On Skiathos, pine trees grow almost down to the sand, and excursion boats wait in the harbour for another day at sea. This small Greek island suits a holiday of beach days and long dinners at a taverna. You can also stay close to the bars and shops if you’d like your evenings to last a little longer.
But where should you stay in Skiathos? Would you prefer a hotel by a good sandy beach, or somewhere you can walk back to after dinner in town? In this guide, I’ll take you through five areas that offer quite different holidays.
The Best Areas in Skiathos
- Skiathos Town - best area for first-time visitors
- Megali Ammos - best area for a beach close to town
- Koukounaries - best area for a beach holiday among pine trees
- Troulos - best area for families
- Agia Paraskevi - best area for a comfortable beach holiday
Below, I’ll help you choose an area in Skiathos and recommend good hotels across several price ranges, from simple rooms to a more luxurious beach stay.
1. Skiathos Town - best area for first-time visitors 🍷
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’ll be in the island’s main town, around the harbour and Papadiamanti Street.
- 🚕 Transport: You can walk around the centre and take the bus to the south coast’s beaches.
- ✈️ Journey from Skiathos Airport: Allow around 10 to 15 minutes by car, depending on access to your hotel.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. Small town hotels give you more options than the large beach resorts.
- 👮 Safety: Keep an eye on your luggage at the busy harbour, and choose a side street to avoid noise from bars.
Skiathos Town is my first choice for a holiday with a little more than sun loungers and sea views. You can wander down to the harbour after your morning coffee, choose a restaurant without arranging transport and finish the evening with a drink.
It’s particularly convenient on a short break, when you don’t want to spend your time sorting out how to get around.
Shops line Papadiamanti Street, while the streets leading up through the Old Town feel quite different from the waterfront. Bourtzi divides the harbour and makes a useful landmark for finding your bearings.
I’d choose a central side street over a room directly above a bar, so you can enjoy the town without necessarily hearing it from your bed.
See hotels in Skiathos Town here.
Beach days take a little more planning. You can walk to Megali Ammos, but the bus makes more sense for Koukounaries and the other beaches further west. The local operator’s routes and timetables are useful for a holiday without a hire car.
Services change with the season, so don’t plan your return journey around an old timetable. A hotel near the harbour is also handy if you’re arriving by ferry.
I stayed in Skiathos Town on my first trip to the island back in 2009, and I think it’s a lovely, welcoming little town.
I’d choose the town for a holiday with boat trips, restaurant visits and days at different beaches. With small children and several trips between your room and the sand each day, a beach hotel is easier.
If you’re travelling via Athens and spending a few days there first, my guide to where to stay in Athens can help with that part of the trip.
Places to Stay in Skiathos Town
These three hotels offer different ways to stay centrally. I’d choose according to how much time you expect to spend at the hotel.
La Piscine Art Hotel - best choice for adults wanting a pool close to town
La Piscine is an adults-only hotel with a large pool, around a five-minute walk from the centre. It’s a good compromise if you’d like to swim at the hotel in the afternoon and choose your own restaurant in the evening. I’d particularly consider it for a couples’ holiday where a pool matters more than direct beach access.
One Booking.com guest praises the staff: “Very polite and helpful staff.”
See photos and book La Piscine Art Hotel here.
Skia by Premium Key - a good town hotel for a comfortable room
Skia is in town, around a nine-minute walk from Plakes Beach. It’s my suggestion if you’d rather have a comfortable base between outings and restaurant visits than pay for a large resort. Here, I’d put the hotel budget towards the room itself and head to the island’s larger beaches during the day.
Michael comments on his night’s sleep on Booking.com: “The bed was very large and incredibly comfortable.”
See photos and book Skia by Premium Key here.
Mouria Hotel - a good small hotel close to the harbour
Mouria has a restaurant and terrace in a central location a short walk from the harbour. I’d choose it for a holiday where you only return to the hotel after dinner and location matters more than resort facilities. The central address also makes it convenient if you’re continuing your trip by ferry.
Maka describes the location on Booking.com: “About a two-minute walk from the harbour.”
See photos and book Mouria Hotel here.
2. Megali Ammos - best area for a beach close to town 🏖️
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’ll be just west of Skiathos Town. Many hotels are around a 10 to 25-minute walk from the centre.
- 🚕 Transport: You can walk into town or take the coastal bus to the other beaches.
- ✈️ Journey from Skiathos Airport: Allow roughly 10 to 20 minutes by car when planning your journey.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€. A seafront location and your room category make a substantial difference.
- 👮 Safety: Check the walking route to your hotel. Hills and the main road can make the walk less straightforward than the distance on a map suggests.
Megali Ammos is the area I’d choose to have both a beach and town life nearby. The beach is just west of Skiathos Town, so you can start the day by the water and walk into town for dinner later.
Stay at the end closest to town and you won’t need to decide between a bus and a taxi every evening.
Check the exact address, though. The area stretches along the coast and up the slopes, and a hotel with a view may sit higher than its photos suggest. A short distance as the crow flies tells you little about the walk with a pushchair or tired legs.
I’d choose the shorter walk over the biggest balcony if you expect to eat in town every day.
See hotels in Megali Ammos here.
The beach itself is convenient for regular swims, but I’d still spend a couple of days further along the south coast. Koukounaries, the next area in this guide, gives you more of that feeling of a beach surrounded by woodland.
At Megali Ammos, you can combine a quick dip with shopping, coffee or a boat trip from the harbour. Being able to drop your beach bag at the hotel before dinner without finding transport is a real advantage.
For a couple’s first visit, I think that combination is hard to beat. The area also works with children if you choose a hotel with sensible access to both the beach and the road.
For a holiday where you’ll barely leave the resort, I’d spend the money further west. Here, you’re mainly paying to have two different ways to spend your holiday within easy reach.
Places to Stay in Megali Ammos
Skiathos Avaton Suites & Villas - a good choice for a stay with a view
Avaton Suites & Villas is around a seven-minute walk from the beach and just under two kilometres from the harbour. I’d consider it if you’d like to retreat a little after a day in town. The location is less suitable if your priority is walking straight from your room onto the sand.
Kaye praises the help during her stay on Booking.com: “Very attentive and good at keeping us informed.”
See photos and book Skiathos Avaton Suites & Villas here.
Skiathos Thalassa Cape Hotel - best choice for a beach right by the hotel
Thalassa Cape is a few metres from Megali Ammos and has rooms overlooking the garden or the sea. It’s the beach access I’d pay for here, especially for a quick morning swim before breakfast. Choose your room category according to the view, as not every room overlooks the sea.
Jory writes on Booking.com: “The staff were polite, attentive and welcoming.”
See photos and book Skiathos Thalassa Cape Hotel here.
Nimfi Hotel, Skiathos - a simple beach hotel a short walk from the water
Nimfi Hotel is around 30 metres from the sandy beach, giving you a convenient beach base without choosing a villa or suite. It suits days spent out and about, with the beach close at hand. This is Nimfi Hotel, which is a different property from Nimfi Suites.
Reynolds praises the breakfast on Booking.com: “Very good food.”
See photos and book Nimfi Hotel, Skiathos here.
3. Koukounaries - best area for a beach holiday among pine trees 🌲
- 📍 Distance to the centre: You’ll be in the south-west of the island, around 12 kilometres from Skiathos Town.
- 🚕 Transport: Koukounaries is the last stop on the coastal bus route. A car is useful for more remote places.
- ✈️ Journey from Skiathos Airport: Allow roughly 25 to 35 minutes by car when planning your journey.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. You’ll find both studios and one of the island’s more expensive resorts here.
- 👮 Safety: Stay clear of marked water sports areas, and don’t leave valuables on the beach while you swim.
Koukounaries suits a trip to Skiathos where the beaches are your main reason for coming. Pine trees stand behind the pale sand, and you’ll be in the island’s south-western corner with several beaches nearby.
Staying here gives you a different holiday from a base by the harbour. I’d spend most days in swimwear and save a trip into town for an evening or two.
The beach is one of the island’s best known, so I wouldn’t choose Koukounaries expecting to have it to myself. There are sun loungers, water sports and plenty of people in the summer season.
Staying nearby means you can arrive early or linger a little longer without fitting the whole day around transport from the other end of the island.
See hotels in Koukounaries here.
You don’t have to eat at the hotel every evening. The area has tavernas and smaller places to eat, and some studios have kitchens. That makes Koukounaries an option on several budgets, even if the most expensive resort rooms tend to dominate image searches.
I’d compare the total cost of accommodation and meals if the alternative is a hotel stay with more meals included. A studio with a kitchen can make particular sense for a longer family holiday where you’d otherwise buy every meal out.
The coastal bus terminus makes it possible to stay here without a car, but an evening in Skiathos Town still means planning your return journey.
For other Greek islands with woodland and beaches, I’ve covered the holiday towns in my guide to where to stay in Corfu. On Skiathos, I’d choose Koukounaries when the beach’s setting matters more than having lots of bars outside the door.
Places to Stay in Koukounaries
You can stay at a resort or make your own breakfast in a studio. These three choices suit different needs.
ELIVI Skiathos - best luxury resort near Koukounaries
ELIVI covers a large site by Koukounaries and the Banana beaches, with several accommodation areas, a pool and a spa. I’d choose it for a holiday where you’ll spend plenty of time at the hotel. Take a little time over your room choice, as its position within the resort affects your daily walk to the beach and shared facilities.
Pierre praises the breakfast on Booking.com: “A wide choice and fresh food.”
See photos and book ELIVI Skiathos here.
Mandraki Village Boutique Hotel - a good hotel with a pool close to the beach
Mandraki Village has a pool and restaurant near the area around Lake Strofilia. I’d consider it for a beach holiday with a hotel that’s also a pleasant place to spend the afternoon. Its location lets you move between the hotel and the beach without adding a drive to the day’s plans.
Julie describes her room on Booking.com: “My room was so comfortable and quiet.”
See photos and book Mandraki Village Boutique Hotel here.
Maistrali Studios Skiathos - a good budget choice with your own kitchenette
Maistrali has studios with kitchenettes in a large garden close to Koukounaries Beach. It’s a sensible choice if you’d like to spend your money on outings and tavernas and prepare some meals yourself. I’d particularly choose this kind of accommodation for a longer holiday, when it’s nice to have breakfast at your own pace.
Anne writes about the kitchen on Booking.com: “The kitchen is fine for simple meals.”
See photos and book Maistrali Studios Skiathos here.
4. Troulos - best area for families 👨👩👧👦
- 📍 Distance to the centre: Troulos is around nine kilometres south-west of Skiathos Town.
- 🚕 Transport: The coastal bus connects the area with town and Koukounaries. You can enjoy a local beach holiday without a car.
- ✈️ Journey from Skiathos Airport: Allow roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car when planning your journey.
- 💰 Price range: € to €€€. Studios and apartments are good alternatives to villas.
- 👮 Safety: Supervise children by the water, and check whether the walk to the beach crosses the main road.
Troulos is one of the first places I’d consider for a trip with children. The local tourism website describes it as a family beach with shallow water, and the area has both restaurants and a good choice of accommodation.
It’s a holiday village where you can keep daily life simple without staying at a large resort.
For me, the main advantage is being able to choose accommodation with a kitchen and still have tavernas nearby. You can have breakfast at your accommodation, lunch by the beach and dinner out. That gives you some flexibility when the children get tired at times that don’t fit restaurant opening hours.
Skiathos Town is also close enough for an afternoon and evening out.
I’d distinguish between Troulos by the beach and properties further uphill. Some of the lovely villas are set back, which makes a car a bigger part of the holiday. If you’ll be walking back and forth with beach gear, the exact location matters more than an extra bedroom.
For two families with a hire car, a villa can be a very good choice. You’ll get the most from the location if the beach and local tavernas are where you expect to spend much of your time.
Troulos is less suitable if you’d like a different cocktail bar every evening. I’d come here for the beach and relaxed dinners.
If you’re still comparing Greek family holiday areas, you can also read my guide to where to stay in Zakynthos. Here on Skiathos, Troulos is a good place to make the holiday easy for the whole family.
Places to Stay in Troulos
Cave Luxury Villas Skiathos - a good villa choice for two families
Cave Luxury Villas has a pool and an accommodation option with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus a kitchen on each floor, as one guest describes. The floors are connected externally, so the arrangement suits two families better than young children sleeping alone downstairs. I’d choose it for a shared holiday where both families would also like their own space.
Samuel writes on Booking.com: “We all had our own space.”
See photos and book Cave Luxury Villas Skiathos here.
La Luna Hotel - a good hotel with a pool and views
La Luna has a seasonal pool, garden and bar, so you can spend some of your holiday days at the hotel. I’d consider it for a stay where relaxing by the pool matters as much as going to the beach. It’s also a good alternative if you don’t need to rent an entire villa.
Katianna comments on Booking.com: “Fantastic views, good rooms, good bar.”
See photos and book La Luna Hotel here.
Yiannis Studios - a good budget choice with a kitchen near the beach
Yiannis Studios has accommodation with kitchens, around a five-minute walk from Troulos Beach. I’d choose it if location and self-catering are your priorities for keeping the overall holiday cost down. A kitchen is particularly useful with children when you want to prepare a quick lunch between trips to the water.
Natalia comments on transport on Booking.com: “A two-minute walk from the bus stop.”
See photos and book Yiannis Studios here.
5. Agia Paraskevi - best area for a comfortable beach holiday ☀️
- 📍 Distance to the centre: The area is around 8.5 kilometres south-west of Skiathos Town.
- 🚕 Transport: You can take the bus along the south coast. A car is useful if your accommodation is further uphill behind the beach.
- ✈️ Journey from Skiathos Airport: Allow roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car when planning your journey.
- 💰 Price range: €€ to €€€. Hotels with pools and views make up a sizeable part of the choice.
- 👮 Safety: Several hotels are on a slope. Check steps and access if anyone in your group has difficulty walking.
Agia Paraskevi is my suggestion for a good sandy beach and a comfortable hotel without going all the way out to Koukounaries. The beach is roughly halfway along the developed stretch of the south coast, and the area has places to eat, bars and water sports.
It works well as a base for a week where most days begin by the pool or the sea.
You’ll also come across the name Platanias when you look at hotels here. Knowing that helps you avoid assuming that a hotel by Platanias Beach is somewhere else entirely.
I’d particularly consider Agia Paraskevi for couples or families with older children who’d like to walk to the beach and have some freedom from a fixed daily plan.
See hotels in Agia Paraskevi here.
The area’s hotels are both close to the water and up on the hillside. The view can be a large part of the appeal of a higher hotel, but it also means hills or steps on the way back.
For a holiday with small children, I’d choose an easy route to the beach over a better view from the terrace. An adults-only group might well make the opposite choice. A centrally located beach hotel makes everyday trips particularly easy.
I’d choose Agia Paraskevi over Skiathos Town when the hotel and beach are your main priorities, but you’d still like to take the bus to the harbour. Between Agia Paraskevi and Troulos, I’d let the individual hotel decide.
The two areas are close enough that the room type, pool and beach access often matter more than the differences between the resorts themselves.
Places to Stay in Agia Paraskevi
Atrium Hotel - a good hotel with a pool and sea views
Atrium sits above Platanias Beach, with an outdoor pool and a sun terrace overlooking the sea. I’d choose it for a holiday where you want to spend time at the hotel rather than just sleep there. Its elevated position is part of the appeal, but also the reason it wouldn’t be my first choice for anyone wanting to avoid hills.
Konstantinos describes the stay on Booking.com: “Very clean, comfortable and convenient.”
See photos and book Atrium Hotel here.
Magic Hotel - a good family hotel with a pool near the beach
Magic Hotel is on a hillside around 250 metres from the beach and has both a pool and a children’s pool. I’d particularly consider it with older children who’d like to walk to the water while the adults stay by the pool. The hotel restaurant also makes a quiet evening in an easy option.
Tamsin writes on Booking.com: “An easy walk to a fantastic beach.”
See photos and book Magic Hotel here.
Villa POLYTIMI - a good apartment choice with a car
Villa POLYTIMI has apartments in green surroundings and is an alternative to the area’s hotels with pools. I’d choose it for a holiday with a hire car, visiting different beaches and having space to spend the evening at your accommodation. Its position further inland makes it less suitable if you want to do everything on foot.
VeljkoSRB praises the space on Booking.com: “The apartment is large, clean and has a huge terrace.”
See photos and book Villa POLYTIMI here.
Where should you not stay in Skiathos?
I wouldn’t choose a remote hotel in the north for a first trip to Skiathos without a hire car. You can certainly find a lovely property, but it may turn even dinner into a drive.
Lalaria is somewhere to visit on a boat trip, rather than a conventional holiday area with hotels and restaurants by the beach.
If you like an early night, I’d also avoid a room directly above the nightlife in Skiathos Town. Equally, I wouldn’t send you all the way out to Koukounaries if your main aim is to go out every evening. It’s more about avoiding the wrong location for your holiday than any particular area being bad.
For a first holiday, I’d start with Skiathos Town or Megali Ammos. The town gives you the easiest base for restaurants and trips from the harbour, while Megali Ammos makes the beach part of everyday life without putting you far from the centre.
Choose somewhere with a walk that suits your group, and use the bus for beaches further away.
I’d choose Koukounaries for the sand and pine trees, Troulos for an easy family holiday and Agia Paraskevi when the right hotel with a pool and a good beach matters most. You don’t need to change hotels to enjoy several beaches on Skiathos.
It’s better to find a base you’ll enjoy coming back to and leave a couple of days open for trips along the coast. On a short visit, I’d keep one base and visit the other beaches from there. That way, you won’t spend half a holiday day packing and changing hotels.
Have a lovely trip to Skiathos. I hope this guide to the best areas has helped you find the right hotel for your Greek holiday.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
Psst 👀 Have you subscribed to my Youtube channel and my Instagram where I provide more useful travel tips?