Last updated: September 2026
Skiathos holidays deliver an exceptional combination of beautiful beaches, vibrant social atmosphere and the allure of being the gateway to one of cinema’s most beloved filming locations. The small Sporades island is renowned for Koukounaries – widely considered one of Greece’s finest beaches – a long arc of golden sand backed by a canopy of umbrella pines at the edge of a lagoon. For UK couples, groups and Mamma Mia fans, Skiathos offers a uniquely appealing and memorably beautiful Greek island experience.
Skiathos suits couples, groups and fans of a lively evening scene particularly well. The island is small and compact – roughly 13 km by 6 km – making it easy to explore every beach and corner in a week. The town is animated and cosmopolitan for its size, with excellent restaurants, bars and boutiques along the waterfront. Boat trips to the surrounding islands and beaches are a highlight, and the Mamma Mia pilgrimage to Skopelos is one of the most popular day excursions in the northern Aegean.
Koukounaries at the western end of Skiathos is consistently voted one of the finest beaches in Greece – a broad sweep of soft golden sand curving around a sheltered bay, backed by a fragrant canopy of Aleppo pine trees (koukounaries means pine cones in Greek) and a nature reserve lagoon. The setting is genuinely beautiful, combining the shade and scent of the pines with excellent sea conditions and some of the clearest water on the island.
The beach is well equipped with sun loungers, beach bars and watersports facilities. A road and bus service connects Koukounaries with Skiathos Town along the south coast, making it easily accessible without a hire car. The adjacent lagoon – Strofilia – is a protected natural area with birdlife and a pleasant walking path around its perimeter. At the western end of the bay, a headland path leads to smaller, quieter bays including the Big and Little Banana beaches.
Skiathos Town is one of the most attractive and lively resort towns in the Sporades, built on two low hills around a natural harbour on the island’s south-east coast. The old town climbs the right-hand hill in a tangle of narrow lanes, traditional houses and flower-filled gardens, while the harbour front and main commercial street are busy with cafes, jewellery shops, restaurants and bars. The town has real character and energy throughout the summer season.
The Bourtzi peninsula – a small wooded promontory with a 19th-century fortification – divides the old and new ports and provides a pleasant evening stroll with views back to the town and across the harbour. The old harbour is the departure point for water taxis and boat trips to all the island’s beaches, the surrounding islands and the Mamma Mia locations. The evening volta – a traditional Greek promenade – along the main harbour front is a social ritual worth participating in.
Skiathos’s south coast is lined with a series of beautiful sandy beaches that range from well-developed and sociable to quiet and remote. Banana Beach, at the far western end of the south coast road, is a popular sandy bay known for its relaxed atmosphere and naturist-friendly section at the far end. The beach is accessible by road and has good facilities including a beach bar and sun lounger hire.
Between Skiathos Town and Koukounaries, the road passes a succession of beaches at regular intervals – Tzaneria, Nostos, Vromolimnos, Troulos, Platanias and Agia Paraskevi all offer good swimming and varying levels of development. The frequent bus service running the length of the south coast road makes beach-hopping straightforward and affordable. For those with more energy, the inland roads and paths crossing the island’s green interior are scenic and much less used than the coast road.
Lalaria on Skiathos’s north coast is one of those beaches that rewards the slight effort required to reach it with a genuinely spectacular experience. Accessible only by boat – no road reaches it – the beach is a horseshoe of smooth white pebbles enclosed by dramatic pale limestone cliffs pierced by a natural arch. The water is an extraordinary shade of turquoise-green, crystal-clear and beautifully cold. It is one of the most striking beaches in the Aegean.
Boat trips to Lalaria depart daily from the old harbour in Skiathos Town, typically combined with stops at nearby sea caves – the Skotini, Glazia and Halkini caves – that glow with extraordinary blue and green light as sunlight filters through the water. The full Lalaria and caves excursion is one of the finest boat trips available anywhere in the Sporades and should not be missed on a Skiathos holiday.
While much of the Mamma Mia film was shot on the island of Skopelos rather than Skiathos itself, Skiathos serves as the main transport hub for Mamma Mia pilgrims and is the departure point for day trips to Skopelos. The famous chapel of Agios Ioannis, perched dramatically on a rock above the sea at the northern tip of Skopelos, is where the wedding scene was filmed – and it is every bit as spectacular in person as on screen.
The town of Glossa on Skopelos and the port town of Skopelos Town also featured in the film, and day trips from Skiathos visit both. Skopelos is a beautiful island in its own right – even greener than Skiathos, with fewer tourists, quieter beaches and an exceptionally well-preserved main town. Combining a Skiathos holiday base with day trips to both Skopelos and the even smaller Alonissos island makes for an extremely rewarding northern Aegean experience.
Day trips by boat from Skiathos to the neighbouring Sporades islands are one of the highlights of a Skiathos holiday. Skopelos is just 1 hour away by Flying Dolphin hydrofoil and offers a dramatically beautiful main town, excellent beaches and the Mamma Mia chapel. Alonissos, further to the north-east, is quieter still and is surrounded by the National Marine Park of Alonissos, one of the largest protected marine areas in Europe.
The waters around the marine park are among the cleanest and most biodiverse in the Aegean, with the endangered Mediterranean monk seal among its protected inhabitants. Glass-bottomed boat tours of the marine park from Alonissos are excellent. Round-trip excursions visiting both Skopelos and Alonissos in a single day are available from Skiathos Town harbour – a full-day adventure that gives a wonderful overview of the Sporades archipelago.
Skiathos Airport (JSI) is one of the most exciting airports in Greece, with a very short runway that requires aircraft to pass low over a public road on final approach – a spectacle that has made it famous among aviation enthusiasts. Direct charter flights from UK airports have a flight time of approximately 3.5 hours from London. Direct flights operate from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and other UK airports during the summer season.
The airport is just 1 km from Skiathos Town and very close to the eastern beaches, making airport transfers short and straightforward. Taxis, buses and hire scooters cover the south coast road to Koukounaries easily. Boat taxis from the old harbour access the beaches along the south coast and the route to Lalaria. For peace of mind when booking, always check your holiday is ABTA protected.
| Airport | Skiathos Airport (JSI) |
|---|---|
| Main resorts | Skiathos Town, Koukounaries, Troulos, Agia Paraskevi |
| Highlight | Koukounaries beach – one of Greece’s finest golden sandy beaches |
| Best for | Couples, groups, beach, Mamma Mia fans, boat trips |
| Climate | Hot summers, lush green landscape, mild spring and autumn |
| Flight time from London | Approximately 3.5 hours |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
| Language | Greek |
Search4Sun compares thousands of Skiathos holiday deals from the UK’s leading tour operators, with departures from local airports across the UK. For peace of mind when booking, always check your holiday is ABTA protected.
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Skiathos is the better choice as a holiday base if you want beaches, a lively social scene and easy access to restaurants and nightlife. The island has excellent direct flight connections from the UK and a wider range of package holiday accommodation. Koukounaries and the south coast beaches are outstanding.
Skopelos is a wonderful island but better suited to independent travellers and those seeking a quieter, more authentic experience with fewer tourists. Many visitors do both – fly into Skiathos, spend most of their holiday there, and take a day trip to Skopelos and the Mamma Mia chapel. This is arguably the ideal approach to experiencing the northern Sporades.
The famous Mamma Mia chapel – Agios Ioannis sto Kastri – is on the northern tip of Skopelos island, about 1 hour from Skiathos by fast ferry. The 99 steps up to the clifftop chapel are exactly as shown in the film. Skopelos Town’s waterfront also featured prominently in several scenes.
On Skiathos itself, the Bourtzi fortification and parts of Skiathos Town appeared briefly in the original film. The sequel Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again used additional Greek locations. Day trip boat excursions specifically marketed as Mamma Mia tours depart daily from Skiathos old harbour in summer and include commentary on the filming locations.
Skiathos has approximately 60 named beaches for an island just 13 km by 6 km – an extraordinary density that makes it one of the best-beached islands in Greece relative to its size. Most are accessible by the south coast road or by water taxi from Skiathos Town. Several northern beaches, including Lalaria, are boat-access only.
The variety of beaches is impressive – from the long, pine-backed golden sand of Koukounaries to the dramatic white pebbles of Lalaria, sheltered family bays, nudist sections, lively beach bars and deserted coves. With a week on Skiathos, it is genuinely possible to visit a different beach every day without repeating yourself and without running out of options.
Skiathos is a good destination for families, particularly those with older children or teenagers who will appreciate the lively town and the boat trip adventures. Koukounaries beach is ideal for families – the water is calm, the beach well-equipped and the pine shade makes the hottest days manageable. The bus service along the south coast is reliable and child-friendly.
Families with very young children may find the pace of Skiathos Town at night somewhat lively – the island has a strong young adult following. However, the beaches themselves are peaceful during the day and there is no shortage of family-appropriate restaurants and activities. The variety of boat trips, including the Lalaria excursion, provides excellent family entertainment throughout the week.
June and September are the best months for a Skiathos holiday. The sea is warm enough for comfortable swimming, and the island is noticeably quieter than during the July-August peak.
July and August are the hottest and busiest months, particularly in Skiathos Town in the evenings, though the beaches rarely feel overcrowded given how many there are to choose from.
May is a good option for a quieter, greener visit, though the sea can still feel cool for some swimmers. Most hotels and tavernas close between November and April.
Most popular full-day tours
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