Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SKIÁTHOS'S TOP TEN BEACHES
Although almost all the island's beaches are sandy, some of them are very narrow. On the south
coast every one will have loungers and at least one bar or taverna, often pumping out loud music;
most have watersports too. If you want to get away from it all, the harder to reach sands on the
north coast offer more chance of escape. These (listed clockwise from town) are our favourites:
Tsougriá An islet in the bay opposite Skiáthos
Town, with excursion boats shuttling back and
forth from the old port three or four times
daily. A favourite of locals, it has two
spectacular sand beaches, each with a taverna.
Vromólimnos The prettiest of the beaches
on the Kalamáki peninsula, fine-sand
Vromólimnos is a bit of a walk from bus stop
13, and hence a little quieter than many
south-coast sands - it still has several cafés
from which to enjoy the sunset views,
though, and a busy water-ski operation.
Koukounariés Huge stretch of sand - at the
end of the bus route - which is arguably the
island's finest beach, and certainly one of its
busiest. Wooden walkways traverse the sand
to a series of kantínas , there's a harbour for
excursion boats and every imaginable form
of watersport including snorkelling and
diving with Skiathos Diving, one of the
island's best outfits ( T 697 70 81 444,
W skiathosdiving.gr). Behind the beach
a small salt lake, Strofyliá, sits in the
midst of a grove of pine trees - all of it a
protected reserve. There's horseriding, too, in
the forested dunes to the north, with
Skiathos Riding Centre ( T 24270 49548,
W skiathos-horse-riding.gr).
Big Banana Reached by a short track over
the headland from bus stop 26 at
Koukounariés, Big Banana is announced
before you arrive by the thumping bass
tracks from three competing beach bars. It's
beautifully sandy but absolutely packed, with
a young crowd and a clubbing atmosphere,
plus ski boats, kayaks, pedaloes and more.
Small Banana In the next cove beyond Big
Banana, this beach is almost entirely nudist
yet still thoroughly commercialized, with a
café and loungers occupying almost every
centimetre. Like its neighbour, it is named
not for the appendages on display but for its
perfect yellow crescent of sand.
Ayía Eléni About 600m from bus stop 25 in
Koukounariés, Ayía Eléni is a stunning, broad,
sandy beach looking west towards the
mountainous mainland. It is bigger and more
family-oriented than the neighbouring
Banana beaches, with a couple of beach bars
and pedaloes and kayaks to rent.
Mandhráki Dunes and a protected pine
forest back Mandhráki, a sandy beach with
views of Mount Pílio and an exceptionally
friendly snack bar serving souvláki , salads and
omelettes. One of the island's least
developed, it is accessed either by a walking
path from bus stop 23 in Koukounariés, or a
driveable track that follows the coast round
past Ayía Eléni beach.
Megálos Asélinos From Troúlos village, a
side-road leads 3.5km north through a lush
valley to Megálos Asélinos, a large and
exposed beach of gritty sand. There's a big
taverna where many excursion boats stop for
lunch, but it's a lovely, unspoilt spot at the end
of the day when they've all headed home.
Kástro A small cove set steeply below Kástro
(see opposite), Kástro can be very crowded in
the middle of the day when the tour boats
arrive, but is delightful early or late - though it
loses the sun early. There's a wonderfully
ramshackle snack bar with a shower of cold
river water.
Lalária Famous beach nestling near the
northernmost point of Skiáthos, and only
accessible by taxi- or excursion-boat from town.
With steep cliffs rising behind a white-pebble
shore and an artistic natural arch, it's undeniably
beautiful; three sea-grottoes just east rate a
stop on most round-the-island trips.
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