A Walking Guide to Chora & the Castle
How to explore Chora, the car-free hilltop capital of Skyros, on foot, the cobbled lanes, the main square, Brooke Square, and the climb to the Byzantine castle and the Monastery of Agios Georgios.
Last updated 29 June 2026
Chora is meant to be walked. The capital of Skyros is a car-free maze of white houses spilling down a cliff, and the only way to know it is on foot, climbing slowly from the square to the castle as the light turns gold.
In short: Chora, the hilltop capital of Skyros, is car-free: park at the edge and explore on foot. A good walk climbs from the main square (agora) up through the cobbled lanes, past Brooke Square and the Faltaits Museum, to the Byzantine castle (Kastro) and the Monastery of Agios Georgios at the summit, 179 metres up, with sweeping views over Magazia and the Aegean. Go in the late afternoon.
Start in the square
Leave your car below and walk up into the agora, the lively central lane lined with little shops, cafés and tavernas. This is the social heart of Chora: a place to buy local honey and crafts, drink a coffee, and feel the rhythm of the town before you climb.
Up through the lanes
From the square, the cobbled lanes wind upward between whitewashed houses hung with jasmine and bougainvillea. Detour to Brooke Square (Plateia Rupert Brooke), a terrace with a bronze statue overlooking Magazia, the full story is in our guide to Rupert Brooke on Skyros. Nearby, high in the town, sits the Faltaits Folklore Museum, the best place to understand everything you’re seeing.
The castle and the monastery
Keep climbing to the Kastro, the Byzantine castle crowning a 179-metre rock that, by legend, was the citadel of King Lykomedes. On its first level stands the Monastery of Agios Georgios (founded in 963), dedicated to the island’s patron saint, along with stretches of medieval fortification and the restored church above. From the top, the view runs from the rooftops down to the long sands of Magazia and out across the open sea.
Time the climb for the late afternoon. The light on the white walls just before sunset is the reason photographers come.
Practical notes
- Wear comfortable shoes: the lanes are steep and cobbled.
- Go in the cooler hours, morning or, best of all, before sunset.
- Allow a relaxed half-day to take in the square, the museum and the castle.
FAQ
Can you drive in Chora? No, Chora is car-free. You park at the edge and walk up through the lanes.
What’s at the top of Chora? The Byzantine castle (Kastro) and the Monastery of Agios Georgios, with panoramic views over Magazia and the Aegean.
How long should I spend in Chora? A half-day covers the square, the Faltaits Museum and the climb to the castle comfortably.
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