The Skiathos Bulletin Board

Familytait · Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 20

Hello all, just wanted to say thanks for all the advice and info on this website.

Just returned from two amazing weeks in Achladies staying at the beach villa through Greek Islands Club. Will write a more detailed piece when I have a little more time but for starters.

Highlights.
Fantastic weather, really friendly people everywhere, sunrise over the deserted beach, the bustle of skiathos town, watching the chaos when the ferries dock, seeing dolphins on our boat trip, water taxi from the beach to town and back again, cocktails at Goggas on the harbour, snorkel diving with my son, seeing an octopus in the harbour, drinks in the kafenion on the island, chatty taxi drivers

Lowlights.
Getting ripped off in a restaurant in town - but only the once, the timeshare tout who wasted 30 mins of our time before we caught on (never seen touts in greece before - for Nostos I think), the exchange rate - ouch!, and thats it.

Fantastic place and I wish we could go back again this year but struggling to find a cheap option - oh well.

suejet · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 11:20 am Post subject:

Hi and welcome home FamilyTait

Sounds like you had an excellent trip all in all.

Curious to know about the rip off situation. Seems the touts are back then, thought they'd gone.

Look forward to the rest of your holiday update.
_________________
you heard it here first - BOJAN!

Familytait · Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 20

Hi Suejet

The tout caught us with the usual "I'm doing a survey" thing then we won a fantastic prize of a weeks holiday (shock, how amazing!) The only thing we had to do was visit a complex in Nostos (i think) to claim it - ah, lightbulb moment! So apart from wasting 15 minutes of our holiday no harm done (oh and having to explain to my 7 year old why the nice lady wasnt quite so nice and why we werent really going on another holiday - still, lessons in life and all that).

The rip off was a taverna up the hill behind the harbour who talked us in, then gave us really crap service and messed up the order even though there were only 2 tables occupied with the bill coming to over E60 for 2 adults and 2 children - later checking the bill found theyd charged each of us E1.50 for bread!!!! But I guess as we ate out 14 nights running one bad experience isnt bad going.

Familytait · Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 20

I looked back at my notes and the restaurant we think we got ripped off at was Kontiki, up the hill behind the fish market.

I does have a pretty good view from the balcony over the harbour but food is very average, service poor and and as I said we think very toppy on price especially since its away from the main streets.

Oh well, he rest of my notes that day say we had cocktails on the harbour and a great day.

Darrell · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:46 am Post subject:

I glad you had a good time, and am sorry for the tout. PLEASE EVERYONE BEWARE, they stand by the posh boats, and as stated they say they are doing a survey, or they give you a scrath card, and guess what, everyone is a winner or a TV or camcorder. All you have to do is go and collect your prize at Nostos village and they also provide the taxi........

Then after hours of hard sell, and when they have worn you down, they try and get you to sign up for timeshare.

Darrell informs all his guests about these horrible people so please give them a very wide beath!!!
_________________
www.perigiali-skiathos.com
RESIDENT OF SKIATHOS

Familytait · Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 20

All, said I would write more when I had a little more time. First installment here and hope it helps people.

Trouble free trip out with XL air and no problems getting through baggage reclaim (way way quicker than at Gatwick coming back) finding our rep and grabbing a taxi.
Stayed in Achladies which has a great beach but is a little dominated by the big hotel. Found the guests from the hotel a little snooty but then most were couples and we had 2 boisterous boys with us.
Villa was fabulous through Greek Island Club, only 10 metres from the beach, a little small but really nice and as neighbour was also the owner (Maria) felt a bit more Greek than the usual holiday accomodation. She even brought us cakes when she was celebrating a name day for her Grandson - lovely woman. We explored Achladies in about half an hour since its just a few shops, accomodation and the beach. But what a beach, I know there are others on the island maybe better but this had everything we needed for a family of 4 so we spent most of our time here.

Thoroughly thoroughly recommend the place - very laid back, relaxed, safe beach and water, great views. Even the cute jetty to go sit on first thing in the morning, drink coffee and watch the sun come up (and the Germans bagging a sunbed!!!).

In achladies we ate at most of the taverna's with favourite being paradise 'cos it had the best view but food was nothing special. Rose garden had better food but no view. The pizza place at the far left of the beach we had lunch there a few times - Owner had a a litle boy called "Ozzy" who we made friends with - say hi if you go there. Sunbeds and parasol standard E8 for the day.

So onto Skiathos town. Fave things we did....
- Cocktails at Goggas in the evening watching the world go by
- Breakfast at the harbour watching the ferries and the mad guys with whistles trying to control the traffic - priceless.
- Dinner at El Greco a couple of times - much more reasonable than it looks from the outside
- Drinks on the island in the evening and jumping from the diving board - also hunting for crabs
- Gyros in the main street - fab food and we fed 4 for less than 20 euros including beer and wine for the big ones and ice cream the waiter went across the street for.
- Jimmys bar a couple of times which was nice but too touristy for us in the end
- Fishing off the harbour
- just watching the world go bye over a frappe

We also took the round the island boat tour. Boat was busy in July so lord knows what its like in August. Stopped of at Tsougria for a bit and saw every beach on the island stopping at a few for a drink and a swim. We came in real close to banana so the greeks could take pics of the nudists - bit naughty we thought. Highlights though were definately seeing dolphins (boys still talking about that) and Lalaria beach which had a bit of surf coming in - tremendous.

So all in all 2 idylic weeks of relaxation in a truly beautiful place with really friendly people and more great memories than I can count.

Will we be coming back? 100% yes to that.

Some photos to follow if I can work out how to do it.

Oh and one tip - be careful on the way back. We were apparently over the baggage allowance on the way back despite leaving a load of stuff behind. They weigh your hand baggage too which they dont do on he way out. Cost us E67 which was a bit of a sour note to leave on.

Oh and on the way back the stop off at Volos and being kept in a "cage" while they refueled - that was actually fun but the usual gripes from some passengers.

Foxy · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject: