Sailing north east from Athens brings you to the group of islands known as the beautiful
Sporades. Golden beaches curve green, pine-scented hills like ribbons. The clear offshore
waters are a fisherman's dream, teeming with lobster, squid and shrimp - all featured on
local menus.
SKOPELOS. The beauty of this island is apparent as you approach it from
the sea. Shinig bays, both large and small running to the water with golden sands and
backed by slopes covered with olive trees. The island abounds in churches and monasteries,
most containing wood carved pulpits, exquisite frescoes and valuable Byzantine icons. The
principle town is named after the island and climbs down to the harbor in tier after tier
in a semicircle - a beautiful version of white. It is a seaport town with a local color
and ambience all its own. Cobbled narrow streets, courtyards filled with fragrant flowers
and gleaming mazes of rooftops make it a wonderful place to ramble and relax. If on your
depature you are presented with a twig of basil or a gardenia it means you are invited to
"come again." Yacht provisioning facilities.
SKIATHOS. Green, soft and idyllic, Skiathos has some 70 sandy
inlets, several bays and three harbors. Around the island there nine smaller islands. An
island hopper's dream! |
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The principle town is also called Skiathos and was built in 1830 on two low hills. It is
the hub of the island where youu can find some hearty, flavorful tavernas. Beaches abound,
one special beach, Koukounaries (which means "pine grove") streches in golden
sand for a thousand meters. Most of the beach is shaded by pines and shrubs. An ancient
walled town from the 16th century, called the Kastro, protected a whole village, whose
residents when threatened would move to the impregnable rock which rises above Skiathos. A
drawbridge was their only link to the rest of their island. Airport.Yacht provisioning
facilities.
ALONNISOS. This narrow
oblong island is east of Skopelos, protectively surrounded by a number of islets, mostly
uninhabited and pocked with caves full of iridescent stalactites. The most famous of these
caves is that of Cyclops, the one-eyed monster who captured Odysseus and his men. The
ruins of cities, which sank as a result of volcanic eruptions, are visible through the
offshore waters when the sea is calm. Octopus and lobster can be found in plenty.
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