One of our readers shares her experience of the Skyros carnival. It should be pointed out that this reader is Brazilian! So carnival is MOUSIQUE. A little culture shock as we discover the ancestral traditions of the Skyros carnival.
Skyros is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, east of Evia. Like Skopelos, Skiathos and Alonissos, it is part of the Sporades islands, located further north than Skyros, which is close to the south of Pelion.
The village of Skyros
Perched on a mountain, the village of Skyros is a veritable labyrinth of white houses. High above, the monastery protects the villagers and their customs.
The view is sumptuous and offers a contrast of colors. All around us, the Aegean Sea, very turbulent at this time of year and a magnificent deep, leaden blue. The mountains then offer a palette of greens dappled here and there by goats and sheep. Finally, red earth and grey sky.
A far cry from postcards and travel agency brochures. And yet we’re in Skyros! There aren’t many tourists around, and they talk in Greek, drink plenty of Tsipouro and eat goat, kid and mutton!
Skyros Carnival
The legend
The Skyros carnival has its roots in an ancient legend. The story goes that a long time ago, during a bitterly cold winter, a tragedy killed all the livestock on Skyros. To warn the village, a desperate shepherd tied all the bells of his dead animals around his waist. He then dressed himself in their skins, and with his wife climbed up to the monastery, making an infernal noise….
Tradition today
Today, these characters, known as ” Yeros “, are represented by the men (and boys) of the village, dressed in animal skins, who criss-cross the town’s alleyways, shaking over 50kg of copper bells. They are followed by the women, all dressed as peasants, their faces covered with masks of sadness.
Other characters have been added to this legend. They further amplify the tragedy staged in the procession up to the monastery. These characters, especially the “yeros” and their wives, are impressively strong. There’s nothing cheerful or beautiful about them, but they evoke a whole host of feelings. These characters are a compendium of fear, rage and despair. This caricature is taken to such an extreme that it transforms the tragedy into comedy. We laugh or cry, but it’s touching.
I don’t know the authenticity of this story, but as I circulated among the revelers in the heart of the village, they told me about it. And that’s what’s so remarkable about Skyros: people love to talk (even when you don’t understand Greek), they also love to smile while drinking their coffee, and that’s good for you.
Of course, we can’t expect the joy of a Brazilian carnival, and we’ll be missing the music and “**ginga”, but there’s something real, traditional and original here, and it’s well worth the experience.
** “Ginga”: Slang for the body movement that comes naturally to us when dancing samba. It’s also used to express the ease with which Brazilians find alternative solutions to very complicated problems!
Practical tips for enjoying the Skyros Carnival
Carnival takes place in February. So the weather isn’t always perfect. Many taverns and hotels are still closed at this time of year, but it’s easy to find good restaurants where you can share a mezze and imagine how much more beautiful the island will be under the summer sun.
What to do in Skyros in February
- Attend the carnival parade, of course!
- Admire the blue of the Aegean Sea from the top of the monastery as you wind your way through Chora’s maze of narrow streets.
- Landing on the white pebbles of Kalamitsa beach after walking among the sheep.
- Petting the gentle, pony-like miniature horses of Skyros in Kalamitsa.
- Go for a walk in the mountains in the south of the island, listening to the bells of the goats and reassure yourself that they’re alive and well! ( 😉
- Drink a coffee or tsipouro (depending on the time of day) while chatting with villagers in the village square.
How to get to Skyros
There is an airport at Skyros with weekly flights to Athens and Thessaloniki.
Alternatively, the most common access is by sea via ferry. The only company providing transport to the island is SKYROS SHIPPING COMPANY (tel :+30 2222022020). Crossings take an average of 2 hours, and in low season there are only 2 boats a day departing from Kymi on the island of Evia and arriving at Linaria.
Skyros is also linked to Skopelos and Alonissos during the tourist season, via Kymi, a service provided by SKYROS SHIPPING Co. You’ll also find a number of Ferry Hopper connections from Skiathos to Skopelos via Sea Jets, for example, and on to Skyros.
Some nice addresses in Skyros
Accommodation: here’s the address we tried out and really liked: Villa Mantalena.
Where to eat: we enjoyed the Mouries Ta verna and Amalthea taverns.
There are of course many other places to stay in Skyros, which we suggest you discover on Booking .
Did you know? The Skyros horse, the ancient breed
Skyros is home to an exceptional breed of small horse, visually similar to a pony. It has survived since ancient times in Skyros. He’s a gentle horse with great stamina. There are just over a hundred of them left.
You can discover this rare breed at our two breeding centers:
“Friends of the Skyrian Horse
“Mouries Estate
Many thanks to Fabiana for this article, which makes us want to discover the island of Skyros a little more.
Fabiana D.
