Top 5 Ways To Get To Know Skiathos, Greece

With over 60 beaches and 100 kilometres of trails to choose from, Skiathos has more than you can possibly see in a single trip. This blog post is going to be your quick introduction to what Skiathos has to offer. Attendees of the World Trails Conference can either choose to join an orgniased and guided Trail Journey to experience the island or make their own plans by arriving early or departing late from the conference.

5. Visit destinations to learn about the island’s history & culture

How would you like to visit a monastery founded in 1794 and learn about the stories of the Greek insurgents who took shelter here during the final years of Ottoman rule? The Evangelistria Monastery is also the location where the earliest version of the Greek flag was created. Cool fact: the loom is still there for you to see it!

Other cultural destinations on the island include a museum showing the style of a traditional house here in Skiathos and a museum of the house of beloved folk author Alexandros Papadiamantis, who even had a book titled Tales from a Greek Island, all about Skiathos.

If this isn’t enough, there is a castle overlooking the sea that was inhabited in the 14th century when life here was under repeated threat of pirate attacks.

4. Wander the walking trails everywhere

Skaithos is home to hundreds of kilometres of pathways because, as you can imagine, before cars walking was the primary way of getting around on land. With considerable modernization and maintenance work completed by a Skiathos trails lover, Ortwin Widmann, the island’s trail infrastructure emerged from the greenery and was put back on the map.

More recently, World Trails Network member organization Paths of Greece worked with the Skiathos municipality to be able to further trail development, waymarking, and accessibility! Go out an enjoy these beautiful trails weaving through rich pine and cypress forests. Even better, many of them visit beaches (more on that at the end of this blog post)!

3. Taste the Mediterranean in Downtown Skiathos

The food found in the numerous fine dining restaurants of Skiathos is not to be missed! Locally grown ingredients, fresh catch from the sea, and wine will combine for a delicious way to truly get to know Skiathos and some of the best of what Greece has to offer. No meal will be complete without a healthy dosing of local olive oil and hand-harvested salt flakes. Trust me; this is what you’re going to miss once you’ve returned home after the World Trails Conference.

Skiathos is the perfect town for wandering at night to look for dinner or drinks. Enjoy the ambiance and walking the maze of cobble pathways leading through town.

2. Biking or Horseback Riding Adventures

There are a number of companies available for bike rentals in Skiathos, making it possible to be able to cover more ground to see the entirety of the island. You’ll note that the road conditions vary, making adventurous bikers able to access areas most rental cars should avoid!

For those who horseback riding, tours include both trail and beach trots. Another fun fact for you: Greeks revered horses and the word horse in Greek is άλογο (álogo)!

1. Visit the Beaches (Of course!)

There are so many beaches on Skiathos you are sure to find your favourite. Do you prefer to have a restaurant, watersport rentals, or hotels nearby? There are plenty of beaches for you to choose from. Many offer umbrella stands, chairs, and towels for a fee, which is nice for those who travel light.

Alternatively, if you prefer to trek away from other travellers to have a beach to yourself, there are even more beaches to chose from! Trails of varying length tend to lead to beaches that have fewer travellers and make for quieter and more intimate beaching. Your effort to walk further than others will definitely be rewarded with these bright blue seascapes.

As you may guess from some of the images, the cliffside of the island also means that some beaches are best reached by boat. Luckily, there are many options for boat tours departing from the main harbor. Now that’s how to get away from it all! No zoom calls allowed.