CNN Travel included the Greek island of Skyros in the top 10 list of best islands in Europe for anyone who wants to “escape everything”. According to the international news agency CNN, Skyros was selected in the list of the top 10 islands in Europe for isolation holidays.

“Once there, there are secluded beaches to explore, a Byzantine castle towering over the main town and sea, and even an ancient breed of miniature horse, the Skyrian horse, that lives in the wild only on this island.”, the piece writes. Others, again, are inaccessible from land, so only by boat will you reach their blue-green, “exotic” waters. And Chora of the island is a work of art: with the Castle at the highest point, with a view of the immensity of the northern Aegean, with sophisticated, alternative tourism, and with residents who preserve the authenticity of their place.

The profile of Skyros is completed by taverns with authentic, tasty delicacies (yes, this is where the famous lobster pasta originated), bars with a view, mini-cruises to uninhabited islands, and hikes in dense forests. Lost, as it were, in its own space and time, the island does not succumb to the massive and the trivial. It maintains a gentle, humane pace of life even in the heart of packed August, preserving unchanged a special, rugged identity.

Skyros is located in the Sporades complex (northwest Aegean) and you can visit it easily as it has an airport and a port. It is famous for its famous traditional carnival, Byzantine castle, and secluded beaches with crystal clear waters.

Greek islands like Santorini and Mykonos in the Cyclades can get so sardined with tourists during the summer months that you might be left wondering what all the hype is about. For a more isolated experience in the Greek islands, set your sights instead north in the Aegean Sea to the island of Skyros.

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One of 24 islands in the largely uninhabited Sporades chain in the northwest Aegean Sea, Skyros is reached via flights from mainland Greece as well as by ferry from the mainland and other nearby Greek islands.

Once there, there are secluded beaches to explore, a Byzantine castle towering over the main town and sea and even an ancient breed of miniature horse, the Skyrian horse, that lives in the wild only on this island.

With the exception of the lead up to Lent – when Skyros’ famous carnival puts the island into nonstop party mode with parades and costumed revelry and an inundation of Athenians – it’s a supremely peaceful place.