by Arietta Pouliou*
Clinging to an imposing rock, a labyrinthine traditional settlement thrives on authenticity and proudly celebrates Skyrian cultural heritage
«Things are simple here. We don’t lock our houses, and in the summer children play in the streets until midnight». Mr Ilias, the kind and cheerful taxi driver who picked me up at the airport, summed up almost the entire essence of Skyros in a single, simple sentence. An island of living traditions, remarkable folklore, authenticity and a pace of life you find yourself wishing you could have every day. A first, exploratory stroll through the Chorio -the ‘‘Village’’as the locals call the beautiful Chora- quickly confirms his words. In the central square, children play happily without the anxiety of constant supervision, while Skyrians greet you the moment your eyes meet. Every time.
Many describe Skyros as an “island of contrasts”. For starters, although it is the largest island of the Sporades archipelago, administratively part of the regional unit of Magnesia, Skyros itself belongs to the regional unit of Evia. Then, there is the landscape: on the one hand, the lush greenery is unmistakably Sporadic, on the other, the pristine whitewashed houses with their pared-back exteriors and the dazzling whitewashed alleyways climbing the rugged rock of Chora, could easily belong to a Cycladic island. And while the island’s easy access by ferry or plane and its magnificent beaches would be more than enough to turn it into a popular destination, it is equally remarkable how the picturesque Skyros has managed to preserve its truly unique identity and unhurried rhythms.
Somehow, almost magically, everything comes together in perfect harmony on this island of contrasts, and before long you find yourself falling into a slower way of life. As though, on the one hand, it is imposed upon you by the captivating setting of the amphitheatrically built capital, while on the other, you are gently swept along by the nature that surrounds it. And as time seems to stretch, you are pleasantly surprised to discover just how full of singular experiences even a short escape to Chora of Skyros can be -wandering between the Byzantine Castle at its highest point and the spectacular beach of Magazia spreading out at its feet.
- Stories of Pirates and Poets
Built in the northeastern part of the island, Chora made ingenious use of the 179-metre-high sheer rock to which it clings, remaining hidden from pirates and raiders approaching the island. For added protection, the houses huddle tightly together, often built right next to one another, while a tangled web of labyrinthine alleyways winds around them, adding to the settlement’s irresistible charm and tempting you to lose yourself as you wander up and down countless flights of steps. These are the so-called “pirate alleys”, as the Skyrians call the steep, cobbled lanes that once led residents to the safety of the fortified acropolis, while simultaneously confusing invaders during their plundering raids. The dominance of white is interrupted by brightly coloured doors and windows, bougainvilleas crowning passageways and violets bursting out from seemingly everywhere, filling the air with their intoxicatingly sweet fragrance. As one postcard-perfect scene follows another, take a moment to notice the little details: how the bottom step of the houses’ exterior staircases is narrower to save precious space, or how a grey line runs along the outline of the exterior walls where they meet the narrow lanes – a distinctive architectural feature known as “frydatzi.”
Meanwhile, Chora’s main pedestrian street, Megali Strata, crosses the settlement, providing an easy route from the central square to the Eternal Poetry Square, or Brooke Square, as everyone calls it. Here, the statue of the English poet and philhellene Rupert Brooke (1887-1915) commands the space. Created by sculptor Michalis Tombros in 1930, the figure of the young man gazing out towards the boundless Aegean pays tribute to the fact that he breathed his last aboard a ship anchored off Skyros and was buried in an olive grove on the island.
- Archaeology and Folklore Unfold Their Own Story
The two museums of Chora stand almost opposite one another on either side of the Brooke monument, each illuminating a different facet of the history of a place that appears to have been inhabited as far back as 7.000 years ago. This is among the many things we discover at the Archaeological Museum of Skyros, whose small yet remarkably comprehensive collection spans the period from the Early Helladic Period to the Roman Era, with exhibits originating from various sites across the island – among them the Archaic Temple of Apollo at Fourka, the Temple of Poseidon at Markesi and the fortified settlement at Palamari.
Amid votive vessels, funerary finds, and jewellery crafted from gold, faience and crystal, make sure to pause at the folklore collection, which forms part of the museum and vividly recreates the unique layout and distinctive furnishings of a traditional Skyrian house. From the ornate ‘‘boulmes’’ to the pieces of furniture that embody Skyros’s celebrated tradition of woodcarving, from the hand-painted ceramics adorning the fireplace and walls, just as they still do today -another renowned Skyrian art- to textiles and embroideries alive with vivid patterns and symbolism, the domestic life of the island’s inhabitants seems to unfold before our eyes.
You can delve even deeper into Skyrian folklore at the exceptionally comprehensive Manos & Anastasia Faltaits Folklore and Ethnological Museum, founded in 1964 and therefore one of the earliest museums of its kind in Greece. A true guardian of the island’s traditional heritage, the museum resembles a labyrinthine Aladdin’s cave overflowing with rare treasures, housed in the old Faltagidon mansion, beside the tower of the island’s ancient Pelasgian walls. Manos Faltaits, who carried on the legacy of his father Konstantinos, devoted himself to preserving and showcasing every aspect of Skyros’s history and cultural heritage. Objects representing virtually every branch of the island’s traditional crafts coexist with artefacts associated with the primary and secondary economy of Greece as a whole, displayed in rooms bearing the patina of other eras, while somehow seeming to breathe with life even today.
Each one holds its own remarkable surprise: from the rare accounts and publications of writer and journalist Konstantinos Faltaits, documenting events from the Asia Minor Catastrophe, to traditional handicrafts representing countless hours of painstaking work, from 16th-century volumes lining the library shelves to plaster bust studies of important personalities by Loukia Georganti, and from old icons to a precious iconostasis of exceptional craftsmanship. Look out for Papadiamantis’s manuscripts, the unique documents of the Filiki Eteria and the Greek War of Independence of 1821, and make sure not to miss either the vivid reconstruction of a traditional Skyrian house, framed by traditional costumes, or the personal creative space of the immensely prolific Manos Faltaits, featuring paintings that represent three decades of his artistic work and reveal a distinctive psychological depth.
- At the Highest Point of Isola San Giorgio
An ancient acropolis and the seat of King Lycomedes, the place where Achilles was hidden, dressed as a woman, in an attempt to avoid the Trojan War, a Byzantine stronghold that suffered remarkably few alterations or transformations under Venetian and Ottoman rule: the history- and legend-rich Castle crowning Chora is, without question, its greatest jewel. Reaching it on foot from the heart of the settlement means climbing what seem like endless flights of steps, although it is also possible to drive fairly close and walk uphill for just a few minutes. Either way, the breathtaking panoramic views are ample reward, particularly when you look out over Magazia Beach. The closest beach to Chora, it makes an ideal destination after a short hike from the island’s capital, allowing you to combine your first swim with a delicious meal overlooking the broad sandy shore.
Yet, you do not climb up to Skyros Castle solely for the visual spectacle. Here, too, awaits one of the island’s most important religious monuments: the monastery dedicated to its patron saint. The original Monastery of Saint George was built at the foot of the medieval castle in 960 AD, during the reign of Nikephoros Phokas. Yet, as a marble inscription on the bell tower informs visitors, the present-day church dates back to 1600. By the 15th century, the monastery had acquired a reputation that extended far beyond Skyros, and it was this very prominence that led Venetian documents and maps to refer to the island as “Isola San Giorgio” – “Island of Saint George.” Alongside two important icons of Skyros’s patron saint and 18th-century frescoes in the katholikon, this monastery-fortress holds an unexpected surprise for visitors: the gold Olympic medal of Spyros Louis, donated by the legendary Greek athlete as a votive offering.
- Culinary Delights at Every Turn
The endless uphill paths provide the perfect excuse to surrender to the abundance of culinary temptations awaiting us in Chora and its surroundings. Traditional recipes passed down through generations in Skyrian notebooks, cooks who faithfully honour them every day, local ingredients and pure, honest flavours you simply cannot get enough of. The day begins, almost by necessity, with a Skyrian pie. On one corner, the “Mitsos” bougatsadiko leaves no passer-by unmoved, with the aromas of butter and cinnamon spilling into the surrounding lanes. For Skyrians, it is something of an open secret – visitors, meanwhile, are delighted by Mrs Kali’s freshly baked, generously creamy pie ‘‘bougatsa’’, which she has been making since 1975, when her husband opened the island’s first pie workshop so that locals could enjoy something delicious alongside their morning coffee.
Another must is the handmade pies of Kyra Maria, opposite the central square, a local institution for 26 years, drawing devoted customers into queues from the early morning and welcoming visitors who have been told where to find the island’s most delicious pies. At the helm of the workshop is master pastry-maker Maria Ftouli-Mavriki, an expert in the art of rolling out pastry, who transforms tradition and culinary passion into wonderfully flavoursome bakes every day. Come early and be sure to try the much-loved ‘‘marmarita’’, a unique pumpkin pie made with red pumpkin, myzithra cheese, plenty of sautéed onion and dried mint, the onion pie, whose secret ingredient is lamb caul fat, and her own take on the traditional Skyrian ‘‘ladopita’’, filled with cheese.
The simple, freshly fried ladopita, served with xinotyri on the side or drizzled with honey in its sweet version, can also be enjoyed at Plaza Kafeneio, where the day begins with omelettes and evenings see the tables laden with meze. Meanwhile, you will spot Goniako Kafeneio by the straw hats hanging beneath the painted tables along the pedestrian street. Here, the menu ranges from home-cooked dishes prepared with their own seasonal vegetables to delicious meat dishes. Its homemade rice pudding, however, is an indulgence for any time of day. For perfectly grilled meats over charcoal, head to Margetis in the evenings, while locally caught fresh fish also makes an appearance, depending on the whims of the weather. It would be a pity, though, to leave without devoting one meal to the terrace of Stefanos Taverna, overlooking Magazia Beach. Now in the hands of the third generation, carrying on the kitchen first established by grandfather Polyvios, the restaurant fills its platters with local treasures: lobsters take pride of place in the lavish lobster spaghetti -a true Skyrian signature- alongside red mullet, grouper and picarel, fish soups made with scorpionfish, and the island’s wonderfully tender, honey-sweet Skyrian kid goat. The seaside tables have been reliably full ever since the Carnival season, when the taverna opens for both lunch and dinner.
The aromas of the Skyrian countryside -and especially thyme, the island’s most widespread herb- can accompany you home, captured in the exceptional-quality honey of Melissona Fergadi. At the tasteful grocery shop in the heart of Chora, you will find the fourth generation of a family devoted to beekeeping, which has been producing honey for 86 years. Alongside thyme honey, its range includes heather honey and pine honey, honeycombs, pollen, handmade sesame bars, jams in which some of the sugar is replaced with honey, as well as traditional beeswax salve made with pure beeswax and virgin organic olive oil.
For truly outstanding sweets, however, there is no destination quite like Ta Glyka tis Faltainas, the pastry shop whose reputation has travelled far beyond the island thanks to its award-winning ‘‘amygdalota’’ – traditional marzipan bites. Made according to an exclusive family recipe, filled with thyme honey and walnuts and delicately scented with clove, each snow-white little ball has earned not only rave reviews from distinguished Greek chefs, but also unanimous first place in a gastronomic competition for Evia and Skyros. Enjoy them as you wander through the narrow lanes, a wholesome little snack with an irresistible sweetness, savour them chilled, as one of the pure, homemade ice cream flavours prepared daily at the family workshop outside Chora, or take them home as the perfect edible souvenir, even a gift for which you will be thoroughly thanked. And do not pass up the 38 varieties of spoon sweets, including sour cherry with Amaretto, watermelon, olive, rose petals, chestnut and lemon blossom – the last of which disappears from the shelves almost as soon as it arrives.
Perhaps such experiences unfold the greatest charm of Skyros: beyond its beauty, it’s an island that invites you to slow down, to notice the little things and to reconnect with a simpler, more authentic way of life. And when you finally leave Chora, with its whitewashed lanes, vivid traditions and unforgettable flavours, you realise that you have taken home something far more precious than memories: a lingering sense of the island’s gentle rhythm.
*Arietta Pouliou is a Travel journalist, Fashion lover, Foodie, Dreamer, Arts and Sculptures lover, Ice cream addict, Wine enthusiast, you name it. A great contributor to allaboutshipping.co.uk on very special issues accompanied by great photos!
