Manos & Anastasia Faltaïts Museum

Top choice


Spread across the Faltaïts family's 19th-century mansion, this not-to-be-missed gem unravels the island's mythology and folklore in a multilevel labyrinth of Skyrian costumes, embroidery, antique furniture, ceramics, daggers, cooking pots, historical documents and vintage photographs. There's also a collection of writings by prominent journalist Konstantinos Faltaïts, the father of artist Manos who founded the museum and whose colourful and sensual paintings are displayed throughout.

Lovers of Greek history can study the museum's wealth of documents, including the proclamation of the Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire, and the subsequent renouncement of the uprising by the Church, who excommunicated the revolutionaries. Among the wealth of other items are a goat mask and heavy bells worn by revellers at carnival time, a reconstructed Skyrian house and books dating back to the 16th century. Outside, in the terraced gardens, a stone amphitheatre hosts plays, concerts and the Rembetika Music Festival, while the excellent gift shop sells bespoke ceramics, fabrics, books and prints.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Archaeological Museum

0.03 MILES

Along with Mycenaean pottery and jewellery found near Magazia, vessels unearthed in Skyros Town and artefacts from the Bronze Age excavation at Palamari –…

2. Agia Triada

0.15 MILES

Following signs to the kastro through upper Skyros Town's maze of white streets, you'll come to this tiny candlelit chapel with fine ceiling frescoes.

3. Magazia Beach

0.2 MILES

Magazia's lengthy brown-sand beach is the island's most popular, with clear water, a good few restaurants and beach bars, a smattering of sunbeds, and…

4. Monastery of Agios Georgios

0.2 MILES

Founded in 962, the working Byzantine Monastery of St George (whose bells might wake you early if you're staying in town) crowns Skyros Town, within the…

5. Kastro

0.21 MILES

All the steep whitewashed alleys through Skyros Town's historic core eventually lead to the Byzantine-Venetian fortress, which has been closed for…

6. Papa Ta Houma

0.37 MILES

Skinny-dippers can leave it all behind at this tan-toned nudist strand just beyond the southern end of Magazia.

7. Molos Beach

0.86 MILES

Blending into the northern end of Magazia, Molos' grey-brown sand-and-pebble beach stretches past a small harbour to a rugged headland (once a quarry),…

8. Agios Nikolaos

1.32 MILES

A huge rectangular free-standing rock forms the sacred space of Agios Nikolaos, at the northern end of Molos in what was a quarry in ancient times. A…