Greek Island Guide
Sporades Islands

The Sporades are in the northwest Aegean between the island of Evia and Mount Pelion. Known for beautiful beaches and rich vegetation they can be reached by ferry or highspeed from Agios Constantinos a couple hours north of Athens or from Volos, except for Skyros which must be reached by Kimi in Evia. In the summer there are connections to Thessaloniki and the Cyclades but generally going from any other islands to the Sporades means going through the mainland. When you finish you can use this link or the link at the bottom of the page to return to Greek Island Synopsis Main Menu or visit another island chain.

Alonissos	Skiathos	Skopelos	Skyros

You can find hotels in the Sporades Islands by location, price, whether or not it has a swimming pool or is on the beach, and see photos, maps and customer reviews by using this link to booking.com. Excellent prices and many hotels you can book and then cancel with no cancellation fee. For those who want to book without using a travel agency this is the best way to do it.

For a couple very nice packages which feature Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos take a look at those offered by Aegean Thesaurus: The 7 Day Sporades Program and the 14 Day Sporades Program.

You can e-mail me if you have questions about the Greek Islands, itineraries, ferry connections, hotels or anything actually- Matt Barrett

Alonissos
Pine forests and beautiful seas, this island in the Sporades chain is popular with the type of travelers that don't want to see other travelers. The main town of Liadromia was damaged by an earthquake in 1965 and many of the locals moved closer to the sea, selling their houses to foreigners. Alonissos is home to the Mediterranean Monk Seal and has some stunning beaches and inlets. The island has a rich history and ancient as well as Byzantine ruins. Most people come here by ferry or highspeed from Ag Konstantinos or Volos.

For Hotels use Aegean Thesaurus Travel or see www.hotelsofgreece.com/sporades or search Booking.com

Read the Guide to Alonissos at www.greektravel.com/greekislands/alonissos

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Skiathos
The Mykonos of the Sporades. Fantastic beaches, among the best in Greece. Plenty of nightlife and lots of trees, forests and wildlife. With many foreigners living here year round it's not a bad place to visit in the off-season. It is tougher to get to the Sporades than to the other Aegean islands because you have to take a bus or taxi to Agios Konstantinos and then take the ferry or highspeed from there,but there is an airport in Skiathos with international flights.

Lots of nice hotels which you can see at www.hotelsofgreece.com/sporades or search Booking.com

If you are looking for a house take a look at the Zorbathes Villas or visit www.greecetravel.com/villas

See my Skiathos website at www.greecetravel.com/skiathos

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Skopelos
People claim Skopelos is the greenest island in the Aegean and they may be right. A nature lover's paradise, Skopelos is home to a great many forms of wildlife due to its extensive forests and beautiful coastline, including the monk seal or what the Greeks call 'Monachos-Monachos'. The island, once a Cretan colony, has a number of archaeological sites plus some 360 churches, monasteries and convents. Though not as wild as nearby Skiathos, there is plenty of nightlife and the islanders take great pride in their cooking. If Skiathos sounds too much like Mykonos and you are looking for something a little quieter but no less beautiful come here. Yes, this is the island that Mamma Mia was filmed on which has made it a sort of Mecca for fans of the movie but that is not a good reason to avoid it and you have to admit it was a good movie (yes I cried during the song Dancing Queen).

For more information about the island of Skopelos see www.greektravel.com/greekislands/skopelos

For hotel descriptions, bookings and rates visit:www.hotelsofgreece.com/sporades or search Booking.com

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Skyros
Hard to get to but worth the trip they say. Very Green with a pine forest that covers much of the island, nice beaches and some interesting traditional villages and customs. Skyros is famous for their carnival celebration and the goat dancers which may date back to the ancient cult of Dionysios. The end of Carnival, or Apokreas, like Mardi Gras marks the beginning of lent so if you want to visit Skyros, figure out when Orthodox Easter takes place, count back 40 days and then go there the week before that. The ferry to Skyros leaves from Kimi in Evia. This is one of the most difficult islands to travel to thought that does not keep people from coming. The island is also home to the Skyros Institute of Wholistic Studies which offfers programs in alternative therapies, yoga and even windsurfing. Skros is also the gravesite of the English poet Rupert Brooke who died in 1915 on a ship bound for Gallipoli off the coast of Skyros.

See the island review at www.greektravel.com/greekislands/skyros

For hotel descriptions, bookings and rates visit:www.hotelsofgreece.com/sporades

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To get to Agios Constantinos for the ferry you can take the bus from Terminal B at At 260, Liossion St. They run just about every hour. You can also book a pre-arranged taxi from the airport with George the Famous Taxi Driver. He can also check the boat schedules for you so you will know if you need to rush or if you can take your time.