Skiathos
So, if you've read about any of the other islands, I bet you're wondering what I'm going to say this time. You know, how did Skiathos touch me? Do I know anyone from there? Do I have any funny stories to narrate?
Well. No. and yes. No, I don't know anyone from Skiathos, which is why this time we had to stay to a hotel. And yes, I have a couple of funny things to say. Or at least I think they're funny.
This time I didn't take one or two friends with me. I took the whole gang: 11 people in total. See, Skiathos attracts the crowds. It's not the kind of place that I have to beg them in order to follow me to the archaeological sites and listen to me rambling or watch me walk around stunned. It's the kind of place where you soak up the sun, lay on your towel at the beach or jump in the sea and relax. It's the kind of place where water is everything and everything is water.
What I told my friends right away and I'm going to tell you too is that Skiathos has some good and some bad news. I'll start with the good news. Skiathos' beaches are more than you could ever imagine. They're exquisite, they're special, they're breathtaking. Most counts agree to a specific number: 62. Sixty-two beaches.
Now the bad news: every July and August, Skiathos is overrun with tourists. Yeah, like you. Throughout the year, Skiathos is mostly a quiet island, but once the summer comes, everything suddenly changes and the crowds come a-running.
Skiathos Hotels
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If you search for accommodation in Skiathos I recommend you to visit Skiathos Hotel Online Bookings. There, you can make your reservations directly to the hotels and find rooms in low prices and useful guest reviews. |
What does Skiathos look like?
There's only one settlement in Skiathos, the port and capital of Skiathos town. The rest is a long chain of holiday villas and hotels. As stated above, what characterizes Skiathos is its amazing beaches. But that's not all there is in Skiathos (although it does take a lot of space): picturesque monasteries; hilltop tavernas; whitewashed houses; hotels; bays with turquoise waters; red-tiled roofs; cobbled backstreets; souvenir shops. You will find all of these in Skiathos.
Why should I visit Skiathos?
I think I've already answered this question. The point is, Skiathos is one of those islands that have a 'theme'. Delos is a heaven for archaeologists and history lovers. Mykonos is the gayland. Tinos is the pilgrimage center. Well, Skiathos is the beach island. You like swimming? You should definitely visit Skiathos. You don't like swimming? Well, just give Skiathos a 1-2 days lasting chance. It might make you reconsider.
What places should I visit in Skiathos?
Only two places come to mind. Well, I told you that Skiathos has a theme and sites are not it. But it does have a couple of places (liter ally) you should visit. The first one is the Papadiamantis' house. Alexandros Papadiamantis was a very important Greek writer and Skiathos was his birthplace. His house is now a museum with a small collection documenting his life.
To learn more about the life and work of the famous writer visit my page Alexandros Papadiamantis.
As for the other place, it's Bourtzi, a wooded hillock. It's the land dividing the harbor into two. The Venetian fortress was built on it in 1207 by the aristocra-tic Ghizi family. Andreas Syngros, the national benefactor, funded a primary school which is a cultural centre today. This centre has an open theatre seating 800 people where the annual Aegean Festival takes place.
Are there any archaeological or historical sites in Skiathos?
Yes, actually, there are! Kastro, perched on a rocky promontory, was the fortified pirate-proof capital of the island from 1540 to 1829. It consisted of some 300 houses and 20 churches and you could only access it by a drawbridge. Unfortunately, except for two churches, it is now in ruins but the views from it are still quite tremendous. Access is by steps now.
Moni Evangelistrias is the most appealing monastery of Skiathos. Built in the 18th century, it's poised above a gorge, 450m above sea level, surrounded by pine and cypress trees. The islanders claim the first flag was raised there in 1807. It was once home to 70 monks, but now only 2 do the chores, including wine-making. You can taste the results in the museum shop.
Panagia Kounistra is an exquisite 17th century monastery with a rich historic past on the northwestern side. It's easy to access by a good tarmac road, where the miraculous icon of the Panagia Ikonistra was discovered. The icon is kept in the cathedral of the three Hierarchs in Skiathos town.
Skiathos beaches
As I said before, Skiathos has 62 beaches to choose from, 62 amazing beaches. Exploring all of them could be a little tricky and quite time-consuming, so I suggest you make a plan and choose the ones you want to visit carefully.
Let me tell you, this time it was my friends that were dragging me around from beach to beach, wanting to visit all of them. Seriously, it was like they'd ganged up to take revenge for all those times I'd dragged them to places they didn't want to visit! So, I had to pretend I didn't like it so that I could use it as a reference for the next time I would be the one dragging them again.
So, back to the point, which beaches should you visit? Well, a first piece of advice. head for the ones on the north coast or the ones only accessible by boat. See, all of the beaches are magnificent, but most are overcrowded.
To learn more about which spots to visit and which not to. visit my page Skiathos Beaches. Lalaria, Koukounaries, Agia Eleni and the famous Banana beach for nudists are some of the places that you should visit.
Where should I eat?
Unfortunately, as me and my friends came to notice, Skiathos is a quite expensive place when it comes to food, mostly due to its tourism. I'll only tell you this: whenever I feel a little sad, I think of Mario's face when he saw the bill the day he took us to a restaurant for his name day. I always grin.!
So, which places are cheaper? First, there's Psaradika Ouzeri. This quite busy waterfront eatery at the far end of the old port specializes in fresh fish. O Kavouras has the tastiest mezedes in Skiathos and is a favorite of locals and Greek travelers. Taverna Misogia, near the National Bank on Papadiamanti Street, has good grills of lamb, chicken and pork. The Family Restaurant, on the other hand, has great tyropitakia (small baked cheese pies shaped as triangles) and gemista (tomatoes stuffed with rice and minced meat). Taverna Cuba, finally, off Papadiamanti, offers baked fish, , pastitsio (baked macaroni with béchamel sauce and minced meat) and potatoes baked in the oven..
What about nightlife?
Two are the streets you will want to scan: Papadiamanti and Polytehneiou, also known as "Bar Street" (that means something, doesn't it?). A first suggestion is Kentavros Bar at the square, with rock, soul, jazz and blues. La Skala Bar is Skiathos' low-key gay and lesbian bar, above the old port. Two bars nearby, Adagio and De Facto, are also popular with gay travelers and tourists. Finally, Kahlua Bar on Polytehneiou pulses with mainstream DJ sets and dancing drinkers.
How do I get there?
There are scheduled flights from Athens to Skiathos every day and public bus service will take you to the airport. If you want to travel by boat though, Skiathos can be reached by either ferryboat (in which case it'll take 3 hours) or hydrofoil (1 hour and a half). In high season, there are frequent boats from Volos, Agios Konstantinos, Thessaloniki, Skopelos, Alonnisos and Skyros.
