4 Best Sights in Skyros, The Sporades

Close to the airport, this wonderful beach of white sand and pebbles is surrounded by lush greenery, with the little chapel of Agios Petrosa on a hill above as a serene backdrop. Don't be put off by the 4 km (2½ miles) of dirt road leading to the beach, it's definitely worth the effort. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

Take the vaulted passageway from St. George's Monastery courtyard to this ruined church, the former seat of the bishop of Skyros, built in AD 895 on the ruins of a temple of Athena. The complex was the center of Skyros's religious life from 1453 to 1837. It has recently undergone some restoration works, with new signage detailing its long and sometimes bizarre history. You can continue up to the summit from here.

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. The top treasure among the museum's historical documents is a handwritten copy of the Proclamation of the Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire.

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 (who doesn't like to be bothered). 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 is familiarly known as Agios Georgis o Arapis ("the Negro"); the Skyrians view him as the patron saint not only of their island but of lovers as well.