Skiathos
3.9/5The party Sporade — pine forests, turquoise water and 60 beaches
Beach-hopping by boat, the old town lanes, Koukounaries lagoon and the monastery of Evangelistria.
Why 3.9: serious nightlife and outstanding beaches — but the sights are thin and it is not one of the cheap islands.
Sixty beaches, pine forest running to the waterline, and 12km of island to fit it all into. Skiathos has an international airport taking summer charters straight from northern Europe, which explains both how easy it is to reach and how full it gets. Koukounaries is one of the finest sandy beaches in Greece — golden sand behind a lagoon and dense umbrella pine — while Lalaria, white oval pebbles under sheer limestone cliffs with a natural arch, is reachable only by boat, and the old town is genuinely attractive: two hills, a Venetian castle, and the pine-covered Bourtzi in the harbour mouth, where the summer festival puts on open-air theatre and Karagiozis nights. Come here for beaches and nightlife, not culture — it scores 2.0 for history and the Old Port bars are loud till dawn. Mid-July through August is package-tourism peak, when Koukounaries is a battle and everything needs booking weeks ahead, so come in June or September instead. Three days is enough, and there is no Piraeus ferry: you arrive from Volos or Agios Konstantinos.
Good for
- Beach collectors — 60 beaches on 12km of island, with pine forest running down to the waterline
- Anyone who wants nightlife — the Old Port bars run loud until dawn
- Visitors flying in from northern Europe — the international airport takes summer charters direct, no Athens needed
Maybe skip if
- If you came for history and sights — Skiathos is thin on both, and it is not one of the cheap islands either
- If you want space in mid-July or August — Koukounaries is a battle and everything needs booking weeks ahead
Getting there
International airport with summer charters from Europe. No Piraeus ferry — reach Skiathos from Volos or Agios Konstantinos (mainland, ~3h drive from Athens). Frequent ferries.
Tip: Direct charter from London/Manchester is the fastest option — skip Athens.
Best time to visit Skiathos
Skiathos has 60 beaches and an international airport — which means cheap flights from northern Europe and matching crowds. The pine forests come right down to the sand. Best May-October; June and September are sweet spots. Mid-July through August is package-tourism peak; Koukounaries beach is a battle.
Top beaches of Skiathos
Koukounaries Beach
Consistently ranked one of the best beaches in Greece — fine golden sand framed by dense umbrella pine forest, with a crystal-clear lagoon behind it. Arrive early for a sunbed. The pine trees provide natural shade that no other Cycladic beach can offer.
- Type
- Fine golden sand
- Length
- 1.2 km
- Depth
- Shallow — very gradual, safe for children
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the southeast to southwest at over 5 Bft. South-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm in summer, exposed only to rare southern winds
- Facilities
- Fully organised: sunbeds, beach bars, water sports, tavernas. Protected lagoon behind.
Lalaria Beach
The most spectacular beach in the Sporades — white oval pebbles beneath sheer white limestone cliffs with a natural arch. The boat journey along the dramatic north coast is half the experience. Unmissable.
- Type
- White oval pebbles
- Length
- 400 m
- Depth
- Deep — crystal clear, cold water
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the northwest to northeast at over 4 Bft. North-facing — fully exposed to the meltemi (the dominant summer N/NE wind); often choppy June–September
- Facilities
- None — boat access only from Skiathos Town (45 min).
Banana Beach
Two contrasting beaches side by side — lively and organised on one side, quiet and naturist on the other. Both have good clear water. The pine forest backdrop makes them more attractive than the typical resort beach.
- Type
- Fine sand
- Length
- 600 m (two beaches)
- Depth
- Shallow — calm water
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the southeast to southwest at over 5 Bft. South-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm in summer, exposed only to rare southern winds
- Facilities
- Big Banana: fully organised. Little Banana: basic, clothing-optional.
Agia Eleni Beach
The west-coast beach at the far end of the island, a couple of headlands north of Banana — fine sand, green slopes behind it and open water in front. It is organised but not overrun, and because it faces west it holds the sun long after Koukounaries has gone into shade, which makes it the obvious late-afternoon swim. Boat tours drop in for an hour or so around midday and the place fills up; go before eleven or after four. On a windy afternoon the water gets choppy and cloudy near the shore.
- Type
- Fine golden sand
- Length
- 400 m
- Depth
- Shallow at the shore, then a steady gradual slope
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the southwest to northwest at over 4 Bft. West-facing — sheltered from the meltemi (the summer N/NE wind); calm most summer days, sometimes choppy on rare westerly winds
- Facilities
- Organised: sunbeds, umbrellas, taverna, showers, water sports. Small car park at the end of the road; bus stop 25, then a ten-minute walk down.
Vromolimnos Beach
The island's second-busiest beach and the loud one — a Blue Flag strip of fine sand on the west side of the Kalamaki peninsula with bar music running all day and jet skis working the bay. Come here if you want the noise, the watersports and a crowd in its twenties; go elsewhere if you want to read a book. The saving grace is the aspect: it is tucked out of the north wind, so it stays swimmable on days when the north coast is unusable, and it looks straight at the sunset. Parking is the real problem — the approach road is narrow and lined with cars by mid-morning.
- Type
- Fine golden sand
- Length
- About 300 m
- Depth
- Shelves gently — safe for children at the wide southern end
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the southwest to northwest at over 5 Bft. West-facing, on the sheltered side of Cape Kalamaki — the meltemi barely touches it
- Facilities
- Fully organised: sunbeds, two beach bars with music, taverna, toilets and showers, volleyball court, and a water-sports centre with jet skis, ringos and pedalos. Tarmac road, roadside parking that jams by 11am; bus stop 13 then a ten-minute walk.
Mandraki Beach
Also called Xerxes' Harbour — the Persian fleet is said to have sheltered here. It is the big wild beach of the north coast, reached only on foot through the protected Mandraki pine forest, which is why it stays quiet in August when the south coast is solid with people. The walk is flat and shaded and takes about twenty-five minutes each way; carry water. Get the wind right and it is one of the best swims on the island; get it wrong and you have walked 4 km to sit in a brown surf, because nothing shelters a north-facing bay from the meltemi.
- Type
- Coarse sand, some dried seagrass at the waterline
- Length
- 300 m
- Depth
- Deepens quickly — no long shallow shelf
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the northwest to northeast at over 4 Bft. North-facing — fully exposed to the meltemi (the dominant summer N/NE wind); often choppy June–September
- Facilities
- One simple beach taverna, sunbeds with thatched umbrellas, toilets. No water sports, no shade away from the taverna. Park at the end of the surfaced road (or bus stop 23) and walk about 2 km, 20-25 minutes, on a signed track through the pines.
Megalos Aselinos Beach
A wide, empty sweep on the north coast, backed by low scrub rather than pines and far less pretty than the south-coast beaches — the appeal is space and the absence of a resort. Boat tours land here for lunch between about one and three, and for those two hours the taverna and the sand are busy; either side of that you may have a hundred metres to yourself. The water is deep and cold quickly. Everything depends on the wind: in a northerly it is a wave-battered strip with brown water, and the smaller Mikros Aselinos next door, down a steep path, is no better protected.
- Type
- Coarse sand mixed with fine pebbles
- Length
- About 500 m
- Depth
- Drops off sharply a few metres out — not a paddling beach
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the northwest to northeast at over 4 Bft. North-facing and completely open — unusable when the meltemi blows
- Facilities
- One large taverna serving all day, sunbeds, toilets and showers. Nothing else — no shops, no water sports. Reached on the road north from Troulos; the last stretch is dirt but manageable in a small car. Big car park.
Xanemos Beach
The beach at the far end of the airport runway, 2.5 km from town, where landing aircraft pass low enough overhead that people come for that alone rather than the swimming. It is honestly a mediocre beach — grey coarse sand, shingle underfoot, and the sea gets churned up in any northerly — but it is close, rarely full, and the water is clear when it is calm. The Kefala headland at the end holds the excavated remains of a prehistoric settlement, and Skopelos sits across the channel. Bring water shoes and check the departures board if you want the planes.
- Type
- Grey coarse sand with a band of shingle at the water
- Length
- 300 m
- Depth
- Deep close to shore — poor for small children, good for snorkelling
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the north to east at over 4 Bft. North-east-facing — despite sitting in a bay it is exposed and choppy in a north wind
- Facilities
- Beach bar and taverna, sunbeds and umbrellas, volleyball net, parking at the sand's edge. Ten minutes by car or scooter from town, past the runway.
Tsougria Beach
An uninhabited pine-covered islet 3 nautical miles off the port, and the easiest way to spend a whole day off Skiathos itself. The main beach is soft pale sand with shallow turquoise water and a canteen, and a five-minute path over the ridge leads to the smaller Mikri Ammos, which is stonier and better for snorkelling. It is a committed day out — you leave on one boat and come back on another, so bring enough cash and water for the hours in between. The excursion boats arrive around midday and the beach is at its best before and after them.
- Type
- Pale soft sand
- Length
- 200 m
- Depth
- Shallow and clear for a long way out
- Wind
- Avoid visiting when the wind blows from the west to north at over 4 Bft. North-west-facing, across the channel to Skiathos — the island itself blocks the meltemi
- Facilities
- Seasonal canteen and a small taverna (roughly June to August), about thirty pairs of sunbeds, toilets. No road, no shops, no shade beyond the tamarisks. Water taxis from the Old Port take 20-25 minutes; first boats around 09:30, last returns 17:00.
3-day itinerary for Skiathos
Read the day-by-day plan on its own page →
Day 1: Skiathos Town & the East
- 09:00 · Skiathos Town
The most attractive town in the Sporades — two hills, a Venetian castle, pine-shaded lanes and a bustling harbour. Walk the Papadiamantis Street and have breakfast at the old port.
- 10:00 · Bourtzi Fortress
Small Venetian fortress on a pine-wooded islet in the harbour mouth. Walk across the causeway for views over the town and the channel.
- 11:00 · Evangelistria Monastery
18th-century monastery in the pine forest above the town — the first Greek flag was raised here in 1807. Beautiful setting, small museum, excellent views.
- 14:30 · Koukounaries Beach
One of the finest beaches in Greece — 1.2km of golden sand framed by a dense pine forest and a protected lagoon behind it. Arrive by 14:00 for a sunbed. The lagoon behind is a protected wetland.
- 20:00 · Dinner in Skiathos Town
Drive back along the south coast road from Koukounaries to Skiathos Town (about 25 minutes). The harbour at twilight is the social heart of the island — find a table at one of the seafront tavernas, or wander the narrow lanes above Bourtzi. - 🍴 Stop for dinner · Skiathos Town — see Eat & Drink below
Day 2: Beach Boat Tour
- 09:30 · Old Port — Boat Departure
Full-day boat tour around the island — the only way to reach the best beaches on the north coast. Boats depart from the old port daily in summer. - 11:00 · Lalaria Beach
The most dramatic beach in the Sporades — white oval pebbles under sheer white limestone cliffs with a natural rock arch. Accessible only by boat. Crystal clear water.
- 12:30 · Blue Cave (Skotini Spilia)
Sea cave on the north coast where the water glows blue from the sunlight refraction. Swim in from the boat.
- 14:00 · Kastro (Abandoned Town)
The abandoned medieval capital of Skiathos on a sea cliff — the entire population moved to the current town in 1829. Ruins of 300 houses and 22 churches. Boat stop with a short hike up.
- 18:30 · Dinner in Skiathos Town
Boat returns to the Old Port in late afternoon (about 90 min from the Kastro side). Cocktails at one of the harbour bars are the natural end to a full day on the water — the seafront restaurants here are good for early dinners.
Day 3: West Beaches & Departure
- 09:30 · Banana Beach
Two beaches side by side west of Koukounaries — Big Banana (organised, lively) and Little Banana (clothing-optional, quieter). Both have clear, shallow water. - 12:00 · Agia Eleni Beach
Wild, sandy north-coast beach accessible via a path through pine forest. Far quieter than the south coast beaches, excellent water.
- 16:00 · Skiathos Town — Departure
Ferry to Volos, Thessaloniki or the other Sporades. The runway is right next to the town port — watch planes land metres overhead from the waterfront.
Local & Seasonal
Festivals & Events
How does Skiathos compare?
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