Skiathos combines natural beauty with cultural richness, making it an ideal destination for travelers seeking both relaxation and adventure. Whether you’re lounging on spectacular beaches, exploring historic monuments, or immersing yourself in local traditions, Skiathos promises an unforgettable Greek island experience.

Let’s see what you can do on this beautiful island. Trust me, you won’t have time to see all its beauties and you will want to come back, like I did 🙂

Skiathos town

The charming capital is known for its picturesque waterfront, bustling restaurants, and lively nightlife. Stroll through the narrow alleyways lined with traditional whitewashed houses and colorful bougainvillea. There are some important landmarks here that you don’t want to miss:

Bourtzi Fortress – This small peninsula separates the old and new ports and houses the ruins of a Venetian fortress, offering stunning views of the town and sea. Here you can find the Naval Museum, just be careful with the schedule, as it might be closed.

Alexandros Papadiamantis house – Photos are not allowed inside and the entry fee is 5 euros

Skiathitiko Spiti – a family inheritance where you can have a glimpse in the daily life of a family from Skiathos in the past century. This is a private property, it doesn’t belong to any museum at all. The entry fee was 4 euros, if I remember correctly and you can pay only in cash. At the end of the tour, the sweet girl in charge of the house served us with raki and loukoumi.

Church of Agios Nikolaos – take the stairs from the port and climb to the church for amazing views

Skiathos old port – packed with tavernas and cafes, it served as a filming location for the scene in Mamma Mia! when Sam and Harry miss the ferry to get to Sophie’s wedding. It also the place where boat day tours usually start and where cruise ships dock

Monastery of Evangelistria – Located in the hills above the town, this historic monastery was instrumental in the Greek Revolution and offers a glimpse into the island’s religious heritage. It also the place where the first flag of Greece was made. The entry fee to the museum is 2 euros and photos are not allowed inside. There is also a shop where you can buy products made by monks, such as raki, beeswax cream, soaps, etc. Outside the premises, just a short walk, you will find a very nice cafe (very crowded, btw) and the Church of the Holy Spring, with beautiful paintings

Koukounaries Beach: Often cited as one of the best beaches in Greece, Koukounaries features soft golden sand and crystal-clear waters, surrounded by a fragrant pine forest. When I was there, an Italian lady said something like: “Who wants to go to Maldives when we have this beauty so close to home?”

Lalaria Beach: Accessible only by boat, Lalaria is famous for its unique white pebbles, turquoise waters, and dramatic rock formations. Make sure you wear water shoes

Day trips by boat

There are 3 day trips by boat that I strongly recommend, in the following order:

Skiathos island tour, Pelion and Tsougria

Lalaria Beach – see photo above

Kastro – Time for swimming, coffee or if you want to walk to the oldest settlement in Skiathos

Katigiorgis, Pelion – lunch at one of the tavernas located on the beach, literally with your toes in the sand. I recommend the octopus spaghetti

Tsougria – take a short walk to the abandoned olive press (careful here, it smells like anti-tetanus vaccine from meters away) or climb to the church at the top for amazing views

Mamma Mia! cruise

Yesp, you will hear all ABBA songs all the way to Skopelos and back, as this themed cruise will take you to the iconic filming places of Mamma Mia! movie.

First stop is Kastani Beach, where they filmed the “Lay all your love on me” with Sophie and Sky, before they go to their stag/hen parties.

Next stop is Panormos beach, with time for lunch

Visit to Agios Ioannis chapel – the wedding scene

It can be visited during the stay at Kastani or Panormos. It takes around 40 mins and it is scheduled to the minute. You will have to book it on the boat and a 20 seat mini bus will wait for you at a specific meeting point to pick you up. Then drive to the chapel, which is on the other side of the island and then you have 20 mins or so to climb the stairs to the chapel or just take pictures and enjoy an ice cream. The stairs leading to the top are steep, there is no shade so make sure you wear suncreen, hat and comfortable shoes. NOT SUITABLE for people with mobility issues, height sickness, small children or people with heart conditions. If you miss the mini bus back, you will have to take a taxi back to Panormos, as public buses are not that frequent and the boat will just leave you there is you are not back when you are supposed to.

Last stop is at Milia Beach, the “does your mother know that you’re out?” scene

Cruise to Skopelos and Alonissos

First stop is Skopelos Town, with visit to the old city, where there are no cars and with so many instagram worthy places – I will detail it in a separate post, as there are so many nice things to see there

Alonissos – Patitiri – time for lunch and visit to old town (you can get there by public bus, taxi or the bus provided by the cruise organizer)

Kastani beach – time for swimming

IMPORTANT: As all these trips include sailing in open sea, the schedule will be adjusted depending on weather conditions or the trips can be completely cancelled! Remember that the captain has the final decision and as in aviation, his main priority is the safety of the passengers and the crew. Also, if the port authority does not allow that specific boat to leave the harbour (it’s too small for the wind speed, for example), there is nothing the captain can do about it. It’s just like when you fly with a small private jet and yell at the pilot that “BUT RYANAIR JUST TOOK OFF, WHY CAN’T YOU?” Well, you are flying with a Cessna 172 with max 4 passengers and a propeller, as heavy as a Smart for 2 car, not with a 737 with two engines that can reach up to 830km/h in speed and weights around 80 tons.

You can book these from local agencies, from the port, your tour operator and GetYourGuide.

See you next in Skopelos 🙂