Welcome to the Skiathos travel page
Skiathos, lying in the heart of the Aegean Sea, under the watchful gaze of Mt. Pelion, makes up part of the Northern Sporades islands. Other islands include Skopelos, Alonissos and Skyros. There are also smaller islands most of which are uninhabited now.
I visited Skiathos in late September 97 with some friends. I found it to be a beautiful place, good food, friendly people and a great place to relax. I have this thing about holidays, I prefer to visit places that have lush green countryside rather than a dry dusty barren landscape. Each to their own I suppose. Although 2 years have now passed I still have vivid memories about the place, some are fading but I still have plenty of photos so please visit the galleries.
I'll start with a few facts about
the island.
The name apparently came from the fact that Mount Athos casts a long shadow ("skia") over the island at sunset. This is one theory, the other comes from the same Greek word "skia" which refers to the shade of thick woods which cover the island. Skiathos thus means "shady island" A good example of this can be seen at Koukounaries beach.
The island is small only covering 61km square, the longest side being 6.5 miles and just 3.5 miles at it's widest point.
Over 50 beaches including Lalaria, Koukounaries, Banana and little Banana beach (more on these later) to name just a few. The island is littered with many other little coves and bays.
The climate is mild with July and August
being the hottest and busiest months. June and September
are cooler and less crowed but still hot enough to get
that great tan, all over if you wish (see Banana beach)
The sea is still very warm in September and great to swim
in especially at Koukounaries. In April and October
expect some rain but it will soon pass leaving you with
more fine weather.
The best way to see Skiathos is to hire a car, but the bus service is pretty good and takes you around to most of the popular areas. An alternative method of transport is to hire a small boat. We did and found it easy and fun even though none of us had any boating experience.
Skiathos Town
We stayed just outside Skiathos town in a
hotel called the Pounta. A taxi ride or a 15 minute walk will
soon see you in the middle of the town. It was quiet when we were
there but I can imagine a very different scene in the high
season. From the town you have access to most of the amienities
Skaithos has to offer. The bus station is here, the harbour with
many boats available for day trips and the Flying Dolphins, a
hydrofoil offering day trips to the Greek mainland. Many bars and
restaurants can be found here offering a great selection of food
and service with a smile. Skiathos town has some nightclubs, but
most of them were closed for the season so I can't comment on
them. A small peninsula called The Bourtzi divides the small
harbour into two, once a fortess it is now a place to go and
relax for a few hours. Tall pine trees provide shelter on a hot
day and there is also a small cafe giving wonderful views of the
ocean and the town. In the summer the theatre puts on various
theatrical and musical events which I have been told are well
worth seeing.
Other interesting places to visit include the cathedral called Treis lerarkhes and the house of Alexandros Papadiamandis,the famous writer from Skaithos. The house has now been turned into an exhibition of his life.
Shopping in Skiathos can be rewarding but don't expect any large stores, remember this is a small island, instead search for the smaller shops. Here you will find countless clothing boutiques nestled among the many jewellery shops. Some great bargins can be found. If you like the souvenier shops Skiathos has it's share of these too. For me though the best deals can be found in the pottery shops, some are tacky but the vast majority are very nice. I have several pieces which give me a constant reminder of the time I spent on the island.
At the northern end of the island lies the old
city of Kastro, a place well worth a visit but not the easiest
place to get to. I don't suppose it was built with tourists in
mind though. We travelled there by boat whilst on one of the many
day trips available. Getting there was fine but the walk from the
beach to Kastro is quite testing in the sometimes searing heat.
It is worth it for the views alone though. Many other churches
and monastries can be found on the island. Ask your rep who I'm
sure
can provide you with more
info.
If you look out of Skiathos harbour towards the sea you will see various islets, one of these is Tsoungria. It is worth spending a couple of hours here either laying on the beach or exploring. Best to get there early though before the hoards of pleasure boats arrive. One word of warning, as it can be very quiet here some people like nude sunbathing. If it offends you then close your eyes or don't go. Sited here are the empty buildings of an old olive press. What a great place to live ! About 15 minutes from the main beach is a very small and beautiful church with views towards Skiathos town, it really is lovely.
Beaches
I must admit
I think this is what many people visit Skiathos for. With well
over 50 beaches there is something for everyone. With the
reputation as one of the best beaches in Greece, Koukounaries has
a lot to live up to. To a large extent is does, it has beautiful
golden sand, clear blue waters and is safe to swim in, the water
is very shallow until a long way out. Backed by tall pine trees
providing an escape from the sun and enough bars/cafes for
everyone it has everything. If you love watersports it has the
usual to keep you happy. This is what lets it down slightly for
me, it is just too popular and very commercialised. I suppose
this is the price of success though. A short walk from here leads
you to Banana beach, again it has the usual range of facilities
but has a reputation as a nudist beach. I couldn't see any
nudists (not that I was looking !). However, if you walk to the
end of the beach and over a few rocks you arrive at Little Banana
beach (hmmm). This is the real nudist beach. Walking slowly (I
mean quickly) along the beach it became apparent that the average
age of bathers was about 50. You may be asking did I dare to
bare, that would be telling but those of you who know me should
know the answer.......
At the northern end of the island lies Lalaria, a silvery white pebbled beach accessible only by boat on a calm day. With the imposing white cliffs overlooking the beach and the clear blue sea put this on your list of places to visit. At the end of the beach is an archway that you can swim out to. Again this beach gets busy due to the amount of day trips that visit here.
There are many many other beaches you can visit
but these are just a few of my favourites. No doubt you will soon
find yours. 
Well that's about the end of the page but please visit the Skiathos picture galleries and follow the links, they are worth a visit.
Oh one thing to tell you is that Skiathos airport has one the the smallest runways in the world. Don't let this put you of though.