Cyclades
Islands
: Amorgos, Andros,
Folegandros, Ios,
Kea, Kythnos,
Milos, Mykonos,
Naxos, Paros
and Antiparos, Santorini,
Sifnos, Serifos,
Sikinos, Syros,
Tinos
Northern
Aegean Islands:
Chios, Ikaria,
Limnos, Lesvos,
Samos, Samothraki,
Thassos
Ionian
Islands:
Corfu (Kerkyra), Ithaki,
Kefalonia, Kythera,
Lefkada, Paxos,
Zakynthos
Saronic
Islands:
Aegina, Angistri,
Poros, Hydra,
Salamina, Spetsis
Sporades
Islands:
Alonissos, Skiathos,
Skopelos, Skyros
Dodecanese
Islands:
Astypalia, Halki,
Kalymnos, Karpathos,
Kassos, Kastellorizo,
Kos, Leros,
Nisyros, Patmos,
Rhodes, Symi,
Tilos
Other
Islands:
Crete, Evia,
Cyprus
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Sporades Islands - Skyros
While reading the many available descriptions of Skyros,
one of the islands that is part
of the Sporades Island cluster, you may easily become
confused. With various descriptions and vague language,
it may seem like you are reading about two completely
different islands. And, in many ways, that is a correct
assessment. Skyros Island is
an Island divided by its own geography. Large by any
standard, Skyros Island seems to boast two different extremes.
Skyros Island is an island divided by a narrow strip
of sandy land. To the north of the divide of Skyros Island
is Mount Olympos. To the South is Mount Kokhlias. No matter
which side of the island captures your imagination, there
is something magical about this place. Still deeply religious
and deeply traditional, some of the practices of the people
of the island are slowly ending and be replaced by more
prosperous and commercially driven adventures.
Once upon a time, much of the economy of Skyros Island
was maintained by traditional terraced farming along the
sides of the mountainous region. However, in recent years,
the traditional terraced farming has been replaced by
goat herding and keeping. While it may not seem as fruitful,
the people of Skyros Island are finding that the goats
are helping re-stabalize the economy of this large island
in the midst of the Sporades Island cluster. In addition
to farming and goats, much of the industry of Skyros is
centered on the export of high-style crafts and similar
products.
Skyros is home to wood, ceramic, textile, and embroidery
factories, meaning those people that live on the island
that are looking for work can generally find it. In addition
to the manufacturing sector, Skyros Island is home to
a conservatory that houses a team of dance and theatre
performers. While in the main town, you can visit the
library, an archeological museum, and the museum of Manou
Faltaits. With beaches to relax on and museums to explore,
there is something for everyone on Skyros Island. And,
for those that are familiar with Homer’s writings,
you may remember that Skyros Island is the reputed location
where Thetis disguised Achilles as a girl in order to
try and stop him from fighting the Trojan War.
While some believe that Skyros is an island of little
importance to the Greek way of life, it is still a great
vacation location.
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