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Greece
Europe
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Skiathos is a small Greek island in the northwest Aegean Sea, the westernmost of the Northern Sporades, sitting east of mainland Greece and west of Skopelos. The island is heavily forested and ringed by over 60 sandy beaches along its 44-kilometre coastline. Cruise ships dock at Skiathos Town, the port on the eastern coast, and most calls here are port stops rather than turnarounds, drawing visitors from across the Mediterranean and beyond.
The beaches are the main draw, and Koukounaries on the southwest corner is the standout. A half-mile stretch of stone and Aleppo pines runs between a lagoon and the open Aegean, giving the island a look you don't often find in Greece: forest rather than bare rock. Walking trails wind through the pine groves, and the seafront in Skiathos Town fills with tavernas and bars that stay lively into the evening.
The island's history runs deep. In the 19th century, its abundant pine forests made Skiathos an important shipbuilding centre in the Aegean. In 1807, a group of Greek freedom fighters gathered at the Evangelistria Monastery and swore the Oath of Freedom over a newly designed flag, a white cross on sky blue, woven on a loom at the site. To the north, the ruins of Skiathos Castle mark a medieval fortified settlement that served as the island's main town from the mid-14th century until 1829. Perched on a rocky promontory above steep cliffs, the castle is reachable by boat tour.
Skiathos and neighbouring Skopelos also served as filming locations for Mamma Mia in 2008, a connection that still draws its share of visitors, though the island's charm reaches well beyond one movie scene.
Have you set sail to the pine-forested shores of Skiathos? Add your cruise to this Aegean port to your account on The Cruise Globe to see the exact route your ship followed.