Skiathos owes its name to its striking landscapes, a name which it has kept since antiquity. According to experts, the root “skin” (meaning shadow) comes from the many forests which cover the island. It has been inhabited without a break since the 10th century BC.
For centuries it has enchanted all those who come to know it, from Venetian and Dutch travelers and cartographers to modern sunseekers.
No words are sufficient to describe this unique island, two-thirds of which has been characterized as “Aesthetic Forest of Natural Beauty” with beaches and a coastline that are monuments of nature. Amongst these are Lalaria, Koukounaries, and Mandraki. Some of them are noisy and bustling but the majority of the island’s 67 beaches remain untouched by time and human hands and are peaceful even at the heights of the summer season.
The monuments of Skiathos are also fascinating. Kephala, the only site so far identified from the early historical period in the Sporades, is of particular importance since it was inhabited from the 10th century BC.
The northern shore of the island is dominated by Kastro (castle) which was established by the inhabitants of Skiathos in the middle of the 14th century AD when the site of the present town was abandoned to seek refuge from pirates raids by Turks and Venetians.
Take a walk through the town and “lose yourself” in Plaka, a conservation area which is dominated by the “Captain’s houses” and picturesque cobbled streets. You must stop at the house of Alexandros Papadiamantis, now a museum, as well as at the Bourtzi, the acropolis of Skiathos, which houses the Maritime and Culture Tradition Museum.
Skiathos, with its charm and abundant contrasts, is to a great degree just as Alexandros Papadiamantis left it. The island is not just a “classic” holiday destination where you can swim in the blue waters of exceptional beaches. it is now a popular tourist destination for those who want a different kind of vacation seeking in addition to relaxation, the unique experience offered by nature, and its bounty.
On the island, you will find opportunities for plane spotting, gastronomic and marine tourism. You may enjoy diving in the magical depths of the seabed. There are more than 300 species of fish in the Sporades as well as rare red corals.
Hospitable Skiathos teems with life and its beauty is as authentic as it is diverse.
