Discover Skiathos

Skiathos Town

Skiathos Town is the place to eat and to be seen eating. The beautiful people meet up here, have a meal in one of the harbour-side restaurants and just pass the time over wine and cocktails. Friday and Saturday nights are best after 10pm. Check out Stammatis on The Steps for fish dishes. Try also Nicos at Taverna Varthalamis just behind the harbour for a real Greek Taverna that wants to stay that way. Try Messogia in the back streets for an other real taverna with character.

As for nightlife Skiathos has plenty of it especially in July and August when the island becomes the Mykonos of the Sporades. By day Skiathos has it's share of tourist and postcard shops, travel agents, bars, motorcycle rental agencies and hotels.

In the words of the Lonely Planet Guide "Most people come to Skiathos for the beaches and the nightlife-if you have come for anything else you may want to depart quickly". While this is true in late July and all of August, the warm months of May, June, September and October are fine times to visit and even in the cooler months the town is hardly deserted because of the number of foreigners living here.

Beaches of Skiathos

There are over 60 beaches in Skiathos, all sandy including Koukounaries rated 7th best beach in the world and best in Greece.

Skiathos is also home to Banana Beach just around the headland. This is the island's only Naturist Beach and is fantastic and very sheltered. Check out the Cantina at the naturist end of Banana or just sit and watch the sunset.

Most of the beaches are easy to get to by bus or moped as they are mostly found on the only main road on the Island. Others include the fantastic Lalaria beach which is accessable by excursion boat. There are all manner of water sports available at most of the beaches and even a diving center. As a rule, the closer you are to town the busier the beach will be. If you are looking for serenity go inland.

Walking in Skiathos is wonderful. The green and mountainous interior are worth all the effort. Check out Kounistras Monastery in the hills behind Troulos for a cooling mid day drink and simple food. A lady called Roula takes care of the place. She is very poor and lives only on what she makes from the sale of candles so give what you can. Also worth seeing are the ruins of Kastro which can be reached by excursion boats, and the Evangilistria Monastery, a haven for revolutionaries during the war for Independence against the Turks. It is said that the first Greek flag was flown here. It is located among pine and cyprus trees in a beautiful and dramatic setting and can be walked to from town if you are of reasonably good health.