Cheap Flights to Skiathos

Quick summary

Identity

Over 60 beaches on a small, easy-to-explore island

Skiathos is the smallest of the major Sporades islands, yet packs in more than sixty beaches along its coastline — a ratio few Greek islands can match. The Venetian Gizi (Ghizi) brothers took control of Skiathos in 1207, in the aftermath of the 4th Crusade, and built the sea fortress of Bourtzi opposite the town. By the mid-14th century, as pirate raids intensified, the island's capital shifted to Kastro, a cliff-top castle at the island's northernmost point offering far better protection. After the Venetians returned and were later ousted, the modern town — Chora — grew from the 1830s onward into the lively harbour settlement seen today. The island is also the birthplace of the significant Greek writer Alexandros Papadiamantis (1851-1911), whose former home on Papadiamanti Street is now a museum dedicated to his life and work.

Don't miss

Bourtzi, the peninsula dividing the two harbours

Bourtzi, no longer quite an island, is joined to the town by a small walkway and separates the Old Port from the New Harbour. Of the Venetian fortress once here, only traces of walls remain — the site is now a vibrant cultural hub with a café-restaurant offering sea views, a playground, and an open-air cinema and cultural events in summer, all set among shady pines. The Old Port, just past Bourtzi, buzzes with "Mamma Mia!" tourist boats and water taxis — much of the film was shot on Skiathos and neighbouring Skopelos, and the boat tours from here still draw fans of the movie. The New Harbour, home to the marina and ferry docks, comes alive in the early evening as locals and visitors settle in for happy hour along its pedestrianised waterfront.

Beaches

Koukounaries, Lalaria and the medieval Kastro

Koukounaries, the island's most famous beach, is a strip of fine sand fringed by pine trees running right down to the water. Lalaria, reachable only by boat from the Old Port, is prized for its pale pebbles, turquoise water and dramatic cliffs. On the wilder north coast, Kastro beach sits below the ruins of the island's former medieval capital, abandoned in the early 19th century and accessible only by sea. Banana Beach, popular with a nudist crowd, along with Mandraki, Vassilias and Kanapitsa for watersports, round out an island where changing beaches daily barely scratches the surface of what's on offer.

Atmosphere & nightlife

The most cosmopolitan of the Sporades

Skiathos is widely regarded as the most cosmopolitan and popular of the Sporades islands, with a lively nightlife strip along Ammoudi, the road linking the airport to town, lined with cafe-bars that morph into late-night clubs come evening. The Monastery of the Evangelistria, about 4 km from the centre, remains the most important historic site in the Sporades: it was here, in 1807, that the first modern Greek flag — a white cross on blue — was woven and blessed, later becoming a symbol of the 1821 Revolution. Horse riding on the beach and into the water, offered by the local riding club, is a distinctly Skiathos way to spend an afternoon between beach stops.

Getting around

An airport 2.5 km from town, planes overhead and ferries to Volos

Skiathos International Airport sits just 2.5 km from the town centre, making the island unusually quick to reach once you land — and giving planespotters a front-row seat, since aircraft fly in low right over the New Harbour on approach. Year-round ferries connect to Volos and Mantoudi on the mainland, with seasonal routes adding Thessaloniki and Agios Konstantinos. A taxi rank and small information point for room rentals sit right at the docks, making onward travel simple from the moment the ferry ties up.

When to go

When to visit Skiathos

Skiathos Airport

The gateway to the Sporades

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about flights to Skiathos