- HOME
- Sporades
The Sporades
The Sporades are the Greek islands of Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos and Skyros, and this page has information on hotels, restaurants, and what to do.
Even within such a small group as the Sporades, with only four major islands, there is a great deal of diversity… and yes, they are ‘Sporadic’, as the name means ‘scattered’ in Greek. They have all been opened to tourism to varying degrees, in roughly inverse proportion to their size. The smallest, Skiathos, is by far the busiest and has the best beaches, while the largest, Skyros, is the one that most retains its traditional Greek feel.
The islands were once extensions of the Pelion peninsula, and like that part of the mainland they are green and thickly-wooded with pine trees. The lushness does mean that mosquitoes can be more of a problem here than in the drier islands further south in the Aegean, so come prepared.
Not that mosquitoes prevent the crowds from rushing to Skiathos in high summer, and if you want any of its superb beaches to yourself you will have to visit in the spring or autumn. Another option is to take the ferry to the neighbouring island of Skopelos, which is scenically much more dramatic (making it a good base for walkers) and with beaches almost as good as on Skiathos. Yet somehow it has escaped, so far, the worst excesses of tourism that have blighted its little brother.
Alonnisos is an unusual island, long and thin with few roads, it was left behind in the tourist boom though many foreigners, notably from Germany, bought property here either to live in cheaply or to start up tiny businesses. Alonnisos has many small islets around it, and it is here that is home to Europe’s rarest animal, the Mediterranean monk seal. In 1992 the Greek government created the country’s first National Marine Park here, to protect the seals and bring eco-tourism to Alonnisos.
Finally there is Skyros, where old customs and costumes survive, helped by the fact that it is remote from the other islands, and harder to get to from Athens and the mainland. Whether that will survive now that a new airport has opened remains to be seen.
Click on the image below to take you to the specific page for each of the Sporades islands:
Be sure to see our page of Pictures of Skiathos!
Other Sporades pages
Skyros in the Sporades Islands of Greece
Travel advice and information on Skyros in the Sporades islands, with details of ferries and flights, and the best things to do on Skyros in Greece.
Skopelos in the Sporades Islands of Greece
Travel advice and information on Skopelos in the Sporades islands, with details of ferries and flights, and the best things to do on Skopelos in Greece.
Skiathos in the Sporades Islands
Travel advice and information on Skiathos in the Sporades islands, with details of ferries and flights, and the best things to do on Skiathos in Greece.
Pictures of Skiathos
This page of pictures of Skiathos in the Sporades by photographer Nick Karvounis will help you decide whether you want to visit this beautiful Greek island.
Northern Greece Guide
The Bradt Guide to Northern Greece is a detailed guide to Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, Macedonia, Thrace, The Pelion, The Sporades and the rest of Northern Greece.
Best Things to do on Skiathos
The best things to do on Skiathos include seeing Skiathos Town, enjoying its beautiful beaches, hiking in the forests, and visiting ancient monasteries.
Best Beaches on Skiathos
The best beaches on Skiathos are the best in the Sporades, and some of the best in the Greek islands, ranging from busy and crowded to quiet and remote beaches.
Alonissos in the Sporades Islands of Greece
Travel advice and information on Alonissos in the Sporades in the Greek islands, with details of ferries and flights, and the best things to do on Alonissos.
Latest Posts
-
Athens Airport: New Curbside Pick-up Rules Take Effect June 7
In efforts to improve the passenger drop-off and pick-up experience and in view of the expected increase in international traveler arrivals, Athens International Airport (AIA) announced that it would… -
Study Reveals the Tourist ‘Types’ that Pick Thessaloniki for Holidays
Art lovers, active types and foodies are among the ‘travel tribes’ that select Thessaloniki, as their holiday destination, found a visitor profile study released this week by the Thessaloniki Hotels A… -
Greece to Protect Historic Athens Cinemas Ideal and Astor
The Greek Environment Ministry’s Central Council of Architecture (KESA) has decided to protect Athens’ Astor and Ideal cinemas designating the two historic landmarks as cultural monuments, said the Gr… -
Thessaloniki Metro Almost Ready, Greek PM on First Test Run
Thessaloniki’s highly anticipated metro, to serve almost 250,000 commuters a day once completed, is almost ready with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis taking a test ride this week. Mitsota… -
Thessaloniki Food, Nightlife Winning Over More Tourists
The nightlife and food are two of Thessaloniki’s strong points attracting more visitors to the northern port city, found a satisfaction study released this week by the Thessaloniki Hotels Association… -
Air Passenger Traffic to Greece Continues to Mark Sharp Rise
Passenger arrivals across all airports in Greece marked a sharp increase in the first four months of the year up by 7.4 percent compared to pre-Covid 2019 and by 38.4 percent over the same period in 2… -
Greece Among Top Choices of British easyJet Flyers this Summer
British holidaymakers flying on easyJet are picking Greece this year, according to a poll conducted by the budget carrier. More specifically, according to the survey carried out on 2,000 British adult… -
Uber Launches On-demand Boat Service on Mykonos Island, Greece
Ride-hailing company Uber recently announced that it will launch a new seasonal private charter boat service on the Greek island of Mykonos. Available from mid-June to October, “Boat” will be an on-de… -
Mykonos Tops Airbnb’s Most Searched Int’l Destinations by US Travelers in Q1
The Greek island of Mykonos is the top most searched for international destination by US travelers seeking Airbnb accommodation in the first quarter of the year, according to the Airbnb 2023 Summer re… -
Greece’s Regional Airports Outdo Pre-Covid 2019 Traffic Levels in April
Greece’s 14 regional airports exceeded pre-Covid 2019 levels last month handling a total of 1.6 million passengers, said managing company Fraport Greece. More specifically, according to Fraport data…
Why not join our Greece Travel Secrets Club? As a member you'll get emailed our regular Greece Travel Secrets Magazine for news, information, and inspiration for planning your travels in Greece.
As a welcome gift you'll also get a free e-book, Heaven on Earth. This contains 19 of Mike's favourite stories that he's written about travelling in Greece for newspapers and magazines over the years.
You'll find it over at Substack. Check out one of the Archive issues to find the Subscribe button.
CHECK OUT THESE COOL SANTORINI SANDALS!
BUY A JOURNAL TO RECORD YOUR OWN GREECE TRAVEL SECRETS!
FOLLOW OUR GREECE VIDEOS
ON YOUTUBE
Best Greece Guide
Of all the many guides to Greece we've seen, this is the one we recommend as best of all:
Greece Travel Inspiration
Buy our book of inspirational travel stories from our travels in Greece over the years.
Take a Look at Our Corfu Guide
FTC Disclosure : If you make a purchase via a link on this site, we may receive a small commission on the transaction - at no added cost to you. Thank you!
Latest Posts
-
Athens Airport: New Curbside Pick-up Rules Take Effect June 7
May 22, 23 10:19 AM
In efforts to improve the passenger drop-off and pick-up experience and in view of the expected increase in international traveler arrivals, Athens International Airport (AIA) announced that it would… -
Study Reveals the Tourist ‘Types’ that Pick Thessaloniki for Holidays
May 22, 23 10:19 AM
Art lovers, active types and foodies are among the ‘travel tribes’ that select Thessaloniki, as their holiday destination, found a visitor profile study released this week by the Thessaloniki Hotels A… -
Greece to Protect Historic Athens Cinemas Ideal and Astor
May 22, 23 10:19 AM
The Greek Environment Ministry’s Central Council of Architecture (KESA) has decided to protect Athens’ Astor and Ideal cinemas designating the two historic landmarks as cultural monuments, said the Gr… -
Thessaloniki Metro Almost Ready, Greek PM on First Test Run
May 22, 23 10:19 AM
Thessaloniki’s highly anticipated metro, to serve almost 250,000 commuters a day once completed, is almost ready with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis taking a test ride this week. Mitsota… -
Thessaloniki Food, Nightlife Winning Over More Tourists
May 19, 23 11:36 AM
The nightlife and food are two of Thessaloniki’s strong points attracting more visitors to the northern port city, found a satisfaction study released this week by the Thessaloniki Hotels Association… -
Air Passenger Traffic to Greece Continues to Mark Sharp Rise
May 19, 23 11:36 AM
Passenger arrivals across all airports in Greece marked a sharp increase in the first four months of the year up by 7.4 percent compared to pre-Covid 2019 and by 38.4 percent over the same period in 2… -
Greece Among Top Choices of British easyJet Flyers this Summer
May 19, 23 11:36 AM
British holidaymakers flying on easyJet are picking Greece this year, according to a poll conducted by the budget carrier. More specifically, according to the survey carried out on 2,000 British adult… -
Uber Launches On-demand Boat Service on Mykonos Island, Greece
May 19, 23 11:36 AM
Ride-hailing company Uber recently announced that it will launch a new seasonal private charter boat service on the Greek island of Mykonos. Available from mid-June to October, “Boat” will be an on-de… -
Mykonos Tops Airbnb’s Most Searched Int’l Destinations by US Travelers in Q1
May 18, 23 10:58 AM
The Greek island of Mykonos is the top most searched for international destination by US travelers seeking Airbnb accommodation in the first quarter of the year, according to the Airbnb 2023 Summer re…
No words or images to be used without prior permission.
We do not sell personal information: see our Privacy Policy.
California Consumer Privacy Act - CCPA: Sale Of Personal Information
Greece Travel Secrets does not sell any information it gathers for any reason. It has not collected or sold any personal information in the last twelve months or ever in the past.
This website was built using Site Build It!
