Skiathos Greece | tourist holiday travel guide to Skiathos

Skiathos Town

The main SKIATHOS TOWN bristles with tavernas, bars and nightclubs. Sitting in harbourside bars the steady thump of disco music can compete with the regular whine of mopeds passing by like noisy mobile sewing machines. Despite the background noise this is a cosmopolitan little place and it's not that unpleasant to sit in a busy quayside cafe watching the tourists stroll by or to join the throngs of holiday shoppers browsing the boutiques and trinket shops on the traffic-free main street.
Skiathos has two quaysides split by an outcrop of rock known as the Bourtzi. Dozens of busy cafes line both harbours, the old and new, that lie each side of the Bourtzi, many of them 10 tables deep. The main shopping street leads inland from the Bourtzi up the hill. Here you will find not only shops but more cafes and tavernas. The bars are - naturally enough for such a popular resort - heaving with youngsters tanking up on lager, while middle-aged tourists stroll along the quay in their cleanly pressed linens.
Eating out in Skiathos Town comes at a price. Tavernas are uniformly expensive and mostly mediocre. Many new ones have sprouted up over the last few years as Athenian businessmen cash in on the roaring tourist trade. Tavernas overlooking the bay to the west tend to be the most expensive, as are the cafes that line the old harbour.

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Xanemos

XANEMOS is one of the island's nudist beaches and found right off the end of the airport runway near Skiathos town - what more could a holidaymaker want? It can get very windy here and there is not much in the way of shelter. The beach is deep and flat but scruffy, with more shingle than sand and it's a not particularly scenic spot. Nor are there any facilities. Nevertheless, it's fairly popular with those staying in the main town, although walking there requires some stamina as it is over very steep hill.

Megali Ammos

Another beach within walking distance of Skiathos town is MEGALI AMOS. This is a mixture of sand and shingle that slopes fairly gently into the sea. It is a narrow beach and is full of sun beds at the sandier western end. Being so close to town it can get crowded early in the day: by lunchtime it can be heaving.
There is quite a steep climb down to the beach, so it's not much good for the old folk. But there are the usual facilities here including plenty of watersports. It's a good place to stop if you prefer to stay near to the main Skiathos Town if you don't mind the crowds too much.

Vassilias

The narrow pebble beach at VASSILIAS has a suicidally steep approach. It's hardly a beach at all actually, just a very narrow strip of sand and rocks hugging the steep cliffs that rise almost vertically behind. It's a pleasant place to avoid the crowds and there is an excellent taverna hidden in trees halfway down or, much more welcome if you are leaving - halfway up.

Achlaidies

ACHLADIES or ACHLAIDIES is not the easiest beach to find, unless you are a resident of the large and shoe-box ugly Espirides hotel that backs onto the sands and virtually monopolises them. There is steep track from the eastern end or a long series of steep through an apartment complex nearby. Otherwise you enter the beach through the hotel itself or along a fenced concrete path to the west of the hotel. The path leads to a friendly taverna where the owners don't seem to mind the straggles of visitors.
The beach itself is long and narrow but the sand is very fine and the waters shallow. A clutch of tavernas at the western end provide passable food if you want to avoid the hotel and a romantic setting for an evening meal. The beach is set at the end of a small valley floor, planted out with olives and citrus. There are views to the islet of Tsoungria offshore and on the horizon you can just make out Skopelos. The hotel has tennis courts and water sports. Tavernas and mini markets have sprouted up on the main road above the beach.

Tzaneries (Nostos)

Small and heavily crowded, TZANERIES is the 'gateway' to the Kalamaki peninsular and is dominated by the huge Nostos hotel complex whose apartment blocks climb all over the nearby hill. The beach is not very wide but it's deep and the fine sand is regularly raked flat to reveal a soft bed of cigarette butts beneath. Sheltered by cliffs on either side the water here can often be like a mill pond. A small taverna backs onto the beach for snack type food and nearby woods a little some shade along the edge of the sand. There is not a great deal of shade though as the woods have been fenced off with ugly wire mesh. For more sporty visitors there is a scuba diving school on the beach and tennis courts at the Nostos Hotel.
Nearby, down a dirt track from bus stop 11 is the small and delightful beach of SKLITHRI, hemmed in by hills and with a small traditional taverna (a hard thing to find now on Skiathos). The small bay provides very good shelter for boats and many anchor up here and while away some hours in the splendid taverna.

There are several of sandy, hidden coves all around the coastline, but the main beach area of the Kalamaki peninsula is the sands at KANAPITSA. Its popularity has fallen off in recent years as other resorts have grown but it is in a lovely setting. There are two stretches of beach, both long and narrow but very sandy and the water is shallow so it's a good spot for families. There is a large recently renovated beach cantina and water sports and a small pool bar can be found at the Hotel Plaza that sits behind the beach. There is also an hourly water taxi service to Skiathos Town which takes about 20min.
Half-way round the peninsula on the opposite site from Kanapitsa, and down a very steep footpath, is the small beach of KOUTSOURI, never very busy. A small beach cantina opens in the summer and is sometimes visited by daily boat excursion trippers who spend an hour or two on the beach. There is room for parking above the beach but it is a steep scramble down and an exhausting climb back up.
Another scramble around some rocks at Koutsouri brings you to the tiny but beautiful beach of DELFINIKI which translates as 'little dolphin'. You can reach it from the road but it is an even tougher scramble than Koutsouri so most take that route or arrive by boat. The western side of the peninsula tends to be hotter away from the prevailing north east breezes but there are spectacular views across the sea to Evia and the Greek mainland.

Vromolimnos

The beach at VROMOLIMNOS has become increasingly popular over the years, especially with the youngsters. This is thanks mainly to a large beach bar that blasts out very loud music all day long and even throws the occasional foam party on the sands - judge for yourself, but only if you are hard of hearing. There are the usual water sports and plenty of facilities but, as the beach is both popular and narrow, it does tend to get claustrophobic.
It is a splendid beach without the crowds though, with powder-puff sand and pleasant swimming in the shallow waters, ideal for children. Hills on either side make for a very sheltered spot and being west facing the beach is out of the prevailing north east winds and gets some fine sunsets. There is a brackish pond behind the beach that fortunately dries up in the summer or it would otherwise be paradise for mozzies as well as the young hedonists buzzing about the shore.

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Kolios

KOLIOS is small and attractive bay with a narrow beach of sharp sand. Boats regularly pull into the small jetty and there is a pleasant and shady taverna off the back of the sands up some steps. A popular destination, it's small enough to get pretty crowded in the high season. Sands shelve gently into the sea and there is good swimming to be had. Tree covered headlands west and east make for a sheltered spot.
New apartments have sprung up in recent years and there is a selection of tavernas, mini markets and pool bars now to service them. A short walk in either direction off the main beaches reveals many small coves where lucky ones will have a 'private' beach to themselves all day.

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Aghia Paraskevi (Platanias)

The large valley at PLANATIAS has a pleasant stream that runs throughout the year. Apartments have mushroomed in the area and now there is no end of tavernas and snack bars to accommodate the visitors. The long and sandy PLATANIAS beach (also known as AGHIA PARASKEVI) has a couple of beach tavernas in the summer and a pool bar at the nearby Skiathos Princess Hotel. The sand is fine and soft but it does shelve quite steeply into the sea so it's not an ideal spot for families with young children. There is the full range of watersports here and boats for hire. There are several walks in the area, the most notable to Kechria beach, with a monastery on the way.

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Troulos

The big, sandy beach at TROULOUS has plenty of tourist facilities, including a couple of decent tavernas and a small hotel on the beach. The spot is very popular with holidaymakers and is turning into a major tourist beach as more apartments go up in the vicinity.
The wide beach leaves plenty of room for everyone and the sand is deep and flour-like with low dunes behind. Cheaper sun beds are found at the eastern end. Secluded coves can also be found along the coast for those prepared to explore the woods, but the going can be difficult on foot and it's best to hire a boat if you want to explore them.
The village resort is some way inland and almost totally purpose-built for the tourist trade. Holidaymakers based in the village centre face a long trek to the sea though there are more apartments are appearing at the back of the beach.
In the inland village complex there are five supermarkets, car hire and taxis plus tennis courts. There is a dog also sanctuary near the monastery above Troulos that opens 10am-2pm. The dogs love being taken for a walk if you fancy something different. Walkers can also head off along dirt tracks to the northern beaches at Asselinos, passing the Kounistra Monastery on the way.

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Koukounaries

Regularly voted one of the top ten beaches in the world by tour companies, KOUKOUNARIES (Greek for pine cones) boasts a kilometre-long crescent sickle of golden sand backed by a wooded nature reserve and a large lagoon. Although impressive at first light, the rising sun can sink the spirits as the tour buses roll in. By 11am there are hundreds of overpriced sun beds heaving with sun-creamed bodies, the sea is littered with motorboats and the air is humming with the dentist drill whine of jet skis. It is just too popular for its own good.
The nature reserve status of the lagoon has helped curb tourist development and only a few wooden beach bars are allowed to operate along the shoreline. Owners attract attention by decking their bars out with gaudy flags, or worse. The sands are also overlooked by two of the ugliest looking hotels in Greece and the resort's popularity has long put paid to reasonable prices. The nearby lagoon is a haven for mosquitoes and virulent squadrons of wasps regularly patrol the overflowing waste bins.
That said, this is still a spectacular beach to enjoy, especially out of season. The deep long sand and shallow water make it appealing for families and there are good walks to be had in the surrounding woodland. There are also toilets and changing facilities nearby and an attractive harbour at the eastern end.
One of the biggest problems with Koukounaries is leaving it after a day on the beach. Huge and crabby crowds cluster for an ugly teatime scramble to board the half-hourly buses to Skiathos town and no quarter is given as homebound tourists elbow aboard in a wild stampede for seats. Crammed to sardine-tin capacity the buses lumber away in a cloud of dust and fumes while taxis lie in wait to claim those that didn't make the bus.
There is no village as such; just an untidy scattering of small scale hotels and tavernas strung along the long, straight road behind the lagoon. Tourist couples parade up and down the bleak main road in the evening dodging the speeding mopeds. There is a popular horse riding stable near the bus stop.

Koukounaries visitor reviews

Banana beach (Krassas)

Between Koukounaries and Agia Eleni is the very popular KRASSAS - better known as BANANA BEACH. The beach is signposted from the car park at Koukounaries. It is quite a long trek through the woods and the path is often used as a toilet, so many prefer to arrive by water taxi from Skiathos town. Actually Banana is two beaches in one. The main beach is deep, long and sandy. It is heavily decked with sun beds and there are beach bars tucked away in the pine and scrub that line the small cliffs behind.
Good, soft sand shelves steeply into the sea, so families must keep an eye on the children. Umbrellas and sun beds are expensive but the place is hugely popular with younger people. Beach parties can erupt in high season and it can get very noisy with the beach bar banging out dumbed down disco and the beach full of boys 'up for a larf'.
The second beach is more sedate and lies just around a rocky headland. It's the island's semi-official nudist beach. Small and flat it's bound by steep, rocky cliffs that offer some privacy from the leers of 'brave' youngsters that dare each other to peek. Passing caiques always pull in close to the shore to let Peeping Tom passengers get their photo shots of the naked sunbathers.
There is another less well known, but equally attractive, beach nearby called SPARTACUS by tourists but known as ABELAKIA among Greeks. It is found by walking further around the rocky headland and offers relief from the crowds for those who prefer it.

Agia Eleni

The secluded beach of AGHIA ELENI is at the western end of the island, just a short walk from the bus stop before the car park at Koukounaries. A right junction just before the car park rises up and over a steepish hill that leads to the beach. There is space to park cars under the pine trees that press down onto the small bay.
Two small cantinas sit of the northern end of a narrow beach of sharp sand and fine pebbles. The cantinas only open in high summer and serve basic snacks, but their charges for sun beds are relatively high. The waters are shallow and the beach used to be secluded enough to be an unofficial favourite with nudists, but it has become too popular of late and the naturists have moved on. Beach cleaning bulldozers occasionally scoop flyblown pine needles into huge and ugly mounds at each end of the beach. Western facing, it has spectacular sunset views.
There is a rough track leading round the headland to other small bays. The track had been washed away by storms when I ventured along it, but has probably been repaired now. Signs point to KRIFI AMMOS (Hidden Beach) a 15 min walk along the track to a lovely cove with a sand and pebble beach. A beach cantina sits on the hillside above that opens in the summer. The drop into the sea is very steep so it's not really suitable for children. There is also no room for turning cars so they are best left behind.

Mandraki

The densely wooded peninsula of MANDRAKI offers, after a 40-minute walk from Koukounaries, the three lovely beaches of XERXES, ELIAS and AGISTRI. This is fighting-through-flour sand that starts well back in the woods making the trek pretty tiring on the legs. But the absence of serried ranks of sun beds adds to the pleasure of arrival and just a handful of deeply coloured deck chairs dotted the shoreline when I visited. The western end of the sands drop very steeply into the sea but there is a much shallower shoreline to the east.
Flotsam litters the far eastern end of the beach which is known as Elias, with enough driftwood lying around for visitors to build complex and arresting sun shelters. It is not all driftwood, however. There is plenty of plastic, bottle, nylon string and other rubbish blown in on the northern winds - enough sometimes to make walking a hazard. Over the hill is a small bay so full of rubbish it looked as though it could once have hosted a medium sized can factory. The ramshackle cantina offers chips and chips or chips and tomato sauce.
Nearby is Agistri beach (also called Paradise) that is a little more pebbly but still very pleasant with plenty of sand. Access is on foot along rough tracks that lead west over the headland from Mandraki itself, or by boat. Both are quiet and peaceful, away from the crowds that cram the south coast resorts, and both have small cantinas that open in the summer for some basic provisions.

Megas Asselinos

The big, wild and windy beach at MEGAS ASSELINOS is the most accessible northern beach on the island with a new road through the woods from Troulos. It has a huge taverna, clearly built to cater for the daily boat trippers that arrive for lunch on their round island tours. There is also a large campsite nearby. In August the meltemi wind can blow your socks off and litter can be a problem for bathers as it gets blown in on the waves. It's a huge beach with plenty of deep sand and some pebbles but there is little shade if you don't have a sun bed.
A fork right on the approach road to Megas Asselinos takes you to MIKRI ASSELINOS, a much smaller, much more secluded beach that is a favourite with naturists.

Lalaria

The lovely beach at LALARIA is accessible only from the sea and is famed the world over for its white pebble beach, turquoise waters and spectacular rock arches. The bleached white stones and undersea marble slabs are responsible for a dazzling aquamarine seashore. Less dazzling were the the ugly four foot high letters LALARIA painted in red on cliffs above. The beach is on the itinerary of almost every pleasure boat on the island and, as a result, the place can looks more like a motorway service station every year as scores embark from the hourly boat landings. Check before you board - some boats will anchor up for 2-3 hours and there are no facilities. Given the hordes that descend on the place in high season you may well get more pleasure from the ubiquitous postcard of the beach with a solitary, shoreline nude. It is on sale in almost every shop on the island and has been for years. The nude model must be a granny by now.

Skiathos kastro

Little has survived of the island's past. Much of what hasn't been lost over time and neglect has been botched up with modern cement. Places worth a visit include the KASTRO - a fortified former capital built in the 14th century on a rock outcrop above the main town. It was built as a refuge from marauding pirates, notably the Barbarossa brothers, and commands a dramatic position over the sea. It used to house more than 20 churches and 300 odd homes.
Only two churches have survived the ravages of time and several half- hearted attempts at restoration. You can also see part of the wall and gate of the old fort, as well as a half-ruined mosque and a cannon. A wooden drawbridge has been replaced by a flight of cement steps and a house has been rebuilt.
You can get here on foot but it is a good three-hour walk. Most take one of the excursion boats that make the trip daily from Skiathos town and climb the long series of steps up the cliff. There is a flat beach of shingle and stone and a ramshackle beach taverna that gets packed out as the boats arrive. Nearby, and accessible only by boat, are three sea grottos, named GALAZIA (Blue), SKOTINI (Dark) and CHALKINI (Copper).

Skiathos monasteries

No Byzantine ecclesiastical monuments survive on Skiathos. Those monuments that do survive date to the Turkish occupation of the island. Most notable are the church of Christos in Kastro and the monasteries of St John of Parthenis, St Charalambos, Panaghia Eikonistria (Holy Virgin), Evangelistria (Annunciation) and Panaghia Eikonistria (Holy Virgin).
Evangelistria is about 5km north of Skiathos town and buried in the most beautiful countryside. You can't see the monastery until you are on top of it. Founded in 1794 it was finished around 1806. It has a giant footnote in Greek modern history by being the place where fighters against the Turks took their oath under the first independent Greek flag. It is a cruciform Byzantine church with three domes. Frescoes are found in the sanctuary but the monastery's real treasure is a magnificent carved wooden iconostasis. On August 15 the ceremony of the Burial of Our Lady is performed here.
Panaghia Eikonistria is the patron of Skiathos and has several frescoes including one of St Christopher with a face of a dog.
The monastery of Panaghia Kounistra is just above Troulos and is where the holy icon of Panaghia Kounistra patron of Skiathos was found. It is set in a very pretty spot, has a grape arbour and a taverna within its walls. It has a beautiful gilt wooden iconostasis decorated with vine-leaves and grapes.

Alexander Papadiamantis

About 100 metres along the main street in Skiathos Town called Papadiamanti Street is a small alleyway. At the end of it the house of Skiathos' most famous son the writer Alexander Papadiamantis. Considered today as one of Greece's best writers of modern prose he wrote some 170 short stories and several novellas.
He wasn't born in the house and he left for Athens University in his youth. But he returned here in old age and died in 1911 of pneumonia and drink aged 59.
He published his first novel 'The Immigrant' in the newspaper Neologos while working as a translator in Athens. Much of his work was written this way, published in episode form in literary news periodicals.
The house was built by his grandfather in 1850-1860 and was bought by the Ministry of Culture in 1994. It has two floors with the ground floor now a museum of Skiathos and the upper floors pretty much kept as they were during the author's life. He lived here from 1904-1904 and wrote his novel The Female Assassin. He returned to Athens where a celebration of his 25 years as a writer was held by his patron Princess Maria Bonaparte. In 1908 he came back to the island and stayed here until he died.
Much of his work, and especially his short stories, were influenced by Skiathos and the people who lived here. He concentrated on the tight-knit peasant society and the superstitions and local lore that ruled their lives, steeped in witchcraft, sorcery and myth. Only a few works have been translated, notably Tales from a Greek Island, which is the only one I can find in print at the moment.
He is difficult to read in the original Greek apparently as he wrote in a mixture of Byzantine and New Testament Greek sprinkled with modern vernacular, the style ingrained with local dialect and even Turkish. The stories are rich and intense, gripping tales with unexpected twists, though many are dark and brooding, unlike the island on which he died.