Thassos Greece | tourist holiday travel guide to Thasos

Limenas (Thassos Town)

THASSOS TOWN, known locally as LIMENAS or LIMIS is the island's main town, though not its main port which lies to the east in the unappealing resort of Ormos Prinou. Limenas has two faces, the pretty and the pretty ugly.
Visiting tourists stream off the ferry from mainland Keramouti to the ugliest part - the new harbour. This a vast swathe of concrete and dirt to the west of the town is often lined with lorries bearing the island's main export product of marble. Once in the town centre, it has now been moved east, helping to relieve the congestion the resort once suffered. Many new apartments and hotels have sprung up in this area.
The pretty part is around the old port and revamped marina. Extensive paving and traffic controls have opened the way to tourist development. There are a few tavernas that make your heart sink - neon menus, greasy chips and canned vegetables - but most are very good. There are also pedestrianised shopping streets packed with shops selling tourist trinkets and the local Thassos honey.
The most attractive area of Limenas is the old and pretty fishing harbour which, despite being swamped by tavernas and cafes, has a warm, rustic atmosphere. Brightly painted fishing boats bob against the harbour wall while strolling tourists wind their way around a quay side littered with ropes and fishing nets.
The town also boasts ruins that pop up now and then among shops and houses. Those not fenced off have almost disappeared under the concrete. The main archaeological sites are at the Agora, next to the newly built archaeological museum where there are Roman foundations of shops and houses; the amphitheatre in the hills above the town which still hosts performances during the summer season and has fabulous views over the bay; and, further along the hill ridge are some, well restored city walls and the relatively substantial remains of the Acropolis, with temples to Apollo and Athena.
The town beach lies to the east of the old harbour and is occasionally tarted up with lorry loads of sand, but it is still pleasant enough. The shallow waters are ideal for children, tourist facilities like sunbeds and showers are plentiful and there is a string of beach tavernas along the road behind, interspersed with attractive tamarisk trees offering natural shade.

Makryammos

The medium-sized, sandy beach at MAKRYAMMOS looks delightful when approached by boat. Steep, pine-clad hills sweep down to the crescent bay of white sand. Closer inspection however reveals a few flaws.
First is the lack of space on the sands thanks to a huge chalet-cum-bungalow complex hidden in the surrounding wooded hills (actually part of a nature reserve). Early risers snap up the best beach spots and late arrivals must scratch for what little sand and shade is left.
Second, the bay appears to attract huge gobs of leaves from the surrounding woods. The dead leaves coagulate into great black mounds in the sea then slump like beached whales on the shoreline attracting swarms of flies.
Third is a self-service beach cafe that served up little more than burgers, chips, ketchup and cola. Self-service queues are what many people g on a Greek holiday to avoid, although this one seemed busy enough.
The beach is a favourite with day-trip boats which tie up at a breakwater some distance from the beach. Access from the main road above is through the holiday camp complex where 'Private Property' signs deter the passer-by and give the impression that the beach is private - it is not.

Makryammos visitor reviews

Panagia

The coast road turns inland and into the hills to the neighbouring picturesque hillside villages of PANAGIA also pronounced PANAHIA and POTAMIS or POTAMIA. Both villages are a big tourist draw thanks to their lovely position, buried in deep woodland on the east coast hillsides above the coastal resorts of Skala Potamia and Golden Beach.
Packed with tavernas they offer a change from the seaside resorts and provide cheaper meals too, though narrow streets and heavy traffic of Panagia in particular can give them a busy, claustrophobic air.
Just before entering Panagia a sharp left turn takes you down the hillside to the eastern end of Golden Beach. Those heading for Skala Potamis take a left turn in the centre of the village.
In Panagia village centre there are the cafes and tavernas clustered around a central fountain which gushes water from local springs. Paved streets head up into the hills where there are several walks through wooded hillsides and valleys. The countryside is particularly lush even in high summer and the walks offer fine views over the hills. Booklets giving details of local treks can be bought in shops in Limenas (see Thassos Facts).

Potamia

POTAMIA , also called POTAMIS, is a much quieter and relaxed than Panagia simply because the main road bypasses the village. There is a soporific appeal about the place, with small cafes dotted here and there along the narrow village streets that often seem deserted.
The Greek American artist Polygnotos Vagis was born in Potamis and a small museum devoted to his works can be found in the village.
Like Panagia, the area is a favourite for walkers with many woodland paths that reach right up into the hills. Paths also lead down to the coastal beaches at Skala Potamia and Golden Beach, though they are a good four kilometres away.

Golden Beach

Each day at around 10.30 am boat owners on the harbour front at Limenas yell 'Goooooolden beach' as they tout for trade. They are heading for the long, sandy beach at GOLDEN BEACH. Many brochures boast the sands are the best on Thassos but they aren't, at the eastern end at least - they are just the biggest.
The beach is very long and deep with low dunes behind. It sweeps around a huge bay with Chrisi Amoudia at the eastern end, ostensibly the town beach for Panagia and Ksla Potamis at the western end which served as the beach resort of Potamia.
The sands are quite narrow with low dunes and scrub on a large plain behind the beach. It narrows to nothing in the middle and disappears into low rocks before emerging again in the west. Despite its size it can still get quite crowded, particularly at both ends where the boats pull in. The wide open sweep of the bay and scruffy shoreline can give parts of the beach a quite desolate air. A road runs along the back of the beach and there are scattered developments of holiday apartments and the occasional taverna.

Skala Potamia

As the sands at Golden Beach sweep around the bay it gets progressively more stony with a long line of rocks before it reaches SKALA POTAMIA or SKALA POTAMIS at the western end. Here things improve dramatically with a deep, fine triangle of good sand at the end of the bay, edged by a small harbour.
This is where the sands can lay some claim to being some of the best on the island, with a very fine, pale beach sliding gently into shallow blue water. It looks very attractive but the grains of sand may be too sharp and gritty for some tastes.
The area has grown very popular with British tour companies in recent years and there has been a spate of new building. An 'arcade' of tourist tavernas and bars now line the back of the beach - pleasant enough if you don't mind the crowds. There are even dodgems to entertain growing number of visitors.

Skala Potamia visitor reviews

Paradiso

KINIRA is a tiny hamlet with a small, pleasant beach of shingle and sand. Just over the headland to the south is the idyllic PARADISO beach. Paradise lost when I once visited: the sands were strewn with plastic bags and bottles while an obnoxious film of turd-yellow scum had anchored itself along the shoreline.
But this turned out to be an exception and the beach is sublimely beautiful, surrounded by steep wooded cliffs with a shallow pool at the southern end, ideal for paddling. There is parking on the roadside and access is down a steep track at the northern end, rather less steep at the southern end where a new track has been created.
The beach is deep and long, the sand soft and a a very shallow shelf into the sea. An offshore islet add interest. There is a taverna at the back of the beach providing sunbeds and basic food and drink. The atmosphere at Paradiso is serenely peaceful, almost dreamlike.
Sheer cliffs at the southern end offer some shade from the scorching afternoon sun and there are some fabulous deserted coves to reward those more adventurous enough to venture further south on foot. The area is a big favourite with nudists.

Alyki

Expect some astonishing scenery at the wild resort of ALYKI which has two small coves back-to-back along a narrow wooded promontory. A roadside car park sits high above both beaches and the visitor faces a steep climb down. But the trek is well worth it.
The southern cove has a small, sheltered crescent of fine sand at the end of a deep bay. Half a dozen small tavernas sit above the back of the beach in the shade. The water is shallow and warm.
Across the headland is the northern beach, smaller and stonier but less crowded and jaw-droppingly wild of windy days, with spectacular waves swelling through a narrow entrance to the bay and pounding onto the stony shore.
Between the two beaches, up small tracks behind the tavernas are old marble quarries and a small archaeological site that includes a couple of early Christian basilicas. It's at the latter that the Greek love affair with chain link fencing seems to have reached its zenith. No polite notices asking visitors to keep off the stones here, but 8 ft high chain link fencing that wouldn't look out of place at an army camp. Much of the chain link is twisted, broken and rusty - failing as a barrier anyway and leaving the visitor in awe at the Greek gift for preserving natural beauty.

Archangelos

The monastery at ARCHANGELOS leans out over a sheer cliff drop, high above a narrow bay with small and attractive shingle beach below. The beach is reached down a narrow unsurfaced track off the main road and has no facilities.
The monastery is more impressive outside than in, but is conveniently located on the main coast road should you want to take a closer look.
The monastery was built like a fort over the cliffs at the edge of a cape with a 200ft drop to the sea. It was founded by a monk, Lucas, in 830 at the site of a holy spring.
In the 13th century it was a dependency of the Mount Athos monastery on the mainland. Today it includes the Catholicon, built in 1834, several cells and rooms for guests and is a convent for 20 or so nuns. There are two chapels, one dedicated to St Ephraim of Syros and the other to St Gerasimos of Kefalonia.
Visitors are welcome, but are expected to adopt sober dress - no shorts please and women are must cover up too. There is a car park outside the front gate, just off the main road.

Astris

South of Archangelos, the main road winds around several headlands before dropping down to a small coastal plain. The beach at ASTRIS lies just off a long straight road that runs across the plain. It's easy to miss but keep a lookout for a small roadside mini market on the right. The beach is opposite - a long strip of golden sand bisected by an outcrop of rock where a small taverna has been erected.
There is a boatyard at the northern end with boats for repair pulled up on the shoreline. Most people use the sandiest part of the beach between boatyard and taverna though the beach at the southern end is just as fine. This is golden, powder puff sand that shelves gently into the sea. As the beach is relatively little known it rarely gets crowded. There is a small rough area for parking just off the road under the trees.

Psili Amos

Marble slabs slope down to the medium sized beach from the roadside car park at the beautiful resort of PSILI AMOS. An arc of rich, golden sand dips very steeply into the sea and a couple of tavernas, one behind the sands and another on top of a nearby hill. The beach taverna has been 'decked out' in wood to resemble a cowboy ranch - not exactly to everyone's taste.
And this beautiful spot is unfortunately favoured by water sports freaks who have their own fun, but can irritate others with the scream of jet skis. You will have to get used to uncomfortable crowds in the high season. The steep beach can bring in big waves and there are strong underwater currents, so it's not ideal for families with children.

Potos

You can hardly move for cushioned cane chairs in the cafes that have sprouted up on the sea front of the very popular tourist resort of POTOS. There must be 30 or more tavernas, cafes and bars lining the short the sea wall above a narrow strip of sand and shingle.
The beach too is a sea of rush frond sun umbrellas as far as the eye can see, with bar service provided by the cafes above for those who can nab a sun lounger. If you like this sort of thing, this is just about as good as it gets.
Drawbacks are the crowds which tend to push up prices and the beach itself, which is more shingle than sand and which banks very steeply into the sea. There is a small harbour at one end with many boats pulled onto the beach for added interest.
The resort itself is a maze of small back streets where cars are forced to a crawl. Visitors tend to park along the main road that sweeps past the village proper.

Pefkari

Paddle boats, surfboards and jet skis are prominently parked on the manicured white sand - clues, if you needed them, to the popularity of the fine beach at PEFKARI.
Gently shelving sand and shallow water make this an ideal spot for children and the nearby headland offers plenty of splendid cliffside walks. There are moderately good tavernas and cafes lining the road that runs along the back of the beach - not the busy main road that bypasses the village altogether but a small, quiet lane edged on either side with shady tavernas.
The beach is long and deep, of soft white sand and very clean. There are masses of sun beds and a range of watersports. A neighbouring hotel and tourist complex however can result in the place being overwhelmed with visitors in the high season. If you are the sort that doesn't mind the merry mayhem of holiday crowds, this is one to head for, though watch out for the sea urchins which can be a menace.

Theologos

It is a long but beautiful 10km valley road to THEOLOGOS, the former island capital under the Turks. You may well wonder why you bothered as it is little more than a village of old houses,a tiny square and a couple of cafes under a tree. There is just enough room to turn the car and go back. The alternative is to stare back at the those villagers who stay to stare back at you.
Brochures describe it as a serene place unblemished by tourism - and they are right about that. Founded by refugees from Constantinople in the 16th century it is the most remote of Thassos island villages and was deserted in the 19th century.
There are 30 or so house there now, many locked up except in the summer and there has been a recent upsurge in rebuilding and renovation. Astonishing views are found at every angle so take your camera and there are good walks to be found in the hills around.

Metalia

METALIA beach lies just to the east of the main resort of Limenaria and is quiet, has a small beach bar, good snorkeling and the remains of an abandoned World War Two factory, with derelict smelting chimneys for a backdrop. It sounds dreadful but is actually quite attractive and certainly different. Some rate this the best beach on the island and it is certainly an improvement on Limenaria if you are staying in the area.

Limenaria

LIMENARIA is the second biggest town on the island after Limenas. It has a long waterfront promenade backed by dozens of tavernas, cafes and shops. At the western end of the promenade, which is lined with large boulders and rocks, is a long but scruffy narrow beach backed by apartments and hotels. At the eastern end of the promenade ia a small arc of pleasant sand is overlooked by the busy road and next to it a small, square shaped harbour full of fishing boats.
Some effort has been made to smarten the place up but the resort cannot shake off a dowdy feel. But many speak highly of the restaurants and it's a pleasant place to base yourself, with such a wide selection of hotels and eateries as well as several good beaches nearby.
Many houses around here were built by the Turks to house German mining bosses at the turn of the last century and the remaining mansions add some character to a fairly humdrum resort.
Tourists tend to use Limenaria as a base to explore the south of the island. Forest fires and mining have left some scars on the surrounding countryside but much of this goes unnoticed and there are good walks in the pine carpeted hills.

Trypiti

TRYPITI beach lies to the west of Limenaria, about 2km out of town and is well marked from the main road. There is no resort here, just a long beach that's handy for those staying in Limenaria who prefer something more interesting that the relatively poor town beaches.
Trypiti is a long and deep swathe of clean white sand that sweeps right around a huge bay. A long dirt track runs behind the beach for much of its length and there are beach bars at either end serving basic snacks and drinks. Cars can be parked under the trees at either end of the long track, near to the beach bars.
To the west is an interesting shallow pool and sea cave that children will enjoy, though the sea does shelve deeply inside the cave and the waves can come crashing through on windy days.
The main beach is a deep sandy belt marked in the middle by some volleyball nets. The sand shelves rather steeply into the sea and there are gobs of seaweed now and then but otherwise this is a big pleasant beach. There are sun beds to be had near both beach bars.

Skala Maries

SKALA MARIES is an isolated resort that, despite an attractive setting, manages a flyblown, end of the earth atmosphere. The beach is a scruffy, unkempt crescent of sand and scrub with the occasional rotting hulk of a boat among the weeds. It is set in a deep crescent of a bay with the resort climbing the hill beyond.
A large number of derelict and semi-built houses adds nothing to the general air of decay - a pity as the setting is so fine. The beach is stone and sand and shallow. A couple of large cement lorries were parked at the back of the beach when I visited which added nothing to the scene.

Skala Kalirachis

SKALA KALIRACHIS is basically a huge enclosed harbour with a couple of small scraps of sand at either end. A wide concrete road runs the length of the harbour backed by houses and apartments ending at the northern end in a handkerchief of scruffy sand and shingle, hemmed in by a tall concrete wall. To the south is another small scrap of sand on the other side of the jetty, a little more substantial this time but no more inviting than the other.

Skala Sotiros

SKALA SOTIROS is a surprisingly pleasant spot down a side street off the main road through the village. This is little more than a ribbon of houses strung along the highway. Sun beds sprinkle the beach near the short jetty in front of the main taverna which is set at the back of the beach.
The southern end tends to turn stony but there is good sand at the northern end with just a sprinkling of stones and the waters are shallow.

Dasyllio Prinou

DASYLLIO PRINOU is not a village as such but a beach backed by resort hotels and a huge campsite. It has grown very popular in recent years and there are a number of smart hotels here. It lies about 1km south of the main port of Skala Prinou and has the biggest campsite on Thassos with about 300 tent spaces and facilities such as showers and toilets. The land around here is heavily wooded with about 250 varieties of trees - Dasyllio is the Greek name for little forest. - and the trees reach right down to the shore where there is a long sandy beach.

Skala Prinos

SKALA PRINOS has little to recommend it other than to catch a ferry. Travel brochures increasingly tout the place as a first-rate resort and as a fine base for exploring the rest of the island but it is, in fact, little more than a bus and ferry stop.
There have been recent efforts to smarten the place up and there is new paving and roads as well as a clutch of cafes, tavernas and shops to catch the passing ferry trade and the annual tourist influx.
A long, narrow beach stretches out beyond the main port to the north with a shallow sloping bay backed by a line of trees. The beach is scruffy sand and stone and not particularly attractive.
Its biggest drawback is being so close to the port where the ferries come and go all day. It's reasonable enough in the circumstances, but there are far more attractive beaches nearby.

Skala Rachonis

SKALA RACHONIS has recently been 'discovered' by package tour operators and gets more popular each year. There is a beach at Skala Rachonis itself and another about 2km to the north. The beach at Skala Rachonis stretches south from a small harbour.
It is a pleasant sandy beach backed by apartments and dotted with small stands of pine which give some attractive shade. Though increasingly popular it is still a laid back resort with a few tavernas and cafes along the shore. There is horse riding at Pine Tree Paddock - look for the yellow signs on the main road.

Skala Rachonis visitor reviews

Pachis beach

There is a beautiful beach just north of Skala Rachonis known as PACHIS BEACH. There is a long stretch of golden sand backed by tamarisk trees with plenty of parking beneath the trees.
There are a couple of large tavernas set back from the beach and some smaller ones on the beach itself. Unfortunately the owner of the beach bar assumes everyone appreciates his taste in techno throbbing music and pumps it out at howling decibel levels s, driving many visitors away from the best of the sand.
The further north you go the stonier and narrower the beach gets but it is still pleasant enough and mercifully free of outdoor discos. Over the headland is a tiny beach at the head of a small bay called GLYFONERI. It can be reached from the main road down an unmarked path. There are no facilities there.

Glyfada

The road from Skala Rachoni follows the coast around the headland turning south east back towards Thassos Town. It passed a few small beaches, one called PERASMA, a small sandy cove with a summer beach cantina and tiny patches of sand at PAPALIMANI and AGIA IRINI which sit either side a rocky headland. It eventually reaches GLYFADA, quiet sand strip backed by an ugly hotel.
The distance is short enough to be walked from Limenas but the road is steeply uphill so it is only for the fit and active. Unfortunately the hotel at Glyfada is as horribly prominent as it is horribly ugly -a square and ugly box of grey cement. The beach however is pleasant enough, though rather narrow in places. Trees offer plenty of shade and their are facilities and parking at the hotel.

Nysteri

There is a small but splendid tree-lined beach below the hotel NYSTERI just outside Thassos - a mile or so further east than Glyfada, just outside Limenas, and well signposted off the main road. The hotel caters mainly for Germans and a small bar serves toasted sandwiches and other snacks on the terrace overlooking the beach.
There is some parking in the hotel grounds but not a lot and you will have to find space on the main road if you arrive late. Nysteri has a fine sandy beach with trees behind offering shade. A taverna has opened in the woods behind.