Skiathos is the smallest and most accessible of the Sporades islands -- only 48 km2 with the entire island easily explored in a day. Reliable charter flights from northern Europe (April to October), year-round connections to Athens, and a string of long sandy beaches along the south coast make it a natural base for exploring the Sporades. Despite its size, Skiathos has distinct areas with different characters: the vibrant port town, the quiet pine-backed Koukounaries beach, and the peaceful south coast villages.
15 points of interest
How to use: Numbers match the order below — use GPS coordinates to navigate offline.
For audio narration and photos, visit islandguide.eu/skiathos/ while online
and use the ↓ download button to save for offline.
Koukounaries is a 1.2-kilometre arc of fine golden sand on the south-west coast of Skiathos, consistently rated among the best beaches in Greece. The beach is sheltered from the prevailing north-east winds by the Pelion peninsula and backed by a dense stand of umbrella pines (Pinus pinea), which provide natural shade and give the beach its name (koukounaries means pine cones). Behind the pine forest lies the shallow brackish lagoon of Strofilia (also known as Black Lake), a protected wetland habitat for migratory birds. The sea in front of the beach is shallow and turquoise, making Koukounaries particularly popular with families.