Skiathos Vacations

Your vacations in Skiathos could well be stuff that dream holidays are made of. With a fine climate, deep blue seas, golden beaches, and verdant pine forests, the island is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the Sporades. Those who have experienced the pleasure of Skiathos vacation inevitably return to the island again and again for yet another holiday, for such is the magical allure of this exotic island of Sporades.

The island also holds the distinction for being the most developed among the islands of its group. In fact, this little island has developed its tourist infrastructure and public utility services at such a rapid pace, that it is expected to reach parity with other popular islands, like Rhodes or Corfu.

Skiathos is well connected with a number of daily flights from Athens, charter flights from Europe and ferry services from Volos or Agios Konstantinos. The island stands right in the middle of the Aegean Sea and has a beautiful topography of hills and coastal plains dotted with numerous inlets, deserted capes, and picturesque peninsulas, creating a perfect picture of natural beauty and tranquility, which is perhaps what attracts people to Skiathos.

The best part of Skiathos vacation is the breathtaking scenery of heavily forested hills, verdant valleys, and farmlands with bountiful crops of olives, fruit, and walnuts that lend a serene atmosphere to the island, making up in some measure, for the fast development in Skiathos tourism.

Skiathos Town is an interesting place to visit. Built amphitheatrically on the hillside on the northeast part of the harbor, the town is the center of the island, where most activities are concentrated. Surprisingly enough, the island has only one town, and the coastal settlements that have come up of late are relatively new. When tourist interest in the island began to grow, more and more people settled along the coasts and opened hotels, taverns, shops, and restaurants to cater to the increasing number of tourists who began to arrive for their Skiathos vacations.

Charming whitewashed houses with tiled roofs, balconies, and courtyards filled with a riot of brightly colored flowers overhanging narrow winding cobblestone streets create some of the most romantic and idyllic pictures that reflect the innate charm and soul of the island. There are some historic churches around the Town, including the church of the Three Bishops which houses a rare icon of the Virgin Mary. There is also the hilltop church of Saint Nikolas with the famous clock.

Skiathos vacation offers one of the best beach scenes in Greece. There are over 60 beaches on this tiny island with sparkling waters, fine stretches of soft sand and magnificent rocky outcroppings which offer some great snorkeling excursions. Taverns and snack bars on the waterfront offer cool refreshing drinks and tasty meals.

The beaches on the southeast are reputed to be some of the best in the Aegean and a majority of them are organized beaches with sun beds, umbrellas, water sporting centers and lovely warm waters for some great swimming. There is lively nightlife on some of the beaches to cater to the glitzy crowds. One of the first beaches to visit in Skiathos is Megali Ammos, an extended beach that attracts thousands of visitors. Next in line are Vasilias beach and Ahladies, which are ideal for enjoying a variety of water sports. With a unique wind system in place, Ahladies is a nice beach for windsurfing. Others along the coast include Kanapitsa, Kalamaki, Vromolimnos, Agia Paraskevi and Troulos, and each one is more beautiful than the other with its green fields overlooking turquoise waters and golden sands.

But, the best part of Skiathos vacation is yet to come and that is a visit to Koukounaries, a beach set in one of the most exotic locales of thick pine forests. Behind the beach is the lake of Strofilia, an important habitat for rare birds. Koukounaries is a protected beach and is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Greece. To the east of Koukounaries is the Banana, a famous nude beach, in case you want to practice some naturism in your holidays.