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We’d never heard of the Greek island of Skiathos until my parents visited last year, but it sounded like exactly what we were looking for in a relaxing holiday.
Easy access with an international airport, beautiful beaches, a green mountainous interior, a charming town for evening strolls, good food, and that gorgeous, crystal-clear water that we love so much about Greece.
Skiathos is a compact island in the Sporades archipelago in the Aegean Sea, just east of the Greek mainland and north of Athens.
While it’s popular with holidaymakers in the summer, it’s not as overrun as more famous islands like Santorini and Mykonos. At the end of June, we found the crowds to be reasonable.
We spent a week beach-hopping by motorbike and boat and had a wonderful trip.
In this Skiathos travel guide, I share our favourite beaches (both remote and lively), restaurants we loved, where we stayed, and other tips for the island.
At the end, you’ll find a Skiathos map with everywhere mentioned.
Contents
- Skiathos Tips
- Beaches in Skiathos
- Renting a Boat
- Skiathos Town
- Our Favourite Restaurants in Skiathos
- Where We Stayed on Skiathos
- Getting to Skiathos, Greece
- Skiathos Map
- Is Skiathos Worth Visiting?
- More Greece Posts
Skiathos Tips

- Skiathos is doable by public transport – In summer, there are buses every 10 minutes along the south coast, so many people beach hop that way.
- Rent a vehicle for more freedom – We loved the flexibility of renting a 200cc scooter (€20 per day, arranged via our hotel), especially since the northern beaches aren’t on the bus route. If you don’t have a motorbike licence, consider an ATV (best for the dirt roads) or car.
- Parking is free everywhere – But it can be challenging to find in Skiathos Town (a motorbike is much easier).
- Pick up a free paper map – While Google Maps worked fine for directions, a paper map will show you all the beaches and which roads are unpaved.
- Carry some cash – Most places accept cards, but some of the sunbed rentals (usually the most expensive ones!) are cash only.
- Tap water is high in minerals – On the advice of our hotel, we reluctantly drank bottled water (ugh, the plastic!) to avoid upset stomachs. There are mixed opinions on this, but we didn’t want to risk it.
- Don’t put toilet paper in the toilet – It can clog them. There are always bins provided.
Beaches in Skiathos

The beaches are why you visit Skiathos. There are over 60 of them and they are stunning—from golden sandy stretches backed by pine trees to pebbly coves under dramatic cliffs.
Sunbed Rentals
Most beaches offer sunbed rentals, which we appreciated for their comfort and shade.
On our visit, sunbeds in Skiathos cost between €12 and €30 a day for two beds and an umbrella. This was the last week in June (high season but not peak), and prices vary depending on the month.
When you arrive at a beach, take a seat where you like (unless there’s a reserved sign) and someone will eventually come to collect payment. There are often signs with the price, but if not, you might want to check with the attendant or at the nearest taverna (which often run them).
If you want to get a front row spot in high season, I recommend arriving before 10am (most open at 9am).
There are always free sections of beaches, though, so you could buy an umbrella (from €12) and save money. There are shops all along the south coast selling beach gear.
South vs North Coast Skiathos
The most accessible beaches are located on the south coast, where a tarmac road connects Skiathos Town (near the airport and port) in the east to Koukounaries Beach in the west.
It’s a 20-minute drive between them with many beaches on the way. The southern beaches are more developed, often with beach clubs and water sports rentals. They are generally sandier and sheltered from the northerly winds.
The north coast is far less developed, and for most, you’ll need to visit with your own transport or take a boat trip. The roads north are dirt and quite rough.
The beaches in the northeast are pebbly, while the northwest has some sandy beaches. It can be windier and wavier, so I’d avoid the north when there are strong northerly winds.
Although the northern beaches are quieter and have more natural settings, you can still find sunbed rentals and tavernas on many of them.
Every beach we visited was lovely; it just depends on what you are looking for.
Here are our favourite Skiathos beaches:
Krifi Ammos (North)

My favourite Skiathos beach is Krifi Ammos, which translates to ‘Hidden Sands’ and is often referred to as Hidden Beach.
It’s in the northwest corner of the island, not far past Agia Eleni, and although the last section is on a dirt road, it’s a pretty easy drive compared to the road to Ligaries. You do need to walk at the end, though.
We parked on the side of the road by the first sign for the beach and walked down the steep path to the beach—only about three minutes, but it’s harder on the way up, of course.
This small, picturesque bay feels far away from it all with a scenic setting beneath rugged, green cliffs.
The beach is a mix of sand and pebbles with clear water that was calm in the morning, but a little choppier in the afternoon when the wind picked up.
I saw a few fish while snorkelling (but I didn’t find any amazing snorkelling on Skiathos).
Sunbeds cost €20 and they do fill up, so I recommend arriving before 10.30am to get a spot (there were only a few others when we arrived at 9.30am, but it filled up fast).
Maria’s Taverna (called Kryfi Ammos Restaurant on Google Maps) is just above the beach and is a fantastic place for lunch. We really enjoyed our Greek salad and mezze with a lovely view down to the beach. We could pay by card.
Ligaries Beach (North)

Ligaries Beach is another quiet spot on the north coast.
This one is much harder to reach with a rough, winding dirt road up and down steep hills in the forest and even through a shallow river. We managed ok on a scooter, but I wouldn’t recommend it for novice or nervous drivers.
Ligaries is quite large, so there’s plenty of space to spread out, and the sunbeds didn’t fill up all day (you could even have got a front row spot in the afternoon).
At €12, they were the cheapest option we found, and we could even pay by card (although it’s best to bring cash just in case).
The beach is a mix of coarse sand and pebbles, so it’s not ideal for water games (unless you have water shoes). The sea is wonderfully clear as always, and was calm in the morning (again, things get a bit windier in the afternoon).
The area behind the beach isn’t that attractive, but you aren’t looking that way anyway.
Taverna Ligaries is a 3-minute walk behind the beach and is a wonderful place for lunch—again, we had a delicious selection of salad and mezze. It’s a popular spot and was full by 1pm, so go at 12.30pm when the kitchen opens (drinks are available earlier) or expect a wait.
The beach attendant can also take orders for drinks and deliver them to your sunbed.
Koukounaries Beach (South)

Koukounaries is the most popular beach on Skiathos. If you want a lively beach scene with water sports and beach bars, this is the place to go.
We prefer quieter beaches, but we still visited Koukounaries twice because it’s popular for a reason.
The golden, shimmery sand is the softest on the island, and the shallow, crystal clear water is perfect for playing games in the water.
It’s backed by pine trees, so it has a good amount of natural shade, but the shady free sections fill up fast.
Koukounaries is situated in a large, protected bay, making it a good choice when there are strong northerly winds.
We parked at the large free car park at the east end (the first entrance coming from Skiathos Town, near bus stop 23).
We walked across the bridge onto the beach and rented sunbeds from the second lot of beds (just past Da Luz Beach Bar), which felt a little quieter with no loud music.
At €30, they were the most expensive beds we rented, but they are padded and comfortable, and we found availability to be good into the afternoon (although it’s best to arrive early for the front row). Annoyingly, we had to pay cash.

We found the food at the beach bars to be mediocre, so I recommend picking up something from a bakery on your way.
There are various water sports places. We rented a jetski (€50 for 15 minutes) from SaltO—fun but short.
There are public toilets, showers, and changing pods at the beach.
Agia Eleni (South)

Agia Eleni is the last of the southern beaches, on the western end of the island just past Koukounaries. The road is paved, and you can drive right up.
It’s a pretty bay with a sandy beach backed by pine trees and is quite well protected from the wind. The sand is a little coarser than Koukounaries with a few pebbles around.
There are two beach bars with sunbed rentals for €20 (cash only). We chose the second one, Summer Beach, but later regretted it because it had a DJ, and the music got too loud in the afternoon.
The food was just ok (you can order to your bed, though), and the other place has even worse reviews, so maybe bring your own.
Agia Eleni is more chilled than Koukounaries, but it still has good facilities with water sports rentals and wheelchair access into the water.
My favourite time to visit Agia Eleni is at sunset. It has one of the best sunset views on the island and swimming in the shimmering sea was lovely. The beach bars stay open if you want a drink.

Elias Beach (North)

We didn’t spend long at Elias Beach (also known as Elia Beach) because we visited on a day with strong northerly winds, when the sea was too rough to swim.
The sandy beach looked beautiful, though, and I would have loved to spend a calmer day there.
There are plenty of sunbeds (maybe €15) as well as free space, plus a beach bar (cash only) that gets good reviews.
Elias Beach is past Krifi Ammos, and you have to drive down a dirt road to get there. Some people walk through the forest—about 30 minutes from Bus Stop 23 in Koukounaries.
Renting a Boat

One of the best things to do in Skiathos is to take a boat trip. This allows you to reach some gorgeous beaches that aren’t accessible by road.
Head down to the old port to find an array of boat tours on offer from all-day Mamma Mia trips to the neighbouring island Skopelos (where the famous movies were filmed) to simple water taxis to Lalaria or Tsougria.
If you prefer to book in advance, consider this Mamma Mia Island Cruise or this Cruise to Lalaria, Kastro, and Tsougris.
We prefer renting our own boat in Greece, and Skiathos is a great place to do so.
You can rent certain boats without a licence—they are easy to drive and you can loop around the whole island in a day (as long as the wind isn’t too strong), stopping wherever you feel like it.
We rented a boat with Skiathos Boat Hire at Paralia Vasilias (we booked a few weeks in advance via WhatsApp).
Their cheapest boat is €130 a day, but we paid €160 for Katerina, which is newer and more spacious, so we could both lie down on the padded seats when anchored.
Fuel is extra and cost us €45. All boats include a cool box (bring ice and plenty of water), shade canopy, a dry bag (to swim to shore), and ladder for easy access after swims.
Rentals are from 10am – 6pm, but the comprehensive safety and orientation briefing lasted 45 minutes. It was still plenty of time to sail around the whole island with four swim stops.
Next time I’d bring my AirPods as the boat engines are noisy.
Our first stop was Lalaria, considered the most beautiful beach on Skiathos. It’s only accessible by boat, but all the tours go here, so it was crowded by the time we arrived, and we didn’t stay long.
The pebble beach is lovely under dramatic cliffs with a stone arch you can swim through.

Next was Kastro (Skiathos Castle), where you can see the ruins of the ancient capital high on the hill.

We found an empty bay just past here and enjoyed the serenity of our private beach and a swim in the astonishingly clear turquoise water.

We continued on past the northern beaches, choosing the ones we wanted to return to by road. We had a packed lunch with us, but Taverna Ligaries was recommended by the boat owners if you don’t mind swimming to shore (we returned another day and highly recommend it).
We stopped for more swims at an empty beach past Megalos Aselinos Beach and again just past Troulos on the south coast. There are so many options, but it makes sense to focus on the less developed north.
Our final stop was Tsougria Island, which has a couple of lovely beaches and incredible water. There are tavernas on both beaches.
It was our favourite day in Skiathos and we highly recommend renting a boat if you have the budget. The freedom to stop at any beach you want is wonderful.
Skiathos Town

While our days were spent on the beaches, our nights were filled with wandering and dining in Skiathos Town. The capital is the only significantly sized town on the island (although there are clusters of accommodation and restaurants along the south coast).
It’s a picturesque place that feels quintessentially Greek—cobbled lanes, whitewashed buildings with blue shutters, and vibrant pink bougainvillaea. Tavernas spill into the streets, and you can dine under vines.

The Old Port is a great place to stroll, enjoy a drink, and take a boat tour. There’s plenty of nightlife in this area, but earlier in the evening, the scene is chilled.

Mostly what we did in Skiathos Town was eat—see our favourite spots below.
Our Favourite Restaurants in Skiathos

We found the food quality generally high on Skiathos, except for a few beach bars on the south coast (pick up a pastry or sandwich from a bakery on the way instead).
We’re vegetarians and found good options for us everywhere, especially on the starters menu—we preferred a selection of shared mezze instead of mains.
Use our Skiathos map below to check the Google Maps listings and see the latest opening hours. Many restaurants close in the off-season.
Skiathos Town
- I Love Souvlaki – We kept going back for the delicious halloumi pitta. It’s quick and affordable (under €5) and they have a lovely vine-filled garden (or you can opt for a takeaway).
- Alaska – We ate gelato here almost every night. All the flavours were so good, but the After Eight Mint Stracciatella was my favourite. Simon loved the Banoffee. The tables outside are perfect for people-watching on the main street.
- Marmita – A very popular restaurant (book days ahead) with elegant versions of local dishes. The grilled Mastelo cheese was our favourite dish of the trip. Vegetarian and vegan options are marked on the menu. The vegan moussaka is popular, but I found it a bit heavy in the heat and wished I’d ordered more starters and salads. The cacio e pepe wasn’t that great (Simon’s fault for ordering a Roman dish in Greece).

- Nikos Restaurant – Affordable mezze with a variety of vegetarian and vegan options marked on the menu. The outside seating was a bit cramped, and the meat cooking outside might deter some vegetarians. For pittas, I prefer I Love Souvlaki, but there is a good range of dishes here.
- Avlios Yard Restaurant – A pretty courtyard setting and tasty mezze. Our bread was straight from their wood-fired oven (they also do pizzas).
- To Palouki – Classic taverna with charming seating on a side street. It’s more affordable than many places and our mezze were good, if nothing special. They have a vegan moussaka we didn’t try. There are lots of cute restaurants nearby.
- Las Ramblas – Simon’s favourite place for coffee. They have single-origin beans. Stick to the espresso, as the V60 was not well brewed.
North Skiathos
We were surprised to have two of our favourite meals at somewhat remote beaches on the north coast.
These are classic Greek tavernas with simple but delicious food, perfect for a break on a beach day. We enjoyed a selection of mezze and Greek salad at both.
- Taverna Ligaries (open for food from 12.30pm – 6pm) on Ligaries Beach.
- Maria’s Taverna (also called Kryfi Ammos Restaurant) on Krifi Ammos.
Where We Stayed on Skiathos

There’s a wide range of accommodation on Skiathos, almost all of it on the south coast.
Skiathos Town has some affordable options and is convenient for bus travel, but we preferred being in a more natural setting.
We stayed at Hotel Paradise up a hill, a 10-minute drive outside Skiathos Town. They have a free shuttle bus into town, but it’s fairly limited, so we preferred renting a motorbike.
We liked the peaceful location and the views of the sea and hilly interior.
There’s a pool, but it was only open from 10am – 6.30pm, and we didn’t use it. Pool/beach towels aren’t provided so bring your own or buy them on the island (around €10).
This is an old-school, family-run hotel. Our room was basic, with rather dated decor, but it had a balcony with a sea view. The bed was quite comfortable, and we had plenty of storage space.


Rooms have fridges and air conditioning but no kettles. I recommend stocking your fridge as drinks in the hotel are expensive.
It’s a sprawling hotel without a lift. We were furthest from reception on the 2nd floor, and it was a bit of a maze to get there with lots of stairs. If you have mobility issues, ask for a ground-floor room near reception.
Breakfast was a basic buffet, but I enjoyed my Greek yoghurt and fruit. Simon thought the coffee was terrible, so he went into town to Las Ramblas.
Overall, Hotel Paradise was a solid budget-friendly hotel that attracts an older crowd. We liked the location, but it might be a bit isolated for some.
Check prices and availability for Hotel Paradise on Booking.com.
Getting to Skiathos, Greece

Skiathos is one of the Sporades islands. There’s an international airport (JSI) with direct flights from various European cities.
We flew from London Gatwick with Tui. Flights were expensive, so book far in advance. There are also flights from the UK with Easyjet, British Airways, and Jet2.
You can also arrive by ferry from Volos and Mantoudi on the Greek mainland.
Skopelos Island is only 30 minutes away on the quickest ferry, so you could combine the islands (I’d like to do this next time).
You can use a site like Ferry Hopper to find routes and book.
Skiathos Map
Is Skiathos Worth Visiting?
Skiathos is definitely worth visiting if you’re looking for a relaxed island with lots of beautiful beaches.
It’s easy to get there and get around (even the furthest beach was only 30 minutes from our hotel).
Skiathos Town is charming with good shopping, dining, and nightlife, but it’s the only major town on the island.
There’s not much to do on Skiathos beyond the beaches (although in a cooler month, I’d have liked to try the hiking trails), but if you’re looking for sand and sea, Skiathos is an excellent choice.
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