Golden beaches flirt with vivid pine greens and intense sea blues. Lively nightlife and spirited beach clubs crown it the “Cosmopolitan Gem” of the Sporades, the island complex it belongs to. The Venetian fortress ruins on idyllic, lush Bourtzi islet complete Skiathos‘ profile with history and romance. The island consistently ranks among the most beloved and exciting island destinations.
This fortified islet, with its enchanting Aegean view, divides the bustling natural harbor. It’s a coveted anchorage for yachts, enhancing the island’s picturesque appeal. Skiathos offers cobblestone alleys, whitewashed houses with tiled roofs, lush landscapes, hiking trails, and pebbled or sandy beaches with exotic waters. It serves as a unique destination or a base to explore the other three Sporades islands. Skiathos, setting of the romantic comedy Mamma Mia (of course you know that), and island of turquoise waters, fun, and international visitors, is truly a dream on the Wave,” borrowing its famous son’s story title.
Why Go In August
Skiathos celebrates the Virgin Mary’s feast with particular splendor in August. It combines peak tourist season with traditional festivities, cultural events, and art exhibitions, offering visitors an authentic island experience. The Panagia Kounistras festival, just 20 minutes from Skiathos town, features processions and music events. Evening celebrations move to the capital with concerts and dance performances. Local tavernas showcase traditional dishes.
On the eve of August 15th, the Holy Communal Monastery of Evangelismos hosts a rare Greek custom: the procession of the Virgin Mary’s Epitaph. Women decorate the Epitaph with flowers in the morning. The procession follows a picturesque uphill route to the Zoodochos Pigi chapel, with faithful participants chanting, affirming the holiday’s nickname as ‘Summer Easter.’ About a week later, August 23rd commemorates Skiathos‘ burning by Germans in 1944. In a completely different atmosphere, bars, clubs, and beach bars pulsate with strong beats every August night, and the Skiathos party seems endless.
What to do
Start at charming Bourtzi. Explore the 13th-century fortress ruins, destroyed in 1660 during Venetian Admiral Morosini‘s capture of Skiathos. Marvel at the twilight sea view. In the main town, visit Alexandros Papadiamantis‘ – one of Greece’s landmark authors – birthplace and home, now a museum exemplifying simple island architecture with upper and lower floors. Another historic building, a 1910 stone mansion operating as “Skiathitiko Spiti” open house, showcases the island’s architectural tradition and narrates five generations’ intriguing stories.
Visit Kastro, a peninsula in the island’s north where Skiathians relocated in the 14th century due to pirate raids. This natural fortress, reinforced with tall, strong walls, passed from Byzantines to Venetians to Ottomans. Though abandoned for two centuries, it retains visible traces of its tumultuous history. A small, wild beauty beach of the same name, rocky, pebbly, and verdant, enhances the scene. The easiest way to explore is with tourist boats sail daily from Skiathos town.
The island’s legendary beaches, famous and award-winning, boast dazzling waters, endless sands, or spectacular rocks. They offer breathtaking beauty and all modern visitor amenities. Koukounaries, often voted among the Mediterranean’s best beaches, features golden sand sparkling even underwater, a beautiful pine forest nearly reaching the shore, and the rare, protected wetland of Strofylia lagoon.
Banana Beach rivals Koukounaries in fame. Water sports enthusiasts and beach party lovers favor it. Big Banana exudes a cosmopolitan atmosphere, while Little Banana maintains a quieter vibe. Lalaria, with its pebbles, rightly ranks among the Sporades‘ most enchanting beaches. Towering white cliffs dominate the island’s northernmost point, with one forming an impressive sea gate called ‘Tripa Petra.’ Access only by boat makes the experience unique.
Find easier access, good organization, crystal-clear waters, and fine sand at Megali Ammos, near Skiathos town, and at Achlades. In the west, enjoy swimming at locals’ favorites Mandraki and Agistro, or the beautiful, tranquil Agia Eleni bay overlooking Pelion slopes, popular with families. In the north, the unorganized Aselinos beaches – Small and Large – impress with turquoise waters, pebbles, coarse sand, and strange rock formations. Approach ideally by boat. Vromolimnos and Kanapitsa feature sandy shores surrounded by conifers and dense vegetation. Diving and seabed observation enthusiasts shouldn’t miss the Arkos and Repi islets west of Skiathos, ideal for reef and fish variety viewing.
Troulos, another famous beach in the island’s lush southern part near Koukounaries, charms with its idyllic character: a verdant, sheltered cove, transparent waters, and a rocky islet visible as you relax on the golden sand. This scene awaits as you descend the gentle hill where Villa Azalea nestles, a wonderful boutique complex of just 6 aesthetically pleasing rooms. It appears as a private oasis of tranquility and relaxation, so close yet so sheltered from the cosmopolitan island’s action and lively rhythms.
Where to stay
Surrounded by olive trees and tall oleanders, harmonized with its unique natural surroundings, facing the calm blue expanse at its feet, Villa Azalea offers warm hospitality in a familiar, comfortable environment. Its elegant architecture draws inspiration from local tradition. High-level, discreet service even provides a chef.
Shaded, well-tended gardens create two equally enjoyable outdoor spaces. An extensive, paved courtyard offers tranquil relaxation and dining areas: comfortable sofas, cozy chairs, a breakfast nook for light meals, a larger communal table for starlit dinners, and convenient loungers on the raised terrace edge, isolated by a green natural fence and colorful bougainvilleas. One level and a few steps down, emerald lawn stretches before the main building’s facade, leading to another oasis: the complex’s pool with its stunning view, and a large stone kiosk with a domed roof housing a fully equipped bar with its own comfortable corner seating.
In the main building, natural materials and earthy tones dominate, from soft ochre to warm terracotta. Beyond the welcoming reception area, find a rustic-style kitchen with ultra-modern equipment, leading to its own shady veranda and open sitting area with classic furniture, dining area on one side and cozy living room with fireplace on the other. The large central entrance glass allows views to permeate the space, making it seem unified with the exterior and a natural continuation of the shady or sunny courtyards’ openness.
On this ground level are two spacious double rooms from the six total accommodation options, one with its own private veranda and the second accessing the communal courtyard. Light tones and classic furnishings set the tone. On the first of Villa Azalea‘s three levels, the complex’s largest room impresses with wooden ceiling beams and ample Aegean blue views from its private balcony. Of the remaining three double rooms on the lower level, accessed by the ground floor stairs, two offer views of the beautiful garden and a third of the large courtyard.
Professional, hospitable staff complement the excellent stay experience in this privileged location with careful aesthetics. They’ll offer the most reliable advice to help you discover the most impressive and sophisticated experiences of an island that proves multifaceted and inexhaustible.
For more accommodation options, visit our latest list: Skiathos is Having a Moment: The Top 10 Places to Stay
