Panagia

Thassos village report and Thassos map

Panagia Thassos

PANAGIA or PANAGIAS, pronounced Pana-hia, is a mountain village in the eastern half of the island of Thassos about 10km from the main resort port at Limenas.
Panagia sits on the main round-island road and so tends to be much the busiest of any of the island's mountain villages. A village centre junction has several tavernas and a notable fountain, so this choked with traffic and visitors at times.
Formerly called Anastasion the village has grown up around an ancient church reputed to be about 300 years old. Panagia wasn't always such an out-of-the-way village. In 1840 it was the island capital, and even minted its own coins.
The present name derives from the church's patron saint Panagias and the village has celebrations in his honour every August 15.
Panagia village is well fed by mountain streams and the vegetation in the surrounding hills is lush and verdant. If you sit at the taverna under the huge plane tree in the village centre you will have water put on your table taken directly from the fountain that's fed by mountain springs.
Narrow side streets radiate from Panagia village centre. One of the side streets is now traffic free and lined with small white houses with slate roofs.
The Panagia houses climb some way up the steep hill and lead eventually to mountain tracks that encircle Panagia or lead off south to the neighbouring village of Potamia.
Panagia is noted for its syrup sweets, its walnuts, figs and for its small juicy tomatoes. Hotels and rooms for rent are available and Golden Beach is about 3km away down the hill.
Panagia has about 900 permanent inhabitants and there are several buses each day to Limenas and to the south.