Holidays in Skiathos

Skiathos, Greece, is a beautiful island that is a popular destination with families and couples for holidays in the sun. Skiathos has over 60 beautiful sandy beaches and amazing coastal scenery, making it a picturesque holiday paradise. Skiathos is a surprisingly green island and the inland has many pine-covered hills that are perfect for taking a leisurely stroll in the shade. A holiday to Skiathos will be filled with long lazy days spent basking in the sun on a secluded golden beach, watching the world go by whilst sipping an Ouzo at Skiathos Harbour and pleasant boat rides around the coast of the island. Skiathos holidays provide fun evening entertainment and offer everything from lively bars to restaurants that all of the family will enjoy.

Skiathos has an abundance of hotels and accommodation and you will find that there is something to suit every budget and dream, from lively beachfront hotels to smaller more peaceful retreats. All hotels in Skiathos, Greece, are friendly and welcoming and offer fantastic facilities, comfortable accommodation and excellent dining opportunities. Skiathos accommodation offers a variety of board basis, such as Self-Catering, Half Board and All Inclusive.

Skiathos Town on is located on the eastern side of the island and there you will find much of the holiday accommodation, bars and clubs. The town is filled with bars, banks, Internet cafes, shops, restaurants and various other amenities. Much of the old part of the town was destroyed by German bombs in WW2 but if you explore the narrow cobbled streets set back from the waterfront you'll find the place still has its traditional charms. Whitewashed houses with red-tiled roofs are adorned with vibrantly painted shutters and colourful balconies bursting with bright bougainvillea flowers and sweet smelling jasmine. If shopping is one of your passions, a hotel in or near to Skiathos Town would be perfect because there's a huge variety of shops to choose from – stylish boutiques, souvenir shops, trendy arts and crafts centres and some elegant jewellers.

Skiathos is famous for its many beautiful sandy beaches and visitors will be spoilt for choice. Most of the beaches on the south coast of the island, including Koukounaries (which is reputed to be the finest beach in all the Aegean), do become very busy in July and August. However, you will always find that they have stunning, clear water and are excellent for swimming and snorkelling. Koukounaries has wonderful fine golden sand and warm shallow water, making it ideal for families with young children. Behind the beach are beautiful, shady pine trees where you can lie in the shade to escape the heat of the day.

On all the beaches in Skiathos there are water sports centres offering a variety of activities including water-skiing, Parasailing and Jet Ski hire. Other fantastic day trips include Skiathos Castle, which is a former principal medieval town, and is built on a rocky cliff that extends to the northern coast of the island. In the area there are remains of old structures such as the old town walls, the Turkish baths and much more. The Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin also makes a great day out. This monastery is located east of Mount Karafiltzanaka, 8 kilometres from the town. It was built in 1540 according to Mount Athos style, restored in 1738 and collapsed in the 19th century. The cruciform main church has been well preserved and has wall paintings dating from 1745 and beautiful icons on the carved wood 18th century templon.

With so much to see and do, this stunning island has something to offer each one of its visitors, making it the perfect holiday destination for everyone.