Skala Sykamias - Panagia Gorgona and the Traditional Fishing Harbor

Take a walk from the village of Sykamia down the serpentine road toward the seafront - you will be rewarded by a rich imagery of olive groves, farm holdings and planes, then reach the small Sykamias harbor.  A 4-kilometer distance from the main settlement, Skala Sykamias is a traditional fishing village known for its small, beautiful harbor and the temple of Panagia Gorgona, a picturesque chapel built on a rock by the sea.

The harbor is edged by a few tavernas where visitors can relish the peaceful sea views and enjoy the fresh fish caught by the locals on one of the fishing boats and caiques tied to the harbor. The temple of Panagia Gorgona (Virgin Mary the Mermaid) looks down on Skala Sykamias  offering protection to the small fishing village. Its name summons to mind a Virgin Mary with a mermaid’s tail, an image that was originally drawn on a mural by an anonymous artist and still decorates the miniscule 1913 temple. Climb up the steps to the temple’s courtyard and enjoy wonderful views to the shimmering Aegean sea. The scenery inspired Stratis Myrivilis to write his homonymous novel (The Panagia Gorgona, 1948).

There is a boat service from Skala Sykamias to the beaches of Kayia and Molyvos.

An archaeological site with evidence of a former early Christian church is located near the entrance to the settlement.