Page 118 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

16 0 kilometres 5 N
SKÝROS Did You Know? Ágios Pétros Skyros Palamári 0 miles 5
Beach

ponies, thought to be
ΣΚΎΡΟΣ Skýros is famous for its Airport
the same breed as
those on Athen’s Merói Gyrísmata
k 18 km (11 miles) NW of Skýros town g Linariá @ Skýros Parthenon frieze. Panagiá West Coast Skýros Town Beach Mólos Beach
Kyrá
EXPERIENCE The Sporádes and Évvia played an important role in Greek history. Its unique Housed in an old mansion Kouloúri Beach Válaxa Péfkos Linariá Kalamítsa Ahíli Kóhylas Skýr o s
town n www.skyro.gr
Pouriá Beach
Beach
East Coast
Beaches
Atsítsa
Renowned in myth as the hiding place of Achilles and
Beaches
Beach
Magaziá Beach
the home-in-exile of the hero Theseus, Skýros has
owned by the Faltaïts family,
Ágios Fokás
Aspoús
heritage, landscape and architecture bear more
the excellent Faltaïts Museum
resemblance to the Dodecanese than the Sporádes.
was opened in 1964 by one of
their descendants, Manos
Beach
contains a fine painting of
Faltaïts. Visits entail a guided
1
St George killing the dragon.
tour by his widow Anastasia
Beach
Sea Caves
Rínia
Skýros Town
The view west from the sum-
through a diverse collection
792 m (2,598 ft)
Skýros’s main town – a
fascinating mix of cube-
uscripts and books, paintings
quite breathtaking. Nearby are
and photographs, plus a re-
shaped houses, medieval
the remains of a 9th-century
created medieval Skýrian
church and three tiny chapels
churches and arcades – is mit over the rooftops below is of folk art, including rare man- Tris Boúkes Vounó
Brooke’s
architecturally unusual in the with colourful interiors. house interior. Beach Grave
Aegean. Although its main The Archaeological Museum Flanking the museums,
street is crowded with scooter displays Bronze Age and Geo- Platía Rupert Brooke is Platia Sarakinó
traffic and jarring signage, metric-era finds from around notorious for its statue of a
many backstreets allow the island, including a rhyton naked man by Mihail Tombros. Évvia
glimpses into Skýrian homes, in the shape of a Skýrian pony. Erected in 1931 in memory of
where traditional ceramics,
woodcarving, copperware and
embroidery are on display. THE SKÝROS GOAT DANCE
Topping the old town’s
impressive mansion houses One of several modern Greek rites rooted in pagan times,
the goat dance is the centre piece of the pre-Lenten
are the remains of the Castle festivities in Skýros town. Groups of men parade noisily
of Lykomedes, site of both an around the streets, each led by three central characters:
ancient acropolis and a later the géros (old man), with a shepherd’s outfit, goatskin
Venetian fortress. It is reached mask and heavy bells; the korélla, a young man in Skýrian
through a tunnel under neath women’s clothes; and the comic frángos, or Westerner.
the whitewashed Agíou
Georgíou monastery, which
People in the main square
of Skýros town enjoying
a summer evening
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