Travel Stories. Skyros The Island Of Ultimate Sophistication

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication“.
Leonardo da Vinci

You don’t have to be Leonardo Da Vinci to appreciate the minimalist beauty of the Aegean architecture. But, the amazing about the island of Skyros is its cycladic domestic architecture, although it belongs to Sporades group.

You will not find even one house without its white flat-roofed shape and without blue doors and windows. They all climb, one beside other, up to the rocky peak, whitening its slopes. Near the central park of the town (plateia) the pedestrian zone begins with narrow cobblestone roads. Anyone can enjoy his walk in the small shops of “agora” (market place), the tavernas and the coffee-bars under symmetric arches and bright flowers of bougainvillea trees that embrace the white walls and the small balconies.

From there you can go up to the 13th century fortress and the monastery of Saint George or you can walk to the square of the poet Rupert Brooke and the two small museums that are located near, the archaeological museum and the Faltaits museum. The other choice is to wander in the quaint “Chora” (town) where simplicity and beauty meet the ancient Greek myths of Achilleus and Theseus and the former centuries’ stories of exile and piracy in an attractive mixture of colors, aromas and folk art.

Portfolio on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/jaded_j

Portfolio on 500px: 500px.com/PapanikolaouJoanna