Skiathos doesn’t need an introduction, since from the moment the Sporades islands started becoming an appealing travel destination for both Greeks and foreigners, it emerged as one of their most beautiful islands due to its pine forests and its amazing beaches.
From the latter, Lalaria, together with Koukounaries, is considered one of the most beautiful and most famous beaches in Skiathos, with an increasingly bigger reputation, and as a result an increasing number of visitors come here each summer, from Greece and abroad, determined to ignore the difficult access and the potential crowds there, to be able to see in person its beauty as they swim in its clear blue waters.
As is the case with every Greek beach, the season in Lalaria is between May and early October, with July and August being the busiest months, since these two months are the height of the tourist season. So, if you’re after more quiet settings, it’s best if you visit before or after July and August – after all, the sea is amazing here in September.
The beach
The main feature of Lalaria is that the landscape is nothing like the rest of Skiathos, and so has been called “otherworldly” and “surreal” neither of which is an exaggeration.
Forget the verdant nature and the pine trees that reach the beach, in Lalaria the landscape is wild and bare, with the imposing vertical rock creating an enclosed bay with calm, clear, blue waters that deepen suddenly. At the edge of the beach, the rock goes in the sea, creating a gate, that the locals call “Tripia Petra” (rock with a hole) – a location that attracts people who like to dive off it. At other locations on the beach there are caves.
The name Lalaria comes from the Skiathos dialect and describes the large, white, perfectly round pebbles that sit in the sun. There are many such pebbles on the beach, and you can admire them, photograph or touch them but must not take one with you as a souvenir – it’s strictly forbidden, and you could be fined.
As this is a wild, hard to access beach, it’s obvious that is not a serviced one. So, when you get here you need to have an umbrella for shade (though you might find some natural shade near the rocks), somewhere to sit on, water, sunglasses, sunscreen and a snack. In addition, if you find it hard to walk on pebbles, it might be worth bringing you jelly shoes. Finally, if you’re visiting with children, make sure to bring floaties, because the water is deep.
How to get to Lalaria
Lalaria is in the north part of Skiathos that is not very accessible, with dirt roads you can only go on with a 4×4 vehicle –it’s almost impossible for regular cars or buses to pass. While in the case of this particular beach, there’s not even a dirt-road leading there.
So, the only way to get to Lalaria is by sea. If you have your own boat everything is much easier, but make sure to check the weather, as some days, depending on how strong the wind is, it is not advisable to cruise the area – even experienced captains that go to the area many times a day during tourist season avoid it when the weather is bad.
Most visitors get a boat that goes many times a day to Lalaria from the island’s old port, at about the middle of the port, where the small pier is located, at the east part. All you have to do is pick an itinerary since many boats combine a visit to Lalaria with other hard to access sites in northern Skiathos, and this affects when and for how long you’ll be in Lalaria.
Read also:
Kyparissi: Unpretentious seaside jewel of the Lakonia area
Τhe beach in Argolida where you’ll swim over a sunken city
