7 Best Sights in The Sporades, Greece

The island's best-known and most beautiful monastery sits on Skiathos's highest point and was dedicated in the late-18th century to the Annunciation of the Virgin by the monks of Mt. Athos. It encouraged education and gave a base to revolutionaries, who pledged an oath to freedom and first hoisted the flag of Greece here in 1807. Looming above a gorge, and surrounded by fragrant pines and cypresses, the monastery has a high wall that once kept pirates out; today it encloses a ruined refectory kitchen, the cells, a small museum library, and a magnificent church with three domes. Fascinating still, it houses the wooden loom that wove the very first Greek flag. A gift shop sells the monastery's own Alypiakos wine, olive oil, locally made preserves, and Orthodox icons. A café on a hill next to the monastery serves drinks and snacks, with stupendous views of the surrounding mountains and ocean. In summer, a bus goes to and from the monastery from the main bus station in Skiathos Town, where the bus times are advertised.

A perch on Palouki Mountain provides views of the sea and the town. The impressive complex was founded in 1676 and completely rebuilt in 1712 by Ioannis Grammatikos, who believed he was saved from execution by an 11th-century icon of the Virgin. The miraculous object is housed in the church, with an intricately carved iconostasis. It's a short drive from Skopelos Town, but a walk up the quiet, pine-fringed roads and across mountains patched with olive groves offers a serene excursion. Stop by a stone fountain mid-way for refreshment—the mineral mountain water is safe to drink.

Built after Greek Independence by a wealthy family (who still owns the museum), this house is one of the most impressive in Skyros Town and is nearly overflowing with rare books, costumes, photographs, paintings, ceramics, local embroideries, Greek statues, and other heirlooms. Of particular note are the embroideries, which are famed for their flamboyant colors and vivacious renderings of mermaids, hoopoes (the Skyrians' favorite bird), and mythical human figures whose clothes and limbs sprout flowers. Top treasure among the museum's historical documents is a handwritten copy of the Proclamation of the Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire. The informative guided tour is well worth the extra euros.

Located in a nature reserve, it's just a 3 km walk from busy Koukounaries. Make the journey on foot to walk through a heady, scented pine forest that rises from terra-cotta-red sand before reaching this "secret" beach that's a haven for those seeking silence and solitude. There are no watersports businesses in operation and the sea is a little rough, so it's frequented by swimmers and surfers rather than families and noisy youths. Sometimes called Xerxes' harbor, the bay is where the notorious Persian king stopped on his way to ultimate defeat at the battles of Artemisium and Salamis. The reefs opposite are the site of a monument Xerxes allegedly erected as a warning to ships, the first such marker known in history. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free). Best for: swimming; walking; solitude.

At these side-by-side options, separated by a forested headland, expansive and laid-back Megalos Aselinos is a favorite of locals and tourists visiting by boat, while Mikros Aselinos is quieter and can be reached by car or bike. Neither, however, can be reached by bus. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); toilets. Best for: snorkeling; solitude; sunset; swimming.

Skopelos's longest beach is considered by many to be its best, with white sands, clear turquoise waters, and vibrant green trees. Though still secluded, the bay is up-and-coming—parasols and recliners are lined halfway across the beach and there's a large taverna tucked into the pine trees. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

The best way to get an idea of the town and its history is to follow the sinuous cobbled lanes past the mansions of the Old Town to the Kastro, the highest point, and this fortified monastery founded in AD 962 and radically rebuilt in 1600. Today it is inhabited by a sole monk. A white marble lion, which may be left over from the Venetian occupation, is in the wall above the entrance to the monastery. The once splendid frescoes of the Monastery of St. George are now mostly covered by layers of whitewash, but look for the charming St. George and startled dragon outside to the left of the church door and, within, the ornate iconostasis. An icon of St. George on the right is said to have been brought by settlers from Constantinople, who came in waves during the iconoclast controversy of the 9th century. The icon has a black face and is familiarly known as Ayios Georgis o Arapis ("the Negro"); the Skyrians view him as the patron saint not only of their island but of lovers as well.