Skíathos (Skiathos) in Greece

Skiathos is one of the 3 islands in the complex of North Sporades. The other 2 are Skopelos and Alonissos. Being the one closer to the mainland, Skiathos has seen an enormous growth of the incoming tourists over the last years. The trip from the port of Volos is only 2 hours and a lot of locals from North Greece, choose Skiathos for their summer vacations. The city of Skiathos has many many choices when it comes to food and going out. The wealth of choices also goes for the beaches. The main road that runs along the south coast will bring you to many sandy beaches, some deserted and some totally equipped with beach bars, umbrellas and water sports. A visit to the isolated old castle of the island is a must, but avoid going there in a hot summer afternoon.

Skiathos has been inhabitated since the prehistoric years (1100 BC) and already in the 8th century BC was a large center. Locals cultivated olives and grapes and the wine from Skiathos was well known. Romans, Byzantines, many pirates, Venetians and Turks came by the island. The locals took part in the Greek Revolution against the Turks in 1821 and in 1830 were unified with the newly created greek state. It was then that the locals left the Castle in the rough north side-where they had find shelter from the raids and conquerors – and came back to the port, where Chora now is.

Number service

24270

Police

24270 21111

Taxi

24270 24461

Tourist Assistance

24270 23172

Skiathos is a generally safe destination. The summer sun tends to get very strong. You should not take the risk of dehydration, sunburns or even heat strokes lightly. Wear appropriate clothes, maybe with a hat and sunglasses; use sunscreen; bring enough water on excursions and know when to stop exhausting yourself and seek the shade of a tree.

Medical Center

24270 22222

Clinic

24270 29011

Pharmacy

24270 22988, 24270 21230, 24270 2666

Dentist

24270 21401, 24270 22384

Travel to Skiathos in June, July or September. It's not too crowded and the weather is perfect for swimming.

By boat

Skiathos is accessible via ferry from Volos, Agios Konstantinos, and Thessaloniki

Cruise ships dock at the Chora Port.

Visit www.openseas.gr and search through all ferry schedules to/from Skiathos and the rest of the Greek islands.

By plane

The island is served by an International Airport (World Airport Code JSI.). The airport is situated north-east of Chora. It is served from Greek destinations by Olympic Airways, and from northern European destinations in summer months by charter and some regular scheduled airlines (currently including Austrian Airlines, ) usually only once or twice a week.

By bus

Public buses operate throughout the islands.

By taxi

Taxis are easy to get from the port to anywhere on the island

By car

It is not worth the hassle to bring your own car to the island, although it is in theory possible. You can rent a car or a motor scooter. Asphalt roads run across the south of the island. Roads in the interior turn out to be little more than dirt paths.

By motorcycle

Motorbikes and mopeds are popular alternatives to cars. Especially mopeds are frequently used by local youths and can go to many places that cars cannot go-for example the twisted narrow streets of Skiathos city. An additional advantage is that they are cheap to rent-10 to 15 Euros a day is the usual price.

If you start a day-trip with a moped, make you sure you do so on a full tank, as gas stations are sometimes hard to find. An extra stop at a gas station can save a lot of nerves. When renting a moped, check if the profile of the tyres is ok and if the brakes work properly. If it is the last vehicle in store, be suspicious-it could be the one that needs a repair badly. Though helmets are not required on the streets, it might be a good idea to ask your rent-a-bike for one, especially if you intend to drive on streets with more traffic.