the beach of Molos and shops.

It is the largest settlement and capital of the island, which has remained unchanged over time, while the view of the sea is magnificent.

A ride there is enough to realize that it looks more like a Cycladic island than the Sporades in which
And it belongs. The simple architectural lines, the white houses with the colorful doorways, spread under the monastery of St. George and the Castle, and the narrow cobbled streets with the blooming bougainvilleas refer to a characteristic Cycladic settlement.

In your wanderings there you will also find Brooke Square, also known as “Square of Eternal Poetry”. Her trademark is the bronze statue of a naked man dedicated to the British World War I, Rupert Brooke. From there comes her name. You will find it on the north side of the country, beneath the photogenic Venetian castle, which together with the monastery of St. George are the two
More popular the island’s attractions.

St. George is a patron saint of Skyros, and from the place where the present monastery is built (dating around 1,600) you will enjoy panoramic views across the island and take unparalleled photos for Instagram.

In place of the castle was the ancient Acropolis of the island, but today only a few ruins are preserved.

In addition to the castle and the monastery, the country has two remarkable museums, deserving a visit. So before you go for your dives, take a stop at the Manos and Anastasia Faltaic Ethnological and Folklore Museum (residence of the painter and writer Manos Faltaic of the 19th century) and the separate architectural museum. In the first you will find a rich collection of everyday objects of the Skyrian household, while in the second you will have the opportunity to see prehistoric finds from all over the island dating from the Early Hellenic period (2,800 – 1,900 BC) and reaching the Roman years. From the exhibits hosted today there are Flaski from Cyprus, the Geometric compass from Attica, an archaic daughter and a statue representing Apollo.

Leaving Chora, you will go down for the notorious shops, which is the hottest beach on the island! It is a large and organized coast, with deep water and many beach bars and taverns along it, located there to serve visitors, but also to confirm the name given to them. If you go for a swim in the morning, you can enjoy a well -cooked Greek coffee and honey oil pie, a traditional dish of the island. The only sure thing is that, wherever you choose to go, you will also meet the beautiful Skyrians!

The small breed of Skyros horse is today one of the rarest of horse breeds that exist around the world! It is one of the indigenous races of horses of Greece, which existed in antiquity throughout the Greek territory. He managed to survive on the island of Skyros, hence the name. Nowadays we find about 260 Skyrian horses all over Greece, of which 180 live in Skyros. Skyrian horses are animals companion, social, robust, smart, with particularly careful behavior towards children and their height does not exceed 116 cm. Of course, they are a protected species.

The country of Skyros is an Aegean rough diamond, which has not yet been hit by mass tourism and largely maintains the authenticity and charm of the Greek province. When the dusk falls, you can wander the labyrinthine straits of the country, where the scent of jasmine is confused with the salty sea, try local lobster and of course close the day with a cool cocktail and unlimited view of the starry sky. Can you imagine a better summer experience than her?