The Skiathos Bulletin Board

Diamond · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 379 Location: Hertfordshire

Home again all too soon. Definitely a Boomerang club member now, in fact even thinking about buying a small place as a holiday home with view to retirement permanently after visiting Val and Kev in their most wonderful Villa in the hills overlooking Skiathos Town. However, more about that later.

As always everything is perfect when we arrive in Skiathos but our journey began when 15 mins from home the clutch on the car went and we had to virtually push our way back to the house and change cars – 4 people and 88 kgs of luggage in a small Fiesta does not do the suspension much good. Panicked all the way to Gatwick on the M25 !! Flight was rather bumpy over the UK and I really did not enjoy it and on arrival heard that many people on a Midlands flight had been extremely ill that day with no sick bags available. Cabin crew were not allowed to leave their seats to assist – it was horrendous by all accounts.

Anyway, now I have spoiled your dinner, as we land at that wonderful runway in Skiathos my stomach always turns and a tear comes to my eye – I feel I am home again and it’s a wonderful feeling. We left the plane to a heatwave and over the next few days it reached 46 degrees. Now I like the heat but it was rather draining – so just had to drink a few more cocktails to keep the fluids up !! Near the end of our first week there was a terrific wind late one evening which almost knocked you over walking up Papadiamantis Street. Towels had flown off the balcony and husband Tony had to jump in the pool at 2am to retrieve them – very sobering !!! The temperature then lowered to around 38 !

Which brings me to the Bourtzi Hotel. Booked on recommendation from this site. Thank you. It was excellent. Dimitris and his mother Maria were so friendly and accommodating and everywhere was so clean. We booked with the hotel independently and chose one of their superior rooms for ourselves and my daughter and her friend had a standard room. Their room was very nice, quite adequate and our room was just sumptuous including a bathroom with bath, overhead shower and constant boiling hot water. The balcony was the biggest and deepest I have ever had but what was best was that the room was cleaned every single day. Our air conditioning and safe costs were included in the price. The pool is good although with so many beaches we only really used it at the end of each day but the girls sometimes spent the day around it after arriving home from Club Row at 5am !! They also enjoyed the short walk to Megali Ammos beach where, although rather crowded, it has every conceivable watersport and they had an amazing paragliding afternoon. The Bourtzi Hotel also now has a bar called the Lobby which adjoins the pool terrace and then through to the street where non-residents can come in. The breakfast which people comment about is the same each day but, to be honest, fresh juice, coffee, bread, jam and cheese and ham if you wish, was quite adequate as far as we were concerned. I never felt that hungry in the heatwave they were experiencing but there are plenty of cafes just on the road if you want something more substantial. Breakfast is taken around the pool or in your room. A really lovely family and highly recommended. The location is excellent, a turning to the left, at the top of Papadiamantis Street. Surprisingly quiet. I now prefer staying in town and driving to the beaches – not so far to crawl home! And the police are very hot now on the island regarding drinking and no seatbelts or crash helmits on motorbikes is a €300 on the spot fine.

We booked our jeep as always through Victoria Car Rentals and they were excellent. We never have any problems with their cars and we did some pretty rough driving over to some of the bays on the North.

Thank you so much to the person on here who recommended Kechria Bay (cant remember who it was). What a charming and pretty bay. We didn’t walk as had been suggested – not in 45 degress !! and what a walk. I cant imagine how you get there from Kolios but maybe one day. However, I was told that you cant actually drive all the way to the beach. But it can be done ! We took the road to Ligharies and just before you drive onto that beach, there is a right fork which takes you up and over to Kechria bay. There is a STOP sign but ignore it. All the jeeps and even some cars drive down the track and park on the grass. It was so pretty and you can choose to sit on the grass or on the pebble bay. Excellent for snorkelling and Babis’ taverna does very good food. We spent many an enjoyable afternoon there and for those who remember my quest for Harry Potter to be brought out, Val and Kev obliged and my husband read the entire book laying on that beach. A highly recommended bay.

Another new one for us was Agistros. You see, I did take note of the Beaches link on here ! Stunning bay and once again, a good taverna.

We had to do Koukounaries and Banana once!! But mostly dropped the girls there and then headed off somewhere quieter. Banana has become very very crowded with pounding music by 2pm but the younger people enjoy it and the watersports are there as well. Were able to actually get the jeep right down to Banana this year – that was a fun drive !! Not seen cars there in previous years.

The girls went on the Round the Island boat trip and told us that this year they now take the boat right into Little Banana so everyone can have a good look at the sunbathers! My daughter apparently got quite agitated as she thought the boat was going to land for them to spend time on the beach – she was heard to exclaim “no-one is getting me on that beach “. How times change ay? In 1986 I spent every day on Banana – although it was Big Banana beach then for an all over tan. Not sure what was happening with the trip this year because although advertising Lalaria and Kastro, the boats never stopped at Kastro which seems a shame as it is quite a walk for some. Someone said it was a protest at the new road being built across to Cape Kastro but they were still getting you on board and then telling you there was a change – they landed for a swim at Ligharies instead.

This year we took the Kasandra over to Skopelos and Alonissos and although we found Skopelos Town very attractive (having thought about staying there next year), came away thinking “No”, its just not the same as Skiathos – nothing can compare! Were very lucky indeed to see lots of dolphins on the way there – beautiful sight.

Walked around Skiathos town a lot this year too, exploring all the little lanes and finding new areas we had never seen before.

Enjoyed some of our old favourite tavernas and found some new ones, thanks once again to people on here. Were instantly recognised by Miranda at Dionysis who gave us a huge welcome. Asprolithos, as always, very good. Hellinikon and Taverna Alexandros were excellent - especially the Hellinikon – both new to us. Also visited Platania this year for lunch and to look at that wonderful view. However, Val and Kev and their delightful son Zak, have an even better view ! The place they have bought near Evangelistria overlooking Skiathos Town and the airport runway is to die for. Amazing. How lucky they are. They made us so very welcome and we sat and admired the view from one of their four terraces. Only 10 mins out of town you are so high and the landscape all around is beautiful. It encouraged us to go and see Gigi and a lovely English lady working in the office, just missing Geoff unfortunately, to look at their houses. Something to think about.

Spent many an enjoyable evening in the Admiral Benbow. Mick and Elaine still running an excellent bar, fantastic 60’s and 70’s music and lots of good chatter. Really reasonably priced drinks. Gin & Tonic – more gin than tonic!! Not like some of the bars - Portobello being one let down this year. All tonic, no gin! Rock n’ Roll Bar seems to have lost the edge also. Although a great atmosphere, the cocktails were over-priced and in happy hour, at half price, we quickly realised there was very little alcohol in them for €5 – I dread to think of paying €10 normally. Highly recommended is the Lobby Bar, attached to the Bourtzi Hotel. Can be accessed from hotel or the street – great cocktails, good value and excellent DJ after 9.30.pm.

My daughter enjoyed BBC Club in Club Row coming home, so I was told, around 5am! But in Skiathos I had not one concern. Such a safe island – no yob culture.

And then it was time to leave and I have never felt more like losing my passport !!

Christine (Diamond)
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HippyChic · Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 8:01 pm Post subject:

That was lovely reading Chris, thank you.

We also drove straight to the beach. I remember a couple of dips in the track that had collected water. It was probably dry as a bone in the heatwave you experienced.

Only 4 more sleeps for us - whooppeee

suejet · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject:

Nice to read good recommendations prior to going, having never been in Portobello before it was on our must do-s - maybe not now!
Benbows is a must again.
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Diamond · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 379 Location: Hertfordshire

Mmmm maybe a bit unfair about the Portobello Suejet as in 2005 we spent most evenings there at some point but when you get a drink in one bar and then find the next bar tastes just like tonic water in your glass, you dont return! It didnt seem so popular this year either. There are so many good places to have a drink and I highly recommend the Lobby Bar at the top of Papadiamantis Street - one cocktail and you might well fall over !!! Good value for money.
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sallybear · Joined: 30 Aug 2006 Posts: 35

Great report Chris, fantastic read. Would have been there with Kitty but plans changed a bit this summer. But there are many more to come, so will surely see you out there again sometime in the future Smile

SB

suejet · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 6:22 pm Post subject:

Hi Sallybear

Were you a regular on the old "photography" Atlantis Skiathos forum?

What happened to it?
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you heard it here first - BOJAN!

Diamond · Joined: 06 Sep 2006 Posts: 379 Location: Hertfordshire

Hi Sallybear - Long time no hear !! I did wonder if you had changed your Skiathos plans for the summer. And yes Suejet, both Sallybear and I were old Atlantis members, still are. Dont know what has happened to the site this year.
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MrsWhicker · Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Posts: 1013

Hi Sallybear and Kitty, how are you both doing? Hope Kitty had a good birthday party.

Sorry to hear you had to change your plans for the summer, will you be going back at all this year? It was lovely to meet you in Skiathos in May/June.