Skyros is an island located to the southern area of the Greek archipelago of the Sporades. This island has been inhabited since ancient times, and its first name, The Island of Magnetes, can be traced back to the 2nd millennium BC. This island has a size of around 200 m2 and a population of about 3100 inhabitants, and counts with the peculiarity of not belonging to any Greek province.
According to experts, Skyros was already inhabited in prehistoric times. This way, it is easy to imagine the amount of interesting past events and ancient constructions this island counts with, being a great destination to all those who enjoy disciplines such as history, archaeology, anthropology, architecture, and design among others.
The highest point of Skyros is at Mount Olympos, a mount of about 905 meters. Almost all the northern area of this island is covered by forests, while the southern area is where most of the settlements and towns are located. The capital of Skyros is the city of same name, and is where most of the island’s population can be found.
Skyros is related to the ancient Greek mythology and several mythological tales make reference to it. According to these mythological tales, Skyros was where Theseus died as well as it was where Achilles grew up and where his wife was born. This way, this destination is often surrounded by some mysticism and magic that causes it to be very attractive to many tourists.
One of the main places tourists should visit in Skyros is the town of Kastro. Kastro was an ancient town or acropolis located in the same territory where the town of Skyros is nowadays. This ancient acropolis was built as long ago as in the Bronze Age, and was the main city of the island for many centuries. This ancient town was occupied by the Venetians around the 13th century and by the Turks in the 16th century, two events that have left their marks in the actual appearance of Skyros through some constructions and buildings as well as in some of the local traditions.