Because I had left behind this review about the places I visited and saw in Thassos, where I had only written about accommodation, I said it would be good to catch up with the rest, presenting to you today the beauties and attractions of the island that will definitely charm you once you get there.
So, I will present you a travel review about the places we saw, visited, appreciated, and admired after a stay spent on the beautiful island of Thassos in Greece, a beautiful island that has remained in our hearts :).
Thassos is an island full of greenery and forests, few other Greek islands can boast of this. The Greek islands generally have little vegetation, which is tiresome and unpleasant for those of you who (like us anyway) prefer "green" nature and not arid and "dead nature" landscapes.
Olivia S.
Also called the "Emerald Island", in Thassos you will be able to find both excellent beaches and dream landscapes, but also archaeological remains, churches, and monasteries. Have time and openness to visit them all.
So let's start with the beaches. In Thassos, the saying "one day - one beach" can be fully applied, and this is because you really have a choice. A lot has been written about beaches and you can find information everywhere, but I will describe some beaches that I have been to, I appreciated them and I propose them to you.
1. Paradise Beach
To get here you will have to go down a high cliff, at the base of which you will find a generous parking lot.
At Paradise Beach, you will find a large but less crowded beach than Golden Beach, which I will present immediately, which makes the sea much clearer here. It is the beach that we liked the most out of all the beaches we saw. Wide, fine sand, crystal clear water, and small shoals of fishes that live near the shore. It is a pleasure to see them shining in the sun's rays. The sea deepens smoothly and over a considerable distance, therefore a perfect place for small children.
Olivia S.
As for positioning, I see it above the other beaches, having an island in the sea that integrates beautifully into the landscape, plus we also have the possibility to explore the stone cliff to the left of the beach, a beauty, if we get enough of sitting in the sun.
At some distance from the beach, on the left side behind some massive stone slabs, nudism is practiced, so be careful if you come with children eager for exploration and new discoveries. There is a possibility that they will discover things that you will not want to discover at their age =))
2. Golden Beach
The Golden Beach, stretches for approximately 1 km, being located between two villages, Skala Potamia and Skala Panagia. The beach is therefore long and wide enough so that the sunbeds and umbrellas are not crowded. Fine sand, you go quite far out to sea before the water deepens, so here too you will find a good place for the beach and the beach for children.
Alex C.
A minus that can be taken into account, would be that the beach is very crowded, this is due to the fact that, as I said, it is located between 2 tourist towns - Skala Potamia and Skala Panagia, and where do you think the tourists staying here go to the beach? Surprise... At Golden Beach! :)) This is how the sea, which in the morning is crystal clear, becomes cloudy and brownish after lunchtime, which is why you will barely be able to see the small shoals of fishermen near the beach that delight your eyes in the morning.
3. Skala Sotiros
At Skala Sotiros you will find a fairly large beach with fine sand and exotic air, this is because it is bordered by palm trees, the crystal clear and slightly deep sea, and here is also a good place for children.
Alex C.
Skala Sotiros is a village that has kept its traditional Greek village appearance and can be a good choice for spending a stay in an archaic, quiet, and comforting environment and in an area full of greenery. Here you will find enough taverns and bars open all day, but don't forget to taste their famous traditional bread, baked here and distributed throughout the island.
4. Marble Beach
It is located in a natural cove. It is small and sparkling white with small pieces of rounded white marble all over it. Here, however, you will encounter 2 problems.
The first would be that this beach has been abandoned and abandoned for about 2-3 years after a flood destroyed everything on the beach. Therefore, at Marble Beach, you will not find the necessary facilities for the beach - deckchairs, umbrellas, beach bar. But if you like "virgin" beaches and you decide to go there for a day at the beach, you must have some food and drink with you.
A second problem could be the fact that the sea deepens suddenly, and at approximately 6 - 7 m from the shore, it reaches a depth of over 2 m.
Liga R.
A whole controversy was launched on the edge of this beach, whether or not it is a "must-see" of the island. We went to Marble this year. Then, after an unpaved road of several Km, not very bad but with a lot of dust, there is in a rare olive tree forest and almost next to the beach, a fairly large parking lot ~ 30 cars.
So what's up with all these (many) tourists who still visit Marble Beach? It's hard for me to believe that at the moment this parking lot is filling up and you are then forced to park on the side of the road and that so many people come there for what?
There is only one answer. The fact is that it is a beautiful and special place that must be seen, a "must-see" of the island, and some people even come here to go to the beach, despite the lack of amenities. Or maybe just for that :))
I see Marble Beach as a special, beautiful and special area, which you must visit once you have arrived in Thassos.
5. Laguna Giola
And if I show you the shore of the sea, I cannot pass over Laguna Giola. A small natural pool supplied with water only from the bigger waves, a lagoon formed by the erosion of the rock under the action of the waves. It requires some effort to reach it, but you will see that it is worth it.
You will have to walk about 20 - 30 minutes from the place where you will leave your car, through the hot sun and in a steep descent. So you will have to have suitable shoes for the steep mountain area, hats or caps, and some liquids with you. It is a special place of special beauty that is worth the effort to visit.
Liga R.
You can also do some diving here in the lagoon from a height if you like adrenaline or if you want, you can also explore a little the surrounding stone cliff because it is special and interesting. Likewise, a place that I think should not be missed if you arrive in Thassos.
These were the beaches and places with sea and sun that I visited, with the mention that after visiting Giola, I landed for the beach where do you think? Also at Paradise Beach, which, as I told you, we liked the most of all the beaches we visited and tried :))
As points of attraction of the island of Thassos, located this time inside the island, which we visited and which I can recommend to you, we have:
- In Limenas, the capital of the island, you will be able to visit the Ancient Agora, the Museum of Archeology, and the ruins of the temples of the god Pan and the goddess Athena.
- Another point of attraction of the capital Limenas is the Vatopediou Monastery. Superb. The symbol of the capital, it is suspended on a rock near the sea, and you will make your way to the monastery protected from the burning sun through a beautiful pine forest. On the route, you can enjoy your view comparing the green of the island with the dreamy blue of the sea, a sight you will not soon forget.
- Then you can go to visit the Churches of St. Demetrios and St. Paraskevi in Theologos (the old capital of the island), Archangelos Monastery, and the former marble quarry in Aliki (dating back to the 6th century) and St. Panteleimonas Monastery in Kazaviti.
But definitely don't miss a visit to the village of Panagia, whose name in translation means Mother of God. A place forgotten by time and civilization, a place where you can discover the traditional Greek village.
Here is also the Panagia Church, built with stones from the ruins of ancient temples on the island and considered to be the most imposing building in Thassos. In the church you can admire old Byzantine icons from the 14-15th centuries, a collection of old coins - bakires, which circulated here in the past, as well as clothes of the crusaders who apparently stopped on the island on their way to Jerusalem during the crusades of Richard the Lionheart.
Also here (in the village not in the church :))) you can visit for free a traditional (and still functional) olive oil factory, whose presses are put into operation by the water of a small canal that runs through the town. Next to it, there is a modern factory that produces oil and other various products based on olive oil, and from the presentation shop, you can buy extra virgin oil (EVO), various soaps, and cosmetic creams, all based on the same olive oil.
These were the beaches and places we visited during our seven days of vacation in Thassos, a successful vacation and a destination where we will definitely return with great pleasure.
Let me give you some tips for those who will decide for this destination.
Take the ferry from the coast to Thasos, you have two options: Keramoti or Kavala. The one from Keramoti is more advantageous because it has a shorter route and is therefore cheaper than the one from Kavala. It is preferable to travel a greater distance by car than to choose a longer sea route than the ferry. Get out cheaper.
Some tips about the taverns in Thassos, tips that can actually be applied anywhere in Greece.
If you want to eat truly traditional food at taverns, it is good to inform yourself and look for taverns where Greeks also dine.
This is because they (I say Greeks) are very demanding in terms of food and do not eat at so-called "tourist" taverns, those taverns that prepare so-called "traditional" dishes, especially for tourists, and that has nothing to do with the flavor and taste of traditional Greek dishes.
To have the security of traditional dishes and to enjoy the true taste of Greek food - tzatziki, Greek salad, souvlaki (chicken skewers), saganaki (pan-fried feta cheese), gyros (a kind of Greek shawarma), cheese grilled halloumi, etc. - go as I told you to the taverns frequented by Greeks and you will not regret it. I learned this tip from the owner of the villa Teresa in Limenas where I stayed :))
In taverns, drinking water is usually free, but only if you see a carafe of water on the table. But if you see labeled bottles, better ask the waiter so you don't have any surprises :))
Do not order the dessert for the first time, because it is possible that it will be given by the house. At least that was the case at the tavern near Villa Teresa where we were staying and where we had dinner. The first time, not knowing how to do it, we ordered ice creams as dessert and at the end, we woke up next to our ice creams with a huge plate of sliced red and yellow watermelon from the house :))
The same thing (dessert from the side of the house) I have also met at other taverns on the island where I had lunch, but also at a tavern on the mainland in a small village where we stopped to have lunch on the way back home. Here we received a kind of traditional pie of theirs, filled with figs. Delicious.
The traditional alcoholic drinks of the Greeks are of great commitment and deserve attention, so let's quickly review them.
Retsina wine. It is a white wine with vague hints of fir resin, a wine that goes perfectly with seafood, fish, or fish dishes.
Mavrodafni wine. But if you are going to eat, let's say, a grilled pork neck or a goat pastrami (excellent :)), you will have to order a red wine, recommended being the Mavrodafni wine, a wine that will delight you with a strange mixture of flavors, to coffee and caramel, to grapes and plums.
Ouzo liqueur, Careful with Ouzo, the traditional drink of the Greeks. The best Ouzo is the one produced in the town of Plomari on the island of Lesvos and under the Mytilini brand. I don't say that, the Greeks say it, as they are the ones best able to make the difference. With a predominant taste of anise, it is drunk mixed with a little very cold water or with ice cubes.
The initially transparent liquor changes its color in the presence of water, acquiring a milky white color. But don't be fooled by its sweet and pleasant taste. It is a strong and deceptive drink to which the saying is fully applied - sweet. So be careful.
Tsipuro. It is a weak brandy made at home, a kind of Greek brandy and which is also called the drink of the poor because in the past it was a drink distributed by monks to the poor and people who came to work near the monasteries.
Metaxa brandy. Finally, we reach the best, creme du la creme, the best of the best... Metaxa Cognac :))
One of the best and most aromatic cognacs in the world, obtained from the distillation of wine from 3 varieties of grapes dried in the sun (raisins) and with a high concentration of sugar. The resulting drink will then be mixed with old wines, rose petals, and some plant extracts and left for at least 3 years in oak barrels until it matures, all this according to a recipe kept secret since 1888.
There are 4 variants of Metaxa cognac, depending on the age: 5 * cognac with an age of up to 5 years, 7 * with an age of up to 7 years, 12 * (Metaxa Grand Olympian Reserve) with an age of up to 12 years and Metaxa Private Reserve with an age of 40 years or more.
Metaxa cognac has an exceptional taste, a perfume that you don't know where to get it, and a unique aroma. If you taste it once, you will definitely do it again :)
I conclude here by emphasizing once again its strong points:
- Mountain and sea in one place. Those who want can also do mountain hiking to the peak of Ipsarion (1204 m), a route of medium difficulty. You will arrive here if you want to go on foot, starting from the village of Potamia, or by car from the village of Maries (however, not recommended, as the road is completely off-road in some places).
- It is a living island, full of forests and greenery.
- Many beaches, so you have plenty to choose from.
- Important historical vestiges for enthusiasts.
- Several monasteries and churches to visit.
- Traditional Greek villages, barely touched by civilization.
- And finally more recently, here you will not find refugees, emigrants, or migrants, as it happens in the islands close to the coast of Turkey: Kos, Lesvos, Samos, Chios, and Leros :))
And there will be other strong points of Thassos, yes, these come to mind now :))
I stop here hoping that I managed to make you want a little bit of Thassos, a destination that I say is unfairly criticized and marginalized and that definitely deserves more attention :)
Thinking that I managed to offer you some new information, I invite those of you who have not yet arrived in Thassos to do so because you don't even know what you are missing, and those of you who have already been there, to return as soon as possible in the wonderful and charming island of Thassos, that's because you already know what you're missing :))
Information is good, but you have to have it, want it, and know how to use it when the time comes :)) because it's like that,
Who owns the information, owns the power.
Thx! bye bye
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