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According to the Greek Mythology this is the island where the goddess Thetis, Achilleas mother, decided to hide her son dressing him as a woman and give him the name Pyrrha (blond), since she found out that he would be killed at the Trojan War. But he was not lucky because the Greeks sent Odysseus to bring him back and ask him to become the leader of the War.

The island according to the archaeological finds has been of great importance. So far excavations have shown that traces of life existed on the island during the Neolithic period (6000-2900 BC) and the developments took place especially during the Bronze Age.

The north part of the island is green, full of pine trees and cultivations, where the south appers to be the opposite, however perfect for goats, sheeps and for the Skirian small horse, which is just 1 m tall and has no relation to the pony of North Europe. This horse is found carved in the Panathinea procession and in the excavations of Marathon and Vergina.

Sandy and pebble beaches are spread around the island. At the same time the pine trees on the mountains of Olympos and Kohilas offer a relaxing atmosphere.

On the island there are almost 300 churches, but the most important of all is the one of St.George, the patron Saint of this island, built in 906 by Nikiforos Fokas and Ioannis Tsimiskis, on the highest point of the island.