Where to Stay on Skiathos: Best Hotels & Beach Resorts (2026)

From Koukounaries to Skiathos Town, here’s what to expect from every beach area on the island.

This is part of my Greek beach resort series. Choosing where to stay on Skiathos can make all the difference to your trip. I’ll guide you through the various beach areas on Skiathos, and tell you where to find the best beaches and hotels.

Shortlist – The Best Places to Stay on Skiathos

Best Boutique/Luxury Hotels on the Beach: Elivi Resort & Spa, Hotel Skiathos Princess Resort
Best Smaller Resort Hotels: Radisson Resort Plaza, Mandraki Village, Dome Island, Skiathos Holidays Resort
Best Budget Hotels on the Beach: Troulos Bay Hotel, Angeliki Beach Hotel
Best Boutique Stay in Skiathos Old Town: Meltemi Hotel
Best Budget Stay in Skiathos Town: Atlas Hotel
Best Resort Hotels Near Skiathos Town: Mystery Luxury Residence, Skiathos Luxury Living
Villas with Infinity Pools: Olivia’s Villas, Villa Salina, Thalassa
Best Family Resort Hotel: Hotel Skiathos Princess Resort
Beautiful Quiet Places for Couples: Atrium Hotel, Cape Kanapitsa Hotel & Suites, Elivi Resort & Spa
Where to Stay for Nightlife: Skiathos Town
Prettiest Quiet Area: Kanapitsa Peninsula
Where to Stay with Kids: Agia Paraskevi, Troulos, Achladies

Sun loungers on Koukounaries beach, with a colourful wooden signpost in the foreground. — Koukounaries Beach.

Skiathos – A Quick Guide

NORTH – wild and forested with dirt tracks and remote beaches, no beach resorts
SOUTH – Skiathos Town and all of the beach resorts are located on the south coast and linked by bus
WEST – the blockbuster beaches plus walks through Mandraki forest
EAST – the airport landing strip separates Skiathos Town from the Punta peninsula, Xanemos beach and a cluster of 4 small islets

Skiathos is green and lush, but hilly rather than mountainous. It’s about 7 miles long with over 60 beaches, most of them sandy.The capital, Skiathos Town (also known as Chora), is on the south coast, with most of the beach resorts to its west along the main coastal road.

Skiathos is popular with package tour operators (particularly UK) thanks to its international airport and generous beaches, but most of the buzz is in Skiathos Town. You’ll definitely feel the presence of the English but most of the restaurants are Greek and the scale of development is low-key.

The beach resorts (if you can even call them that) themselves are small and quiet. It’s worth emphasising just how small and quiet they are. They can’t really be called villages – most don’t have a centre to speak of. All you’ll find is handful of tavernas, maybe a beach bar or two, and a mini-market if you’re lucky. They’re all too small to have anything else in the way of entertainment or amenities. So Skiathos tends to be more popular with older and younger travellers than with families. Beach bars are busy in the day but nightlife moves back to Skiathos Town for the evening. There are no proper nightlife bars in the resorts. Also, if you like having somewhere to stroll around in the evening then your only proper option is Skiathos Town. Even in Skiathos Town, the nightlife vibe is more bars than clubs, although a few open-air clubs do open along the airport road just for the July-August period when there’s an influx of Greek and Italian youngsters.

Most of the beach areas have a similar vibe, with slight differences in clientele and the types of hotel. But they’re all so close and linked by the same road that I would recommend choosing based on accommodation that you like the look of, as they’re all similar in terms of amenities and access. That said, I still have my favourites!

Skiathos is affectionately referred to as the ‘boomerang island’ for the number of return visitors it gets, and by the sounds of it half of these go to Troulos and the other half stay in Skiathos Town or very close by.

Some of the accommodation in the resorts can feel a bit dated, but the boutique gentrification wave has arrived over the past few years. There’s accommodation catering to all budgets although it can get very expensive (and busy) during the July and August peak.

The Beach Edit:

Best Beaches on Skiathos: There’s hardly a bad beach on Skiathos, but the most beautiful are surely Koukounaries, Big Banana and Little Banana. They’ll be crowded though. I also really like Vromolimnos and Kanapitsa. The beaches in the north are wild and windy but fun to hike to. You can also take boat trips to the beaches at uninhabited islands like Tsougria and Arkos, or the stunning turquoise waters at pebbly Lalaria.

Best Beach Bars on Skiathos: Baracoa (Tzaneria)), Agia Elenia Beach Bar, Diamanti Beach, Porto Paradiso (Vromolimnos).

How to Get There:

Skiathos is a 25-minute flight from Athens. Alternatively, there are 4 different ways to catch a ferry: from Volos, from Agios Konstantinos, from Mantoudi on Evia, and sometimes from Thessaloniki in the peak summer. I always use Ferryhopper for schedules and tickets.

Skiathos Airport is international. Return flights to/from London are usually with charter airlines so not the cheapest, but keep an eye on Skyscanner to find the best fares.

How to Get Around:

Skiathos also has an excellent bus service, one of the best on the islands for tourist use. It does help that pretty much everywhere is on the same road. Plus, water taxis run between Skiathos Town and the main beaches during the summer months.

See How to Use the Bus in Skiathos for more details.

You’ll only really need to hire wheels if you want to get to the off-road tracks and secluded beaches on the north coast. I wouldn’t recommend a quad/ATV or scooter unless you’re already famility and definitely insured – instead, it’s popular to rent a Jimny 4×4.

Water Taxis:

The following beach resorts have a water taxi service in high season:

Vassilias
Achladies
Kanapitsi/Tzaneria
Vromolimnos
Koukounaries

Blue shuttered white buildings at Skiathos Old Port — Skiathos Town

Skiathos Town

Skiathos Town is the island’s lively capital and home to most of the island’s resident population. You might recognise some of the harbour from its appearance in Mamma Mia! The Old Port area is picturesque, with whitewashed neoclassical buildings, colourful, woodwork and tiled roofs. There’s a Venetian island fortress (known as Bourtzi) sitting in the middle of the harbour, now home to a cafe and outdoors cinema.

The main commercial street is Papadiamantis Street, which starts just opposite where the ferries dock. Here you’ll find cafes offering breakfast and fruit juices, cheap souvlaki joints, souvenir shops, and clothing boutiques. There are also some lively evening bars near the waterfront which can get quite noisy into the early hours during the summer.

The ‘club strip’ is on the airport road – Ammoudia – where you’ll also find outdoor cafes where people congregate to watch the planes land (it’s one of the most dramatic runways in Europe!).

It’s one of the more expensive places to stay on the island, though there are still some old-school budget rooms if you look.

To get a feel of Skiathos Town check out Exploring Skiathos Town – A Quick Guide.

Stay in Skiathos Town

Central Picks

If you’re after boutique vibes, Meltemi Hotel is freshly renovated and has balconies overlooking the harbour. This is the perfect location if you’re just in Skiathos for one night before catching the ferry to Skopelos or Alonissos.

Bourtzi Boutique Hotel is a modern town hotel with a pool, this time centrally located (with soundproofed rooms) and with a popular cocktail bar.

Other boutique rooms in town include:

Hotel Villa Orsa is a hidden gem in a beautiful historic building with views straight out onto the rocky shore below. However, it is difficult to access (steep walk required) and somewhat more basic than you might expect from the rather grand exterior with its ornate wooden balconies.

Atlas Hotel is one of the best value places to stay on the island – it has spotless modern rooms with orthopaedic mattresses, good showers, friendly staff and breakfast included. It’s right on Papadiamantis Street. And Chrysoula’s Guest House has old-school charm with impeccable views.

On the Outskirts

If you don’t mind a bit of a walk to/from town, there are hotels with more space and often a pool. Further outside town (and uphill) are some amazing views.

Megali Ammos

Megali Ammos is the first proper beach around the headland due west from Skiathos Town. It’s walkable into town (10-15 minutes, uphill required). and a popular choice with visitors who want the best of both worlds. There are enough tavernas and beach bars to keep you occupied for a few days.

The beach is narrow and it does get busy during summer days as it’s so close to town.

There are some pleasant walks in the hills. The main road runs a block or two behind the beach (slight uphill) and is on the bus route.

The beach from Swell Bar in Megali Ammos. — Swell Bar

Stay in Megali Ammos

There are a few choices for accommodation right on the beach. Angeliki Beach Hotel is the best of them – clean bungalow rooms with a shady garden that leads straight to Swell Bar, their friendly beach bar, and sun loungers on the beach. It’s a good choice for solo and sociable travellers.

Nimfi Suites, also just behind Swell, has modern vibes and an unusual triangular pool.

Also leading straight to the sea are the fresh suites at Megali Ammos House, at the town end of the beach.

Behind the main road at the town end, KB Ammos has stylish rooms, some with a plunge pool or hot tub.

At the other end of Megali Ammos is luxury resort hotel Aegean Suites which has sea views from its generous pool, and wellness amenities.

Vassilias

Keep walking down the main road and the Megali Ammos morphs into Vassilias. It’s not so much a resort as a few hotels placed near a beach.

The sand here is a bit grey and gritty and it’s also quite a few steps down to the beach from the main road, but on the plus side this beach doesn’t get too busy – particularly the stretch next to the road.

Stay in Vassilias

The accommodation around these parts is mostly resorts with their own pools, making the most of the views – such as the 5* Kassandra Bay Resort & Spa, and the luxury suites at Golden King.

Traditional family-run Vassilias Beach Hotel and Suites is good value and has the advantage of being right on the beach (though some buildings are situated further back than others).

Path leading down to Achladies beach. — Achladies

Achadies

The first proper resort area that you come to along the coast is Achladies. It’s small but popular – accommodation is never too far from the beachfront here. There are a few friendly tavernas and cafes along the beach and in the backstreets.

Achladies is connected to Skiathos Town by water taxi as well as bus and it does get busy in the summer days, but makes a sensible base for the best of both worlds.

The beach itself is not the most exciting on the island – it’s narrow and a mix of sand and gritty pebbles which can feel quite sharp underfoot, but you there are softer patches at either end of the beach. Nevertheless, it’s clean and popular with families.

Stay in Achladies

The obvious place to stay in Achladies is Esperides Beach Resort which is right on the beach. This big chunk of concrete is probably the closest thing Skiathos gets to ugly tourist development. Better to be in it than looking at it! It’s a traditional family-run hotel and looking a tad dated, but you can’t beat it for proximity to the beach. You can book it through tour operators like TUI.

Cape Blue Suites is a small and comfortable aparthotel situated on the headland, with great views to either side.

Boats moored at pretty Tzaneria beach, flanked by pines. — Tzaneria beach

Kanapitsa

The nub of land between Sklithri and Kolios is known as the Kanapitsa Peninsula, Cape Kanapitsa, the Kalamaki Peninsula, or some combination thereof. It’s probably my favourite area on the island – quiet, with great beaches and some of the island’s prettiest scenery. Kalamaki is popular with Greeks tourists and Germans who appreciate the walking trails which criss-cross the peninsula and visit hidden beaches.

It’s perfect for couples looking for somewhere tranquil and beautiful, though it might be too quiet for some. There’s only one or two places to eat. And the distance from the bus stop means you have to be happy with walking or to hire some wheels.

The main area for accommodation is Kanapitsa Bay which incorporates 3 beaches – Sklithri, Tzaneria and Kanapitsa itself. From Kanapitsa Bay you can also walk across the Kalamaki peninsula to Vromolimnos. Sklithri is the nearest beach to the main road and has parking for those who want to visit the waterfront taverna for a fresh fish supper.

Tzaneria is a 5-minute walk down a dirt track that has good parking. It has watersports, a jetty for the water taxi, and is home to Baracoa Beach Club & Restaurant, one of the best (and most popular) beach clubs on the island.

There are a few mini-markets around for those with self-catering, but most of the hotels are surprisingly big. Accommodation is up in the surrounding hills rather than directly behind the beach so be prepared for steps.

Kanapitsa beach is the next bay around and also has a water taxi service and beachfront taverna.

Stay in the Kanapitsa Peninsula

Accommodation is a mix of secluded villas and resorts making the most of the views, though there are some budget studios available too.

Uphill between Kanapitsa and Tzaneria is the Cape Kanapitsa Hotel & Suites which has great views and is a good choice if you’re happy not to leave your hotel so often (except to go for a jog).

Skiathos Blu is an adults-only resort tucked away up in the hills and bookable through tour operators like TUI . Thankfully, it has a decent pool because it’s at least 350 steps down to Tzaneria beach! Check before you book to see if they’re running shuttle buses or have the funicular up and running.

On Kanapitsa Beach, Radisson Resort Plaza Skiathos is set back a bit but has a pool and sea views.

Vromolimnos

Technically Vromolimnos is also part of the Kalamaki Peninsula, but it feels quite separate. The beach itself is a 10-15 minute walk off the main road and is one of the nicest beaches on the island, with lovely sand and an inviting pine fragrance. There’s a small dried-up lake behind the beach adding to the natural atmosphere, and watersports at one end.

The lack of development and access makes it a great place for nature lovers in the shoulder season. in the summer months, the beach bars here are surprisingly lively.

Stay in Vromolimnos

There are only two places to stay in the area – Skiathos Holidays Resort is the closest to the beach (5-10 mins) and set in its own manicured field with an emphasis on the outdoors.

The other place to stay is the budget-friendly Angelos Studios, a bit further back.

Kolios

Kolios has a lovely sweep of beach with coarse golden sand, languid shallow waters and lovely sunsets. Despite its decent size, it’s not as busy as some of the other beaches on Skiathos. The vibe here is quiet and traditional.

There are small boats for hire so you can reach the secluded beaches along the coast. Parking is available, and Kolios is within walking distance of Agia Paraskevi for extra food options and amenities. If you like the idea of the Kanapitsa Peninsula but are worried it will be too quiet, Kolios is a great compromise.

Stay in Kolios

Kolios is a small beach, with most of the accommodation spread out from the main road. There’s a leaning towards budget studios and apartments, with a few villas tucked away here and there.

Tresor Boutique Home is a small guesthouse a short walk from the beach, and Kleopatra Villas are right by the sea.

View of Agia Paraskevi Beach from a headland to the west. — Agia Paraskevi beach

Agia Paraskevia/Platanias

Agia Paraskevi (also sometimes known as Platanias) is one of the best beaches on Skiathos – it’s wide, long (600m), sandy, suitable for families, with gentle waves and watersports available.

It’s a beach of two halves really, with the luxury resort Hotel Skiathos Princess encroaching on the western end and offering day beds and fancy loungers for guests.

There’s little development directly on the beach itself. Towards the eastern end, you’ll find a few beach bars and tavernas. The beach is backed by pines and grassy scrub, parking spaces, and the remains of an ambitious development. Behind this, you’ll find the main road and bus stops.

Agia Paraskevi is the most resort-y feeling of all the settlements along the south coast. It has a few sports bars and mini markets selling inflatables and poolside reading. It’s one of the best places on Skiathos for families with young children.

Stay in Agia Paraskevi

The 5* Hotel Skiathos Princess Resort has direct beach access and is highly rated for service and amenities. It’s ideal for families.

Alternatively, 4* Atrium Hotel has fresh modern rooms and sea views.

If you’re looking for a large villa in the area then GoldiLocks should fit the bill (sleeps 14), particularly if you’ve got kids to entertain as it has a large pool as well as steps directly down to the beach.

Troulos

Troulos is a favourite with return visitors to the island thanks to its lovely beach and a good variety of restaurants. If you’re looking for a base with a variety of eateries so you don’t have to trek into Skiathos Town for your evening meal then Troulos is probably your best bet. There’s also a sports bar and sometimes live music.

It’s quite spread out (there are 3 bus stops) and doesn’t really have a ‘centre’ – hotels and apartments line the secondary roads out of town as well as the main road, forming a triangle shape.

The sand is soft and nearly as nice as at nearby Koukounaries, with a lovely view over the domed islet opposite which gives Troulos its name (the word means domed). There are a few basic tavernas by the sea – no loud music here, so popular with young families and mature couples who appreciate its simplicity.

Stay in Troulos

Troulos Bay Hotel has a perfect location slap bang in front of the beach. It’s a traditional-style family guesthouse, but on the more comfortable side. There’s plenty of self-catering accommodation to be found in the triangle.

A little further down the beach, set ever so slightly back from the beach, Dome Island is the chi-chi option in Troulos. Some rooms have sea views.

Koukounaries

Ah Koukounaries, it is the most famous beach on Skiathos – and also one of best sandy beaches in Greece. You’ll understand once you see it. This beautiful crescent of fine golden sand is ringed by picturesque pine forest, lending the water a dazzling emerald colour. The waters are crystal clear and shallow, perfect for kids (and big kids). Imagine it before tourism!

The area behind the beach is a protected natural area comprising pines and is home to Lake Strofilia, a unique wetlands habitat. This has protected the beach from any permanent development – there are just a few wooden beach cafes/bars linked by a boardwalk. The dive centre is at one end, watersports at the other. There’s also a small pier where you can catch water taxis to other destinations on the island and mainland as well as boat trips.

Koukounaries village is not a large resort. There’s one road with low-slung development, running behind the lake. Accommodation options are more limited than you might expect. There’s a handful of souvlaki joints (I like Under the Pine Tree), pizza places, and casual restaurants.

It’s the last stop for the Skiathos coastal bus end (and the bus heading back into town gets very busy in the late afternoon/evening).

Beyond Koukounaries, there are a few more beaches that you can walk to – including a few that take you through the beautiful Mandraki Forest. Luxury hotel Elivi occupies a few of these. If you like beach bars and sunsets it’s worth heading to Agia Eleni.

Stay in Koukounaries

All the accommodation in Koukounaries is off the main road that runs on the inside of the lake. There’s no beachfront accommodation. It’s a 10-20 minute walk to the beach, depending on the location of your hotel.

If you like a room with a view then reliable luxury resort Skiathos Palace has stunning vistas of the bay. It’s up on the hill before Koukounaries though, so a bus ride or steep walk to the beach (smaller Maratha Beach is easier to reach).

In the town itself, Mandraki Village is a 10-minute walk to beach access at the east end. It has recently had a boutique refit and is now the standout in Koukounaries. It sits in a large landscaped garden, has a small pool with plenty of loungers, and gets rave reviews for its breakfast.

5-star Elivi is the best luxury resort hotel on the island. It sprawls across a hilly headland containing several of the island’s best beaches. Rooms are boho-chic. The Grace section of the complex consists of luxurious suites, many with private pools or infinity pools, overlooking Ambelakia Beach (pictured below). The Nest complex has larger villas each with a pool. Finally, there are a few larger villas up above Little Banana Beach.