The North Sporades

The (North) Sporades are situated in the Aegean Sea north-east of the peninsula Euboea. This group of islands consists of 4 (main) islands, Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos and Skyros and is a popular destination for sailor’s, hikers, and nature-lovers. It belongs to the department of Magnesia, & Thessalia and one can travel directly to Skiathos international airport during main season (May-October) or through Athens airport that is just a 30 minute flight away. If you prefer to travel by boat and coming from Athens, try the ferry connection from Agios Konstantinos.

Are you staying for a while? Try visiting Volos, Larissa and Pelion before heading to the islands. You can fly to Volos airport on the mainland and from Volos port you could take a ferry boat to the islands afterwards.

Check out the timetables here, or go to the ‘travel to Greece now!’ section.

Skiathos island

The most popular destination of the North Sporades islands is undoubtfully Skiathos island. This is also the island on which I spent most of my childhood. Some call it the ‘Mykonos of the north’, offering a plethora of sandy beaches, restaurants, bars and open-air-discotheques. But Skiathos has much more to offer than just a lively nightlife. It is the preferred destination of many famous people, local and from abroad, giving the lifestyle magazines a dream-décor for their juicy stories, but during low-season it is a little ‘paradise on earth’, where you can hike on almost untouched grounds discovering the green slopes of the islands interior, steep cliffs on the west-coast and hidden sandy bays on the south.

While discovering the island of Skiathos, you will often admire the views to neighboring islands. This is logical, as Skiathos is almost surrounded by little uninhabited islands. The most known are Tsougrias, Arkos, Maragos, Tripiti and Aspronisi or Aspronisos. During summer season you can visit Tsougrias with a water-taxi, leaving from the ‘old port’, and enjoy the beautiful sandy beaches and Caribbean-blue waters there. The island is uninhabited, but during summer you can hire umbrella’s and sunbeds and enjoy drinks and music offered by a ‘pop-up-beach-bar’.

There are references to the island of Skiathos going back to prehistoric times, but as many other Greek locations so Skiathos went through different phases before it finally became Greek. The Romans, Byzantines and Venetians ruled over the island, as did the Ottomans for almost two centuries, all leaving their traces on the local scenery and culture. Old writings refer to Skiathos already during pre-historic times, when the island was probably occupied by tribes coming from the North of Greece and even Crete. During Roman and Hellenistic times (338-330 bc) Skiathos went from Macedonian into Roman hands and finally into Athenian hands, when it was fully destroyed and rebuilt again due to its strategic location.

The name Skiathos is said to come from the location of the island in ‘the shadow’ (Skia) of the mountain Athos, up in the North-eastern Greek mainland and peninsula named Chalkidiki.

Discover the hiking trail to Castro by

clicking on the picture

Other ways of discovering Casto are by boat, most of them leave daily from the old port of Skiathos during summer season, or by hiking or mountain bike.Click on the picture to see more.

The old town of Castro (fortress)

The town of Skiathos had been pray to many pirates in the past, and due to this during the 14th century the locals decided it was safer to move up north. The new town was built on an imposing cliff of rock that was communicating with the mainland only by a wooden, movable bridge: Castro (meaning Fortress, or castle) This was the main town until beginning of the 19th century when locals decided it was safe to return to their roots by the sea, a more interesting location from an economic perspective. But before they moved, they literally stripped the old town, taking as much as possible with them, some even took the wood and stones their houses were built of with them, in order to re-build them again on the ‘new’ location. This is why the old town of Castro was abandoned in almost a state of complete demolishment. From the 20 churches only 2 are still recognizable and the 5000 homes and narrow streets of the past are hardly imaginable when walking through the ruins. However, the magnificent views, the tranquility and the savage nature of the surroundings are definitely worth a visit. One can reach Castro within an hour from Skiathos town. A bit more than half of the way there can be reached by car, but the last bit is only accessible on foot and not recommended for elderly or kids as the narrow rocky paths can be dangerous. There are no shops in the surroundings so don’t forget to take some water with you, when leaving your car.

The 'new' Skiathos town

The ‘New town’ of Skiathos, or ‘Skiathos city’ as I like to call it, is situated nearby the sea and is a popular vacation destination, especially during summer. If you are looking for a more quiet period to discover the island then you should try April/May, when the island is covered in flowers and the weather isn’t too hot.

Skiathos town has no special architectural features. The houses are small and built very closely next to each other, most of them are two floors high and the streets are stone-paved roads except for the boulevard around the port, and the main shopping street, Papadiamantis.

This street starts at a higher point of town, called the ‘Acropolis’, and ends at the port, where the ferries call. Papadiamantis street was named after the author Alexandros Papadiamantis who was born on the island and who’s work is internationally recognized. The house of Alexandros Papadiamantis is nowadays a small museum that can be visited mainly during summer season. Click on the photo for more details .

The Bourtzi

Once at the port, and with your back facing Papadiamantis street you will notice the small peninsula of Bourtzi on the right side of the port. Bourtzi was a small fortress during the occupation of the venetians in the 13th century, and used to oversee the port’s safety. During the 17th century the fort was destroyed, and a new building was placed in the center of the island only during the 19th century, which served , mainly as a school. It remained a school until the beginning of the 21st century and nowadays hosts the cultural center of Skiathos. Here you can visit a small museum, local art exhibitions or enjoy open-air concerts and other cultural events.

Behind the cultural center of Bourtzi you will find Café Bourtzi, where you can enjoy a healthy breakfast or quick lunch during daytime, or try-out the many cocktails they offer in the evening.

The view is amazing, even from the bathrooms and you can see, hear and feel the blue-green waters touching the rocks of Bourtzi.

The old port & Plakkes

Coming from Bourtzi and facing the many taverns and bars at the port, you might want to take a walk along the old port of Skiathos. This is the place where you can take a water-taxi to the many beaches, or book a day-excursion to the neighboring islands. This is also the place to be in the evening, for a meal or drink with a view.

When you reach the end of the old port you will see some narrow and steep stone-paved stairs. If you like hiking through the town, you might like to climb these stairs and discover more of the village. Once the stairs stop, check out this little open-air space on the left, overlooking the port. (foto)

Further up, just following the street and keeping left you will see some signs mentioning ‘Plakes’. This is another picturesque place, with beautiful flat rocks you can sit on, or from where you could take a refreshing dive into the blue-green waters of the Aegean sea. From here you can see Bourtzi and the port, but also the bays of Megali ammos and Vassilias a bit further .

Bear in mind that this walk is quite ‘hard’, in sense of climbing up and down several pairs of stairs and some steep alleys. Also there are not many shops on the way to Plakes, best take some water with you.

View from Plakkes

Yacht port and open-air discotheques

If you arrive from the shopping street Papadiamantis at the port and head left, you will discover the Yachting area. Many private and public yachts are berthed there, enjoying the atmosphere, or are waiting to embark you on an adventurous excursion in the neighboring waters.

You can promenade along the many restaurants opposite the yachts, or just walk along the port area. If you follow the promenade on the sea-side, you will finally end behind one of the schools of the island. Continuing this road with the water on your right hand, you will discover more restaurants and bars are situated there, as well as a few of the islands most popular open air discotheques. (BBC club, Pure club)

Continuing on the same road, you might like to add some airplane-watching activity to your walk. Skiathos airport’s starting corridor lies just next to this road, and the only traffic light on the island will turn red for a few minutes, depending on the wind direction, when a plane takes off or is landing from this side of the airport. (foto)

Churches of Skiathos

Tris Ierarches

You will find this church, right above the old port, if you follow the broad stone-steps on the right hand with the colorful pillows. This is one of the main churches and is devoted to the three Hierarchs and holy Mary. It is quite recent, from the beginning of the 19th century, and replaces an older version that was built on the same spot, and destroyed during Turkish occupation.

Holy church of virgin Mary (Panagia Limnia)

Coming from the ‘Plakes’ area and following the narrow streets on your left, you will arrive to this church that is the second biggest of Skiathos town .According to the legend, this area was inhabited by refugees from the village Limni on the Euboea peninsula during the 18th century. Only that they came to find the village deserted, as the locals re-built their town on the north side of the island (Castro), escaping from the many pirate-and conquerors invasions. So the Minority that, after some time discovered the locals joined them, and after they all returned to the ‘new-old-town’ beginning of the 19th century, they also built this church, giving it a name that refers to the village Limni, where they originated from.

St. Nicolas (picture)

Standing at the port with your back to the water and looking at the upper part of the’ city’ to the East, you will immediately notice a beautiful church tower with clock, up the hills. You can either hike, climbing up the many stairs, or take a taxi that will get you there within a few minutes. (Taxis are to be found next to the water) Once at the top you will enjoy the beautiful views over the port, Bourtzi and beyond, and be able to visit both, the small St. Nicolas Chapel, and the clock. Want to know more? Click on the picture of the clock-tower to navigate.

Monasteries

The little island of Skiathos counts four monasteries. Religion has been and, I dare to admit still is, an important part of the local culture. The monasteries are all situated outside of town, so perhaps you would like to dedicate a day visiting them by renting a car, buggy or jeep.

Panagia (Holy Mary) Eikonistria

On the Southeastern side of Skiathos, amidst the pine-trees, lies the monastery of Eikonistria or Kounistra. The name refers to the icon (eikona) of the holy Mary that the legend refers to as having been found hanging on a tree by a monk, at the spot where the monastery was built. As she was hanging and somehow swaying on the tree, people gave her the name ‘Kounistra’ from the Greek word ‘Kouniemai’, meaning I am moving. On November 21st the holy Mary has her ‘name-day’ (‘name-days are celebrated like birthdays in Greece). One day before, on November 20th , people carry her from Skiathos town, Three Hierarchs Church to the Monastery on foot, as a pilgrimage. Should you be on the island on November 20th, you could participate at this religious event too.

Panagia (Holy Mary) Evagelistria

In the shadows of the highest ‘mountain’ peak on Skiathos, Karaflitzakana, lies the monastery of Evagelistria, dedicated to the annunciation of the Virgin Mary, that was built early 19th century by monks, originating from mount Athos, that came , after living and serving on several other islands, from the island of Icaria. The monastery has since then offered significant support to the local population, amongst which, also the famous local writers Alexandros Papadiamantis, and Alexandros Moraitidis. During the revolution of Greek independence (1821) it was refugee to important members of the guerilla troops, like Andreas Miaoulis and Theodoros Kolokotronis and this is the very spot, where the first white and blue Greek flag was assembled. It is said that the nine white stripes represent each a letter of the Greek word for ‘freedom’, ‘Eleftheria’. Ελευθερία. The slogan used during the revolution was ‘freedom or death’ Ελευθερία ή θάνατος. (Eleftheria I Thanatos)

Noawadays you can visit the beautiful monastery and museum and even shop some local products like the famous wine ‘Alypiacos’, olive oil and traditional confections.

Panagia Kechria

The beautiful Kechria bay lies on the North side of Skiathos, and there you will also find what is left of the monastery that bears the same name. The monastery is no longer inhabited, but the main building has been saved, where you can admire some old fresco’s. This area is also very green, covered with olive and pine trees and a less visited part of Skiathos.

Agios Charalambos

Situated at the Nort-eastern side of Skiathos, in a beautiful green scenery is this small, fully restored monastery that was built early 19th century. It can be reached by car, mainly through sandy roads, or you could try and incorporate it’s visit with a hiking tour. (Click on the picture below for the hiking routes. )

Beaches

Most of the beaches that lay on the southern part of Skiathos can be easily reached by public transportation (bus/taxi) or even on foot if you like hiking, although the heat could be unbearable during high season (July/August). Another adventurous way to discover the beaches is by hiring a mountain bike or a motorbike, but it is suggested you are an experienced and prudent driver, because it can be very busy, and driving on the island could become dangerous.

Check out the bus timetable here. You will find the starting point of the bus-service right in front of the school at the port, opposite the yacht marina.

Most beaches are surrounded by hotels, cafés and little shops that create ‘villages’ along the one and only asphalted main road of Skiathos, that is about 14 kilometers long. However, some beaches require a good vehicle, like a Jeep (4x4), Buggy, or even a boat to be reached.

Megali Ammos is the nearest beach to Skiathos city,(about 2 Km) and can easily be reached on foot. The big, sandy bay, where this beach has given it’s name to offers a hand full local taverna’s and cafés, you can hire sunbeds and do watersports. Being the closest to the town, it can be quite busy during high season. Megali Ammos is separated by a rock from the beach of Ftelia, where the sand turns to pebbles, and there are less amenities. So if you enjoy a calmer beach, this could become your favorite spot.

Vasilias beach could actually be divided in two, the small and the big Vasilias beach and is situated about 6 Km away from the town. (Vasilias means King in Greek) The main and bigger part of Vasilias is a 10 m walk down the mountain from where the bus would drop you off. There are taverna’s and watersports facilities and wonderful views. If you like to sit on a more quiet piece of the beach you can either walk to your left on the big Vasilias and climb over the rocks to the smaller beach, or walk about 500 meters back, after the bus has dropped you off. You will see the signs leading you to the small Vasilias on your right.

Koukounaries (The Golden) Beach, about 14 km west from Skiathos town, is the biggest and most popular beach on Skiathos, also called ‘The golden beach’. It can easily be reached by bus (end stop) car or water-taxi. (old Skiathos port). During high season (July-August) it happens to be the busiest of all beaches. The scenery is beautiful, with the green pine-forest right next to the white-fine sandy beach, and the turquoise blue waters. One of the reasons this beach is so popular is because the waters are quite shallow, what makes it a safe place for children to swim. You will find sunbed-rental, cafés, beach-bars and watersports here, so that you could actually spend the whole day. At the left end of the beach there is also a lake and yacht harbor, and this is also the place where the water-taxi would drop you off and pick you up.

Agia Eleni is another beautiful bay, that is not very far from Koukounaries beach. It is a favorite between the locals, as you will need a car to reach it, or hike from where the bus drops you off at Koukoukaries. (About 20 minutes) In contrast to Koukounaries, this beach has more pebbles than sand, and its waters are falling quite deepy. There is a tavern/café and a beach bar available so that you could have a quick lunch or enjoy a cocktail while gazing at the magical sunset there. During high season you can also rent sunbeds.

Banana Beach is another beautiful beach on the West end of Skiathos. It used to be the only (unofficial) nudist beach on the island for years, but has developed to the ‘Paradise Beach’ of Skiathos during the last decade, so that enjoying a calm nudist swim has become an exception. You will reach this beach on foot or scooter/car taking the road on your right after arriving at Koukounaries beach parking area and bus stop. If you choose to walk, mind that it can take about 20 to 30 minutes for you to reach Banana Beach that is 3 Km away, so take some water and hats with you to protect from the sun. Banana is the party beach with live music, taverna’s cocktail bars and magical sunsets.

Asselinos Beach situated about 13 Km west of Skiathos town facing the northern side of the island is another wonderful beach with thick white sand, and deep blue-green waters and at the far right end of the beach naturism is also tolerated. This is a beloved place for wave-watching when the winds blow over the island but also a calmer beach as it is harder accessible compared to the beaches in the South. You will need a car, preferably buggy or jeep. At bus stop nr 18 (Troulos) the road splits in two. Take the right and follow the road until next split. Here take the left one. The beach is about 5 Km away from the bus stop.

Lalaria (photo) or the rock with the hole ‘Tripia Petra’ is one of the most famous beaches on the island and lies underneath the old town of ‘Castro’ . It is a big rock with a whole, and a beach with white pebbles and crystalline waters and poses on almost every postcard you will find. The safest way to reach this beach is by boat. Try one of the water-taxi’s leaving at the old port in the morning. As there are no amenities on this beach, take some food and drinks with you too, and don’t forget your hats!

Other beautiful beaches are Mandraki, Vromolimnos, Kalamaki, Tzaneria. Discover more here.

Greek food and drinks

It is hard to find a place where the food is hideous, but once on Skiathos, please be aware that some restaurants are only functioning for a couple of months and less into providing you a high quality food experience. Do your research before heading to town and check some reviews to make sure you don’t fall on one of these places.

Below are a few suggestions for you to start with. You will also find a beautiful selection of trustworthy places here.

Ouzeri or Tsipouradiko are the little traditional tavernas that serve fresh fish dishes and salads to share accompanied by ouzo or tsipouro (a kind of schnaps, like rakki) Enjoy watching the people going by, the boats come and go and share local specialties here:

Kabourelias Tavern-Ouzeri at the old port, usually no reservations needed but recommended during high season. Tel: +30 24270 21112

Taverna O'Batis, also at the old side of the port serves next to mezze also traditional Greek dishes +30 2427 022288

Platanos (plane-tree) restaurant is situated a bit outside of the town, and offers, besides traditional Greek meals and fresh fish dishes, and amazing view and hospitality! You can take a taxi from the port, it will bring you there in about ten minutes. (+306932413539)

Boutzi, on the little peninsula at the harbor will become one of your favorites, after you visit once. The location is amazing, overlooking the harbor, and the place offers snacks and drinks all day long.

Check it out here.

Activities

Skiathos offers much more than beautiful beaches and a lively nightlife. Here are some idea’s of what you could do during your stay:

Diving: Try taking initiation in diving or, if you already are experienced, join the locals under water. You will be surprised!

Watersports: are available on almost all southern beaches. Try water-ski, surfing, or have fun with the many water games offered.

Charter a Yacht, or boat: at the port boulevard you will find many offers to either hire a boat, yacht or catamaran, privately, or in groups.

Hiking/discover on foot: There are many trails available spread over the island.

(Click on the picture to find out more)

Where to stay ?

Here’s a hand full of beautiful choices for your stay. Click on the titles to be transferred to Booking.com for more details.

Try one of them out, or search for something different here!

Iris

This property is a 12-minute walk from the beach. Centrally located in Skiathos Town, Iris Skiathos is a 10-minute walk from Megali Ammos Beach and only 100 m from the main Papadiamantis street. It features self-catered accommodations with balcony overlooking the town.

Raphael Skiathos Living-Venetia

This property is 3 minutes walk from Plakes, the flat rocks you can go for a swim for!. Featuring sea views, Raphael Skiathos Living-Venetia has accommodations with a balcony and an electric tea pot, around a 4-minute walk from Skiathos Plakes Beach. It has city views and free WiFi.

Casa Rozana-Skiathos

This property is a 10-minute walk from the beach. Casa Rozana - Skiathos, a property with a garden, is located in Skiathos, a 9-minute walk from Megas Gialos Beach, half a kilometer from Glyfoneri Beach, as well as a 10-minute walk from Skiathos Castle. The air-conditioned property is a 9-minute walk from Xanemos Beach, and guests benefit from complimentary WiFi and private parking available on site.

Skiathos Holidays

This property is 1 minute walk from the beach. In a forest 51 m from Vromolimnos Beach in Skiathos, this complex features free Wi-Fi and a diving school. The self-catered rooms have a balcony overlooking the Aegean Sea or garden.

Aegean Suites Hotel

Built on a hillside and overlooking the sandy beach of Megali Ammos, the Aegean Suites Hotel is a delightful 5-star hotel and member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

This all-suite property features a total of just 20 guest accommodations. The suites are located in the 4 traditional Greek-styled buildings nestled among the olive trees. Each suite is extremely spacious, featuring a separate bedroom and living room, as well as a luxury bathroom and private veranda.

Island hopping

Depending on how long you’re staying, and if you intended to go on discovery, you might want to visit the neighboring islands, Skopelos and Alonissos . There are daily excursions to both islands by touristic boats that leave at the old port, behind Bourtzi, and you could even hire a private boat or yacht if you are a small group of people.

But if you prefer taking your time, you might want to hop over and stay a few days on the other islands too.

The last of the Sporades, Skyros island lies the furthest away and can be reached by inland flight during main season (July-September) or by boat. (check travelling options here)

Click on the picture to travel to Skopelos island!

Simply amazing Greece!