Holidays » Greece » Skiathos Holidays

Skiathos is a small Greek island covering only 46 sq km. It a lush green island with over 60 beaches each with their own unique charm, they are said to be the best beaches in the Greek islands. The locals on the island tend to make their living from tourism and agriculture, their main local produce is olives, fruit and walnuts, however, the local honey and wine is a worth purchasing here.

The population of the island differs immensely from winter to summer, in the winter it tend to be around 4000 people whereas in the summer the numbers can rise to over 70,000. The capital of the island is Skiathos Town which has kept its original style regardless of its mass tourism, the first thing you notice as you come into the port are the old shipyards and nearby is a beautiful lake which is home to a huge variety of bird life. Skiathos has a number of interesting churches all over the island however the most important is the grand cathedral which houses many ancient holy relics. Skiathos has a good selection of restaurants to tantalise your taste buds, it has a cosmopolitan feel and dining here is a leisurely pleasure.

While visiting the island try sampling the popular local dessert which is a syrupy sweet made from their home grown almonds, marzipan desserts are also extremely popular. Skiathos has a relatively lively night life which is found to be busiest around the port. Bars offer different types of music and ambiance from classic rock and jazz to the pumping sounds of the nightclubs. If you want something a little quieter then head up to the quaint little outdoor café which sits next to the Bourtzt fortress, it is a few minutes walk from the harbour and there you can enjoy a wonderfully cool drink while watching the ships pass by.

The majority of beaches on Skiathos have fine white sand with unusual rocky outcrops. Most of them are perfect for snorkelling and have colourful bars based around them. Koukounaries is said to be the best beach on the island, it has beautiful golden sands leading up to a wonderful shade of pine trees and because of its popularity with the tourists it has three water sports schools for budding enthusiasts. Behind the beach is a flat valley of green fields which is a protected place for birds and wildlife, it has a lovely park where you can stroll around the lake which is connected to the sea by a narrow channel.

Getting about on the island is very easy and safe. Skiathos has a good bus service which is modern, reliable and very reasonably priced. There are many boat excursions available on which you can tour around the islands at your leisure, you can even charter your own boat for a days scuba diving or fishing.