Skiathos.....I can see why people go back year after year

For a one week break in September with my husband and my parents I chose somewhere new for me, the Greek island of Skiathos. The island is quite small being just seven miles long and four miles wide but does have a small international airport which offers some spectacular views when landing on the short runway over boats and a beach! It is also very green due to an abundance of pine forests covering a large part of the island.

Following our spectacular landing, a 20 minute transfer brought us to our hotel; the Skiathos Princess located in the village of Aghia Paraskevi on the southern coastline where most of the various types of accommodation are located. The Skiathos Princess is a five star luxury hotel and spa laid out in lovely peaceful grounds leading down to an excellent sandy beach. The collection of 131 individually designed and well-appointed rooms and suites are scattered around the beautiful grounds all with balcony or garden, and views out to the beach and sea.

A variety of dining choices include a seafood restaurant on the beach, day time beach bar, pool bar open from lunch till late as well as the main restaurant where the buffet breakfast is served and three different options are available for dinner. The Harmony Club Spa provides holistic treatments for a relaxing and rejuvenating experience. A fully-equipped fitness room, weekly fitness activities and excellent water sports facilities are available and children are well catered for with a separate pool and the Little Seals Crèche and Kid's Club.

We used the pool bar for lunch on several days but preferred to eat out in the evenings as there were several very good tavernas just a short walk from the hotel and lots of choice in Skiathos town, which is 20 minutes away on the local bus or taxi. The local bus service was excellent operating from early morning until surprisingly late at night. We had an excellent meal in Skiathos town at a restaurant which had been an old windmill located high up above the harbour.

One of the most popular excursions from Skiathos is an all-day boat trip to the island of Skopelos where much of the film “Mama Mia” was shot. The one we chose was on a yacht which comfortably accommodated 40 people. We had time in Skopelos town as well as visiting several locations around the island where specific scenes featured in the film were shot. On our way back we also spent time at Lalaria beach on the north coast of Skiathos and only accessible by boat.

We really enjoyed our week in Skiathos and would definitely go back.