Hello Salala people !!
After coming back from holidays in Greece , a few people messaged me on Facebook for tips/advice and suggestions for places to go and see. So I thought it might be useful to share with you where we stayed, what we did , where we ate etc. and create a little guide of Skiathos and Skopelos for all of you salala viewers.
Plus I really want to share with you some of my favourite holiday snaps, so let's get started!
Arrival and Transport
We flew from Birmingham (as we couldn't find direct flights from Bristol) to Skiathos airport. As soon as we landed we picked up our pre-booked rental car. I must admit they gave us a relatively battered car which struggled up on the hills but it was very affordable. I noticed that the majority of tourists had rented quad bikes or 4x4 but our little Lamborghini (that's how we named our battered rented car ha!) was more than fine! It took us to all the beaches that we needed without breaking the bank. It seems like Skiathos has only one road that goes all around the island so trust me you will not even need to use GPS after day one.
You don't necessarily need to rent a car as the island has a good bus system that starts from the town and goes all the way down to Koukounaries beach and back. But I would recommend renting a vehicle to avoid waiting/queuing.
Accommodation
When I travel with my mum we usually book all inclusive but as James is a foodie we wanted to have the opportunity to experience different restaurants (they are mostly referred to as Tavernas in Greece). I actually preferred that as all inclusive holidays don't always inspire you to go out and about and explore.
If you really want somewhere that is peaceful and family friendly then I would highly recommend Kleopatra villas that is next to Kolios beach.
Beaches
You must (yeah you must) go to Koukounaries beach its just so blue , clean and dreamy ! It also has a cool bar with music and drinks and loads of watersponts. Next to this beach you will find the Mystique beach bar and if you want fancy cocktails then this place is perfect. Another beach that I really enjoyed is Agia Eleni it has a cool bar with outdoor pillows,a traditional Greek taverna , free beach volleyball and blue clear waters.
Great lunch at Mystique bar.
We really enjoyed playing beach rackets as it was our only form of exercise for the whole week.
We walked up to the clock of Skiathos to enjoy this lovely view.
This is the port of Skiathos after a busy (ok most likely lazy) day at the beach you should definitely go as it is full of bars and tavernas to eat and drink. Plus it is ideal for "people watching" ha!
Mythos is the only beer I drunk (and you should only drink!!) for the whole week.
One night we were so so so tipsy and whilst walking around the backstreets of Skiathos we stubbled across this taverna with live Greek music. I honestly believe that was the best Greek food I have ever had.So tasty plus the people were so lovely!
Gorgeous views from the Kastro of Skiathos (the old town)
We drove up north of the island and then walked all the way up to the Kastro of Skiathos.
If you dont want to get the day trip to Lalaria beach, then Kastro is a very similar beach that you can access after exploring the old town.
Mythos , fish and Greek salad ...I mean what else would you need?!
Next to the old town of Skiathos you will find this original taverna. I don't remember the name but don't worry because its the only taverna exactly on the Kastro beach.
We also visited the Monasteri of Evangelistria where you can see exactly where the first ever Greek flag was made. The monks there also make their own oil and honey!!
Skiathos has so many lovely sandy beaches which is unusual in comparison with other Greek islands.
The Mamma Mia boat cruise.
Shots from our daytrip in Skopelos.
One of my favourite parts ouf our holiday was our Mamma Mia trip to Skopelos. Yes a boat blasting Mamma Mia tunes all the way there and back took us to this lovely island for the day.
Go ahead and try some of the watersports.
One of the nights we got a boat and went to mainland Greece called Phlio. You can easily find those daytrips advertised around the port.
Some shots from Agia Eleni beach. This was the first time ever James played beach volleyball !! Hopefully he will get better and join me haha:)
I hope you have enjoyed this little guide.