Skiathos

The main season runs from May to October. June and September are warm and less crowded. July and August are hot and busy, and strong north winds can make the north coast rough. Most hotels and many restaurants close from about November to April.

Moni Evangelistri holds its Annunciation feast on 25 March.

• Bourtzi of Skiathos is a Venetian-era fortress on a small peninsula between the old and new harbours. It is now a cultural centre. A path circles the peninsula, and there is a cafe.
• Papadiamanti Ancestral Home is the house museum of the writer Alexandros Papadiamantis (1851–1911). It keeps original furniture and an exhibition on his life.
• Agios Nikolaos Church & Clock Tower stands on a hill above the old town, with a white clock tower beside it. Climb the stepped lanes for the best view of the harbours. Sunset is the favourite time.
• Castle of Skiathos is an abandoned fortified town on a cliff-edged headland in the north. It was the island capital for more than 400 years. Several churches, cisterns and the gate survive.
• Moni Evangelistri is a hillside monastery where Greek fighters swore an oath of freedom in 1807. A small museum shows manuscripts and the loom that made the first flag. The monastery also makes red wine.
• Panagia Kounistra Monastery lies in the pine forest of the west. It is named after an icon said to have been found hanging in a pine tree.
• Lalaria Beach is a white-pebble cove below a tall cliff, with a rock arch. There is no road, so you arrive by boat. Do not take pebbles away, because it is banned.
• Koukounaries Beach is a long sandy beach backed by stone pines and dunes. Parts of it have sunbeds and bars, and other parts are natural.

• Take a boat trip to Lalaria Beach and visit Skotini & Galazia Caves. Small boats can enter the caves in calm weather. Big excursion boats often cannot.
• Climb to the clock tower at Agios Nikolaos Church & Clock Tower for sunset over the town and the harbours.
• Watch planes land close to the road near the airport. The runway is short, and the spot is popular with plane spotters.
• Walk through the pine woods and along the Strofylia lagoon behind Koukounaries. It is a protected wetland for migratory birds.

Skiathos is an island, so every day trip is by boat.

• Skopelos: the crossing is about 15 to 35 minutes by fast boat to Glossa or Agnontas and about 1 hour to Skopelos Town. It has a harbour town and villages, and it was a filming location for Mamma Mia!.
• Alonnisos: a quiet island further east, reached by boat. It is the base for the national marine park of the Northern Sporades. This is usually a long day trip.
• Tsougria: a small island off the south coast. Beach boats leave from the old port in the morning in good weather.
• Round-island boat tour: leaves from the old port in summer. It usually stops at Lalaria and the sea caves.

Skiathos belongs to the Sporades, a chain of green islands in the Aegean. For a longer trip, add the neighbouring islands:

• Skopelos is the next island east, with a harbour town, villages and beaches.
• Alonnisos is the quietest of the three, with a marine park.

• By air: Skiathos Airport (JSI) is close to town. Taxis wait outside, and a bus also runs to town. Most flights are seasonal, and many come from European cities in summer. Athens has flights to JSI all year (about 40 minutes). There is no direct ferry from Athens; fly, or go by bus or car to Volos or Agios Konstantinos.
• By sea: Boats run to Skiathos from the mainland ports of Volos and Agios Konstantinos. The crossing from Volos takes about 1.5 hours by fast boat and up to 2.5 hours by ferry. Fast boats are quicker than car ferries. Boats also link Skiathos with Skopelos and Alonnisos.
• From the mainland by land: Athens and Thessaloniki are the main starting points. Take a bus or drive to Volos or Agios Konstantinos, then continue by boat. Check boat times before you leave, because they change by season.

• Bus: A bus line runs along the south coast from Skiathos Town to the main beaches, with many departures in summer. Service is much less frequent in winter. Pay the driver or buy tickets at kiosks; cash and card are accepted.
• Taxi: Taxis wait in Skiathos Town and at the airport. They are a way to reach beaches off the bus line. Taxis are limited in high season, so expect waits in the evening.
• Boats: Small tour boats leave from the old port in summer. They reach beaches that have no road, such as Lalaria.
• On foot and by bike: Skiathos Town is flat and easy to walk. The rest of the island is hilly, and there is little cycling infrastructure.

• Is a car worth it? It helps if you stay away from the town or want the north beaches. Many visitors use buses, taxis and boats instead. A scooter or quad bike is a common rental.
• Roads: One main paved road runs along the south coast from town to Koukounaries. Narrower roads reach the north coast.

Seafood is the main local choice. Look for grilled fish, octopus and shared small plates (mezedes) at the harbour.

For eating, head to the old port and the lanes of Skiathos Town behind it. Quiet tavernas also sit by the beaches along the south coast.

Skiathos is very safe. Petty crime is rare. The main risks are natural.

• Sun and heat: The summer sun is strong. Bring sun protection and water.
• Wildfire: Dry summers bring a risk of fire on the pine-covered island. Follow local instructions and do not light fires outdoors.
• Sea and wind: Strong north winds can stop boat trips, including those to Lalaria and the caves. Rocky beaches may have sea urchins, so water shoes help.
• Medical care: The island has only a small health centre. Serious cases are sent to the mainland.

Skiathos has been inhabited since ancient times. A storm off its coast damaged the Persian fleet in 480 BC. In 1207 the Venetian Ghisi family took the island and built the fortress now known as Bourtzi of Skiathos.

Pirates were a constant danger. In the mid-14th century people moved to the cliff-top town of Castle of Skiathos. Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman rulers held the island in turn, and the Ottoman admiral Barbarossa attacked it in 1538. The inhabitants left the Kastro around 1830 and returned to the coast, where Skiathos Town stands today.

In 1807 Greek fighters met at Moni Evangelistri and swore an oath of freedom under a new flag. Skiathos later became the home of the writer Alexandros Papadiamantis, whose stories describe island life. His house is now Papadiamanti Ancestral Home.

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