Skyros is an individual: there seems to be little affinity with the other Sporades, Alonnisos, Skopelos and Skiathos, apart from a daily summer hydrofoil connection. It’s 60Km away, is much larger, a 30 x 10 Km dumbbell shape but with a population of only about 3000. Architecturally, it has a distinctive character, part Sporades, part Cyclades, but the delicious smell of pine trees which welcomes you into the woods is reminiscent of the other Sporades.
On Skyros you’ll find:
Skyros is an island of two halves. The lower north is forested, with the craggy peaks of Olympos, 400m, rising above the treetops. The 3Km isthmus, currently farmed, which you cross as you head into the southern half, barely rises above sea level. The ground to the south rapidly rises however to Mount Kochilas (Κοχηιλας), a 790m bulky limestone dome, double the height of Olympos. The southern hills are very empty and fairly arid, though there are wild ponies that shelter in little holm-oak filled hollows high in the hills.
Rooms are plentiful in the Chora, in Linaria and in the beach villages of Magasia Molos and Pouria in the coastal strip area under the crag. There are campsites here and at Linaria.
There are one or two hotels scattered about, including one at Acherounes and one at Kalamitsa, almost the only habitation on Vouno, the southern half.
When searching for information, be aware of the alternative spellings, Skyros and Skiros.
The excellent Anavasi Topos map, at 1:40,000 ISBN 960-8195-83-7, is perfect for walking. Details at www.anavasi.gr.
There is also a hand-drawn and very detailed map in Greek and English, an extraordinary labour of love which was published privately in the 1980s.
Skyros Travel produced a map in the 1990s.
There’s a very detailed guide book: 'Skyros', Manos Faltaitz, Collection magazine, Athens 1987
Some websites for Skyros
...and don’t forget Google maps gives you a satellite view, which is fascinating www.google.co.uk/maps