Getting to Skyros

By Air: Normally in Spring and Summer two public service obligation routes operate from Skyros Airport: a thrice-weekly service to Athens and a thrice-weekly service to Thessalonika. For both, the flight time is around 40 minutes and the return cost can be in the range €100 - €200. Sometimes very substantially discounted promotional fares are available.

The Summer 2012 operators are:

• Athens: Aegean Airlines Airbus 320 jet departing early morning on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
• Thessalonika: Sky Express BAe Jetstream 41 turboprop departing mid morning on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays

Whether you can book a flight to Skyros depends on the availability of flight schedules. At some times of year, particularly during winter months, no flight schedules are available. Often they are only published shortly before the service begins.

By Land and Sea: Land and sea travellers should take a bus from Athens to Kymi, and the ferry from Kymi to Linaria on Skyros. The bus journey is long but very restful, going overland via the north of Evia. There are two ferry sailings a day from Kymi to Linaria - you should check with a travel agent or locally in Athens before sailing.

Skyros (+44-1983-865566) organises holidays for mind, body and spirit in Skyros town and more laid-back packages in Atsitsa on the west coast of the island. Their recommended transfer is organised by Hellenic Travel and costs around £150. This includes coach from Athens to the coast, ferry to Evia, coach across Evia to Kymi, and ferry from Kymi to Linaria on Skyros. It takes approximately five hours.

More details about travel and accommodation can be found in the Lonely Planet Guide to Greece (pages 654-659 of the 2006 Edition).