THASSOS, GREECE
With over 4,000 islands to choose from, and that’s before you count mainland Greece, why on earth should Thassos island be your next Greek holiday destination??
Well, let us introduce you to the Emerald Isle…
Why You Need To Visit Thassos Island
Greece already has our hearts. When faced with a slump back in Blighty we’re often found reaching for a frappe or ordering a gyros just to lift our spirits – there’s nothing better than the simple ways and chilled out vibes that all-things-Greek bring. And then when you’re actually on Greek soil it’s the turquoise waters, rustling summer breezes, locals playing chequers and cats in squares that really warm the soul. But why does Thassos island top the list?
With dozens of other Greek islands under our belt, we think Thassos hits differently.
IT’S SO GREEN!
As you first approach the island of Thassos on your ferry crossing from Kavala the first thing you’re struck by is how lush and green those slopes look. Like a mountain rising from the sea, and as the most northern island in the Aegean, Thassos benefits from a more continental weather system. Frequent mists and natural springs that begin in the high peaks foster a lush green island carpeted with pine forests and olive groves.
WHITE BEACHES AND TURQUOISE WATER
And, like little white petticoats sticking out of jaded skirts, the beaches are as pure as they come. The island of Thassos is especially famous for its high quality white marble that has been quarried since ancient times, and as such the local sand is alabaster pale and achieves those crystal clear and mesmerising turquoise waters. The seas are also teaming with life, since in Thassos nothing has been ruined by too many people or over-fishing.
FRIENDLY LOCALS AND ECO LIVING
Apart from a few aging Cockneys and maybe a handful more Russian oligarchs and their teenage girlfriends, when you visit Thassos island you feel like you’re the only ones there. Subsequently the locals are so pleased to see you! It’s not over-touristed and your custom is appreciatively welcomed. In fact, it’s like stepping back in time and local cultures are lived-out in front of you.
Especially lovely on the island of Thassos is the opportunity to see traditional living first hand. The mountainous terrain and tree-populated island offer up many opportunities for locals, and you’ll come across it everywhere. Local honey, cheese-making from all those mountain goats you see clinging to rock faces, and olive oil production are just some of the local delicacies you really do need to try.
INCREDIBLE ACCOMMODATION
Like all Greek islands, Thassos has a varied array of hotels, apartments and villa’s. But what we weren’t banking on was the great value of these places. Prices are much lower in Thassos than they are in other more popular islands meaning that your budget may well just stretch to something really special.
We stayed at an apartment on the slopes of Golden Beach, one of the best beaches in Thassos, called Archetypo Luxury Living and could not fault a thing. (We reviewed this Thassos accommodation in full here.) For a hotel with such amazing views in the most perfect beach town, you could not do better. But we also spent a few nights at the 5 star resort on the other side of the island, Ilio Mare, and proceeded to invent the ‘Ilio-Mare Score-System’ that all other hotels have since needed to match up to it was that good! This 5 star experience was only possible because Thassos hotels are very good value for money.
For the best deals at Archetypo Luxury apartments, click here.
For the best deals at Ilio Mare Hotel, Click Here.
Things To Do In Thassos
As we’ve already mentioned, the island of Thassos really does have some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Greece – thanks in part to a backdrop of scenery from such a green island. So it really would be easy to rock up on your holiday and not even leave the sand and sea. And towns like Golden Beach (aka Chrysi Amoudia) have all the gorgeous bars and restaurants you need, along with sun-loungers and parasols, for a week of pure chill.
However, those slopes were just crying out to be explored to us! So with our rent-a-banger car we set off in search of some culture. Let’s just say, culture is very easy to find in Thassos.
We wrote more about the highlights of Thassos island and all the places we think are worth seeing in this article…
Things To See And Do In Thassos, Greece
But some tasters of where to explore and things to see on your holiday in Thassos…
- Visit some more Thassos beaches
- Go swimming in the pool of Giola
- Have sunset cocktails at the infamous Karnagio Beach Bar
- Find some ancient ruins of temples, amphitheaters and towns
- Try some of the local delicacies in the mountain villages
- Visit the Archangel’s Monastery
- Hike Mount Ipsarion
It’s becoming harder and harder to find Greek islands that aren’t overrun with tourists, and for many places there is good reason. Movie loving holiday-makers flock to the Mamma Mia island, Skopelos, every year to visit film-locations. And islands such as Kefalonia and Corfu are so popular they’re easy choices for tourists – and rightly so too, we love them dearly. But Thassos is different. Thassos belongs to yesteryear and see’s no need to change with the times, because, well, when you got it perfect the first time around – why would you.
We just know you’re going to fall in love with the island of Thassos as much as we did!
And, if you are still in the throws of planning your Thassos holiday, don’t forget to use Skyscanner to find the best deals on flights to Kevala. They do the legwork for you, scraping all of the airline websites to find the cheapest fares…
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our readers – every time you make a booking through one of our links we make a small commission at no extra cost to yourselves. This revenue goes towards the upkeep of this blog and means we can keep writing travel guides for you! So, Thank You.
The hotel links mentioned in this post were…
