At the south-western tip of Skiathos, the coast road gives up among the stone pines. The last stop on the island's bus line is Koukounaries, where a curve of pale sand runs along the front of a pine forest, with a protected lagoon behind the trees. It is the best beach in Skiathos, and the other three on this list are on the same bus route: Megali Ammos at the town end, Banana Beach over the headland from the last stop, and Agia Eleni down a forest track from the stop before it.
The Greek National Tourism Organisation counts more than 60 beaches on Skiathos, the westernmost of the Sporades. The sandy ones most visitors come for are on the south and west coasts, where one road and one main bus line follow the shore from town to Koukounaries. Below are the four best, east to west, with the stop for each, then the boat trip to Lalaria, the white-pebble cove on the wild north coast.
The 4 best Skiathos beaches at a glance
They run east to west from Skiathos Town, with the bus stop for each.
| Beach | Best for | Getting there | Facilities | Crowds and mood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Megali Ammos | Staying in town, young children | Walk from Skiathos Town, or bus stop 5 | Sunbeds, tavernas, bars, water sports | Busy town beach in July and August |
| Koukounaries | The best all-round beach day | Bus to stop 26, the end of the line, or boat from the old port | Sunbeds, beach bars, tavernas, diving and water sports | Very busy and lively in high summer |
| Banana Beach (Big and Little) | Beach bars (Big), clothing-optional (Little) | Walk over the headland from stop 26 | Sunbeds and a beach bar at each | Busy in July and August |
| Agia Eleni | Sunset, shallow water | Forest track from stop 25, under 20 minutes | Sunbeds, beach bar, water sports, natural shade | Calmer, peaceful setting |
Megali Ammos, the beach you can walk to from Skiathos Town
Megali Ammos means "big sand", and this one is the first long beach west of the harbour. It is within walking distance of the centre, and the coast bus calls at stop 5. If you are staying in town, it is the beach you can reach before breakfast.
Visit Greece puts it about eight minutes from the port by car. The sea is shallow and calm, which makes it a good family beach. It is fully organised, with two rows of sunbeds and umbrellas, a water-sports centre and a line of tavernas, cafés and bars along the back of the sand.
It behaves like a town beach and is crowded in July and August. Use it for a swim on arrival day or a late-afternoon dip, and take the bus west for a full beach day.
Koukounaries: stone pines, a lagoon and the end of the line
Koukounaries is named after its trees, the Greek word for stone pines. The Municipality of Skiathos describes the forest behind the sand as the only reserve of these pines on any island in the Mediterranean, and it comes almost to the back of the beach, so shade is never far away. The sand is fine and pale, and in May 2026 the beach kept its Blue Flag.
Behind the forest is the Strofylia lagoon, where swans and herons feed, and on a good day flamingos. The forest, the lagoon and the sea in front of them make up an 88-hectare site in the EU's Natura 2000 network.
It is also the island's big water-sports beach, with boats to hire and beach bars and tavernas along the back of the sand. There are sunbeds and umbrellas, a diving centre, jet skis and windsurfing, and still room for a towel if you don't want to rent a sunbed.
Buses end at stop 26, at the western end of the beach, and the drive from the port takes about 24 minutes, according to Visit Greece. In summer you can also arrive by sea: shuttle boats and water taxis run from the old port in Skiathos Town. Koukounaries is busy and lively in July and August, so in high summer arrive early or come in late afternoon, when the day-trippers have caught the bus home.
Banana Beach: Big Banana for the bars, Little Banana for a clothing-optional swim
From the last bus stop, a path climbs over the low headland west of Koukounaries to Banana Beach, a pair of sandy coves on the west coast. The walk takes about 15 minutes, part of it hilly, and no bus goes down to the sand.
Big Banana (Megali Banana in Greek) is the larger, southern cove and the one most people mean by "Banana Beach". It is the organised one: rows of sunbeds, and a beach bar behind the sand.
Little Banana (Mikri Banana) is the smaller cove just to the north, separated from Big Banana by a large rock. It has long been the island's main clothing-optional beach, with sunbeds and umbrellas for rent and a beach bar of its own.
Pick by mood. Big Banana suits a day with friends and a cocktail, Little Banana an adults' day with fewer rules about swimwear. Neither is quiet in July and August, and the walk over the headland is hot at midday.
Agia Eleni, the Skiathos beach for sunset
Agia Eleni faces west across the strait towards the Pelion mountains on the mainland, which makes it the island's sunset beach.
The beach is about 1.5km from Koukounaries and 14km from Skiathos Town, by Greeka's figures. Get off at stop 25, the second to last on the line, and a track runs through the pine forest to the sand in under 20 minutes. It is a long stretch of sand with shallow water and a peaceful setting, with sunbeds and umbrellas, a beach bar, natural shade from the trees and a water-sports centre with water-skiing, canoes and boat hire.
Staying for sunset means the track back to stop 25 runs through the forest after dark. Bring a torch, and check the time of the last bus before you settle in for the evening.
The Skiathos beach bus, stop by stop
One line serves all four beaches. Skiathos Transports runs it from Skiathos Town along the south coast to Koukounaries, with numbered stops at or near most of the beaches on the way. Tickets are sold at three i-kiosks, all of which take cards: at the port, at stop 4 (Acropolis) and at the Koukounaries terminus.
Fares come in two bands: a shorter ticket from town as far as Agia Paraskevi, and a longer one for the full run to Koukounaries, which also covers the airport line.
Useful stops for the beaches:
- Stop 5: Megali Ammos.
- Stop 16: Agia Paraskevi, a long organised beach that Visit Greece rates for its upmarket facilities.
- Stops 18 and 20: Troulos, which Visit Greece picks out for a quieter swim.
- Stop 25: Agia Eleni, by the forest track.
- Stop 26: Koukounaries, and the path to Banana Beach.
One more beach has a bus of its own. Xanemos, on the north-east coast near town, sits at the end of the airport runway and has its own small bus line from the port. The municipality notes that planes pass directly over the bathers. It is pebbly and often has waves, with a beach bar and a few umbrellas.
A winter timetable has run since 12 October 2026, with few buses. Before you plan your days around the 2027 summer service, check the timetable on the Skiathos Transports site, which also has a live tracker showing when the next bus is due at your stop. Checked November 2026.
Lalaria and the north coast by boat
The north coast of Skiathos is steeper and emptier, and Lalaria, its best-known beach, can only be reached by sea. It is a cove of white, rounded pebbles below pale cliffs, with a natural rock arch. Landing is controlled, according to Visit Greece, and taking the pebbles is prohibited.
Most visitors go on a round-island day cruise from Skiathos port. A typical itinerary passes the sea caves on the north coast, stops at Lalaria for a swim and continues a few minutes along the coast to Kastro, the abandoned old capital on its headland, before heading back in the late afternoon. Private speedboats do the same loop in a few hours for a group.
There is nothing to buy on Lalaria, so bring water and food. This coast also takes the full force of the summer north wind, the meltemi, and the trips depend on the weather. Book one with free cancellation and keep a spare day in case the sea is too rough.
The best Skiathos beaches for children, and for a quieter swim
For young children, stick to the south coast, which is sheltered from the north wind. Megali Ammos has shallow, calm water within walking distance of town. Koukounaries has fine sand and pine shade a few steps from the water, and Greeka describes Agia Eleni's water as shallow and suitable for children.
All four beaches on this list are organised, and most are busy from July to early September. For a quieter swim, Visit Greece points to Troulos and Vasilias on the south coast; Troulos has its own stops on the bus line. Little Banana is clothing-optional and has a bar, so it suits adults better than families.
When to go to Skiathos beaches in 2027, and how to get there
By November the beach bars and sunbed operators have packed up for the winter. The next beach season runs from May to October 2027. Weather2Travel's averages for Skiathos Town give the sea temperature month by month:
- May: 18°C, cool for most swimmers.
- June: 22°C, warm enough for most, with the crowds still building.
- July and August: 25°C and 26°C, with daytime highs of about 30°C and the busiest beaches.
- September: 24°C, the warmest water of the shoulder months.
- October: 21°C, with some bars already closing.
June and September give the best balance of warm water and space on the sand.
Skiathos airport (JSI) is about 2km north-east of Skiathos Town, by Greeka's figures, and takes direct flights from the UK and other European cities, most of them in summer, with Jet2, easyJet, TUI and BA CityFlyer among its airlines. By sea, ferries and hydrofoils sail from Volos on the mainland all year, and ferries also run from Mantoudi on Evia. Travellers from Scotland get an easier route in 2027: Jet2 is bringing back a weekly flight from Edinburgh to Skiathos from 6 May 2027, and our guide to new beach routes for summer 2027 lists the other new flights to Europe's coasts.
Skiathos or Skopelos for beaches?
Skiathos, if you want sand and a bus to the beach. Its south coast is a string of organised sandy bays from Megali Ammos to Koukounaries, and you can reach every one without a car.
Skopelos, the greener neighbour about an hour away by ferry, has its own good beaches, and its best known, Kastani, owes its fame to the Mamma Mia! film. Many visitors stay on Skiathos and take a day trip across. For the rest of the country, our guide to the best beaches in Greece compares the islands.
One day on the Skiathos beach bus
If you only have one beach day on Skiathos, take the bus to the end of the line. Swim at Koukounaries in the morning, walk over to Banana Beach for lunch, and finish at Agia Eleni for the sunset.
