If you have not watched the sequel Mamma Mia, you have probably never heard about these Greek islands – Skiathos and Skopelos. They are definitely not part of the usual TOP 10, offered for summer holidays in Greece, but regardless are booming with tourists, thanks to the romantic Hollywood movie based on ABBA songs. I was quite sceptical, about if I should give it a try after exploring the most famous of the Aegean Islands in the past and being disappointed by some of them (Mykonos – an artificial anti-paradise). But here I am, off to Skiathos, the Mamma Mia’s idyllic getaway and the only one of the two mentioned above with an airport.

It was mind-blowing on arrival already. The views from the plane, the peculiar mini airport with a super odd and short runway in between two bays, the distance between the airport and Skiathos Town (the main town on the island), the colours, the Marina, the town hills…. Everything was extremely weird, never experienced before and I already knew it was going to be unique and outstanding. I’ve been everywhere in Greece, more than 30 times, the mainland, dozens of islands (both the Aegean and Ionian Sea), popular peninsulas, but was not prepared for what Skiathos was “cooking” for me. Let’s start with the landing on this piece of land, 6 km x 12 km (4 x 7.5 mi) only, part of the Sporades archipelago in the Northern Aegean Sea.

The Airport

In general, it’s not uncommon for aircraft to land at the edge of the runway, right from the seawater. You can experience this on most of the islands plus Beirut, Lebanon and Malaga, Spain. But on Skiathos, it’s upgraded. The landing and take-off experiences are both surreal. The planes are literally descending over the Marina‘s bay, almost touching the yachts, so you can witness each landing from the first-row seat. It is similar only to St. Marteen in the Caribbean where the planes land over the holidayers’ heads on the beach.

The other odd feature – the airport is less than 2 km (1.20 mi) away from Skiathos Town, so you can walk the distance, especially if you travel as light as I do. A beautiful walking pathway, meandering along the airport runway and coalescing with the Promenade (Paraliakos in Greek).

A truly picturesque walk along the sea. If you love walking like I do, you can save money from a taxi for such a short stroll. There is a bus stop next to Terminal 1. An Airport Shuttle is going directly to the town but you need to wait for it for about 30 minutes and anyway, the ride is to the bus station in Skiathos Town. For the time of waiting for the bus and the bus ride itself, on foot you will be already in your accommodation.

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If you are holding an EU passport, getting off the airport is a piece of cake. Super quick, easy, and hassle-free procedure. Once out of the Arrivals Terminal, turn left and follow the road along the runway. In about 400 meters (0.25 mi), you will be already at the Promenade with stunning surroundings – steps away from the seawater line, neighboured by Skiathos Bay, and a bunch of taverns and cafes with an open sea view. Pack light and enjoy the trek, it’s really worth it!

Skiathos Plane-Spotting

The aircraft landings are so spectacular here, that the locals turned them into an attraction. The spot where the airport runway ends and the bay begins is mega popular like the proper scene for tourists gathering and watching the offbeat landing. The usual time gap between the plane arrivals is about 30 minutes but there are some slots with a 2 to 3 hours break so you need to come prepared.

Skiathos Plane-Spotting, right at the end of the Promenade

I would advise studying in advance the schedule on the Skiathos Airport website. Check mostly the Arrivals because the usual routine is landing over the Marina but departing on the opposite side of the runway which is not visible. Of course, it depends on the wind, and in my case, we took off over the Marina but landed on the cliff side (very rare to happen).

While waiting for the plane, I would recommend sitting in the nearby Mylos Taverna. Fresh and delicious food, cheap for the island standards Frappe (€2.50), and plenty of the most popular here Greek beer Mythos. It’s just steps away from the Plane-Spotting Area. You can comfortably see the descending airplane and prepare yourself for the photoshoot. You can’t miss the right place as lots of spectators are heading there. Just move with the crowd.

Where to stay

I would recommend the flat part of Skiathos Town, cuddled in between two hills. This is the downtown, all restaurants are nearby, within walking distance of the Marina and bus station (crucial for the best vacation). The surroundings and junctions of Papadiamanti Street are considered the best area. If you don’t mind climbing daily the steep streets under the harsh sun you can also choose the hilly parts of Skiathos Town. It could be tiring and sweaty but cheaper and the sea views are worth it. Skiathos Town is relatively small and the distances are bearable, just mind the incline.

I chose for my stay the boutique hotel Kastro in the heart of the city and never regretted it. If you prefer to stay away from the nightlife and are looking for a more peaceful vacation, then out of Skiathos Town a good area to stay could be Kolios. Kanapitsa, Vromolimnos and Troulos. They are known mostly for accommodating mature couples, but at the same time are near the best beaches on the island.

Skiathos Town does not offer nice beaches and you need to find your way to the popular ones either by bus or by car. It could be quite challenging though, because the small island of Skiathos possesses 64 beaches. My favourite one, mentioned on my Instagram as well, is Troulos.

Transportation

I would never recommend renting a car on Skiathos unless you are a family of four or more. Skiathos Town is fully walkable. Going out of the town you just need to take the Koukounaries bus lane which runs every 15 minutes starting from 7 am. The last departure is at 1:10 am (yes, I am not mistaken), so it covers the route for about 18 hours daily. The course includes 26 stops which match the best beaches of Skiathos Island.

Super comfortable, quick, on time, clean, and air-conditioned. Ticket prices vary between €1-€3, depending on the distance from Skiathos Town, and can be purchased directly from the bus driver. The bus stops are designated by numbers (in case you cannot pronounce the beach name in Greek). It’s enough to tell the driver the number of your bus stop. The driver announces the bus stop number while approaching it, so you cannot miss it. Koukounaries is the last one on the route, N26.

You can visit different beaches daily or you can move from a beach to a beach within minutes and enjoy nature. There are buses also to the other edges of the island but they have different frequency and price, just ask at the bus station ticket kiosk about your preferred route and timing. “Bus station” is a call too exaggerated for the almost invisible bus stop next to the New Port. This is the place where the Airport Shuttle departs and arrives as well.

The other options are renting a scooter or ATV (All-terrain vehicle) – the most popular rental on the island for singles or couples. The daily price starts from €19. The good deal depends on your negotiating skills, the demand and the duration of the rental period. The posted on-the-board rates are desirable but not mandatory.

Boat Day Tours

Rule Number 1: Never Ever book a boat tour online. It’s more expensive online. The boat tours are crucial for Skiathos and you should not skip them. The only one which is a total waste of money and time is the “Around Skiathos Boat Tour”. I’ll explain later why. But having a boat ride on Skiathos is a total Yes Yes or Win Win situation, so just find your way out to it.

In the evening around 5 pm to 8 pm lots of boat tour agents could be seen at the Old and New Harbour (next to each other). Easily recognizable by their colourful standing boards and umbrellas. All of them offer more or less the same itinerary and destinations as follows:

1. Boat Tour to Skopelos Island – the most popular because of the Mamma Mia movie which was filmed there. The price per ticket varies between €35-€50. Sometimes it could be negotiated for €30 if it’s at the beginning of the season and no crowd.
   Highly recommended!
   +The first stop on the route – Lalaria Beach of Skiathos (the Northernmost and accessible by boat only) Beautiful place!
   +The next stop is the Mamma Mia chapel on Skopelos Island, then the Skopelos Harbour for about 2 and a half hours layover, enough time to explore the narrow streets with cute souvenir shops and have lunch at the Marina.
   +The last stop is the Cave of the Cyclop of Skopelos – the boat is just slightly getting in and stops for a while in the half cave.
   It’s a whole day boat trip from 10 am to 6 pm.
   My advice – Be at least 30 minutes before departure at the boat to grab a good seat!
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Boat Tour around Skiathos – total waste of money and time! About €40 per ticket. Uncomfortable seating, lack of enough shade, and too many people on board for the boat space.
   +It goes to Lalaria Beach first (not worth it if you have already been there with the Skopelos tour).
   +Then stops at a very tiny and dirty beach Kastro (the old capital of the island). Nothing to see there, only one small taverna, a beach covered by debris, and dirty seawater because of the boats embarking there.
   +The next stop is on the Greek mainland, across the sea, at Katigiorgis. It’s a sparsely populated bay, with a dirty beach (the seawater was somehow oily and sticky). Nothing to do there. You can have lunch in one of the two tavernas on the beach. Too long layover of two and a half hours, it’s not enjoyable.
   +The last stop of this tour was at Tsougrias. I booked this trip mostly for the last stop because this tiny island, opposite Skiathos Town, is very famous for its crystal-clear beaches. But disappointingly the boat embarked not at the famous beach but nearby at a secluded not maintained beach – annoying!
   I won’t recommend this boat tour!
   
   
   
   
3. Tsougrias Island Water Taxi – It runs several times a day. The single-trip ticket costs €12 per person. You can leave at 10 am from Skiathos Town and come back any time after 4 pm. The rides are every hour and reach the famous Tsougrias Beach, mentioned above. You can visit there the popular chapel where most of the Skiathos couples are getting married. It’s a beautiful place to spend a day or two and the boat ride is only 15 minutes one way. 
   Highly recommended!
   
   
4. Koukounaries Water Taxi – same as the trip above, it rides several times a day. There is a board and brochures with the timetable at the Old Harbour. It floats directly to the most famous beach on Skiathos Island – Koukounaries. One way ticket is €6 per person. The ride takes about 20-25 minutes.
   
   
   
   You can get to the same destination by bus for half the price, but the boat tour is really picturesque and provides breathtaking views of all the beaches along the way to Skiathos Town.
   I recommend trying it at least once!
   
   You can also combine going to Koukounaries Beach by bus and getting back to Skiathos Town by boat or vice versa.
   
   
   
5. Alonissos Island Boat Tour – the most remote of the Northern Sporades Island group. The tour is usually combined with a visit to Skopelos Island which is on the way.
   The price is €50-€60 per person. It’s similar to Skopelos with its narrow kind of frozen-in-time streets. Popular for observing the biodiversity of rare seabirds, dolphins, and the Mediterranean monk seal, monachus. It’s a whole day tour.
   Recommended if you have nothing else to do and are into the fauna!
   
   

It is also possible to reach out and leave Skiathos by ferry. Quite pricy though. I was curious to go to the nearest mainland city Volos for a day trip (only 60 km/ 40 mi away) but the cheapest price was almost €100 per person. Buying a single ticket one way was not an option because an overnight stay in Volos is required, not included in the ticket price.

The ferry prices to Skiathos compared with the airplane tickets are quite expensive. My Ryanair ticket cost me €13 each way for an international flight (backpack only). The cheapest ferry ticket to Evia Island, which is the nearest spot to the Greek capital Athens, and is connected to the mainland by bridges, was from €29 to €37 one way. So definitely recommend you land, not disembark on Skiathos.

Dining

The Mediterranean cuisine is amazing. Of course, coming to a Greek Island is highly recommended tasting a variety of seafood which is fresh by default. Mussels, octopuses, and squids are at the top of my list. Midia Saganaki (spicy mussels in tomato sauce), fried calamari, and grilled octopus are what I would suggest here.

Every time I travel to Greece, I always order Horta. Have you heard of Horta before? Mmmmm…it matches every main dish as a kind of salad or a side dish. The price per portion is about €5-€7. I have seen Horta only in Greece. It’s sort of wild greens, boiled or steamed, served with lots of fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Love it!

Do not miss the local home-cooked meals as well. I personally adore the stuffed with rice and raisins roasted bell peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Also, the giant roasted beans and Chicken Souvlaki (grilled meat on skewers). Greek Salad and Tzatziki are a must with every serving. If you are an eggplant fan (like myself) then this is Paradise as the locals have plenty of eggplant-based meals.

Long story short – don’t even imagine applying a lose-weight diet on Skiathos! It’s a dream that will never come true. On the contrary – lots of eating, delicious meals garnished with tons of ice cream are available on every street corner. If you are a beer admirer, Mythos, Esa, and Alfa are the best ones. I would recommend skipping Repi – too bitter for my taste.

Bear in mind that Skiathos is more expensive than Skopelos and the Greek mainland. The seafood varies between €16-€24 per portion. Cook food is cheaper, around €11-€16 per portion. Salads are in the range of €10-€15  per portion. The souvlaki depends on the number of skewers but it’s quite cheap as 1 skewer is about €2.50-€4.

I am not a big fan of the Skiathos downtown tavernas, they are over-priced and the quality is the same as in the rest of the restaurants. My favourite dining area is at the Promenade line on the way to the airport – lots of taverns, great views, spacious with delicious items on the menu, and attentive service. The beginning of that line is at Alkyon Hotel and you will see many dining venues along the way.

Probably I can write much more about this full of positive energy and joyful vibes piece of land that truly managed to surprise me. The island was not really popular with mass tourists before the first Mamma Mia movie, released in 2008. The second one, in 2018, dramatically boosted the number of visitors to both – Skiathos and Skopelos. There is a Summer Cinema in Skiathos Town where both movies are daily on the screen.

Skopelos Island, the original spot where Mamma Mia movie was shot, is twice the size of Skiathos but with a much lower population density. It’s more serene and somehow secluded than Skiathos. In addition, there is no such diversity of beaches, also, poorer options for adventure, transport, and entertainment. I find it a bit boring for a week stay but it’s perfect for visitors who are looking for solitude and tranquility. I guess that’s why most of the tourists lodge at Skiathos but visit Skopelos for a day trip.

If you have particular questions, please feel free to drop me a line, I would be more than pleased to assist you as Skiathos Island deserves a thumbs up. Do not hesitate and plan your island adventure, as the season will barely end by the end of October. I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed by booking a week trip to Skiathos. Enjoy as I did! 🙂