What we remember on the island of Thassos: a review. Emerald Isle of Thassos Archaeological Museum in Limenas
Thassos is filled with myths and mysteries. It had many names: "Chrisi" (golden), "marble", "emerald", "Ephria" (cloudless), "green diamond of the Aegean Sea", "Aeria" (airy).
According to one legend, the Phoenician Thassos came to the island in search of his sister Europa, stolen by Zeus. According to another legend, Thassos was the son of Poseidon.
Homer believed that Thassos is the island of the Sirens, luring travelers into their arms.
How to get to Thassos
Being the northernmost island of the Aegean Sea, Thassos belongs to the region of Thrace and Eastern Macedonia and is located 12 km from mainland Greece.
The island of Thassos, separated by a six-kilometer strait, can be reached by ferry in just 20-30 minutes.
Ferries from the cities of Keramoti and Kavala run to the island from 6 am every hour until 22 pm.
The distance from the airports of Thessaloniki to Keramoti is 220 km, which can be easily overcome along the route along the sea, built for the 2004 Olympics.
The trip on a comfortable bus lasts approximately 3 hours.
Sea walks are accompanied by lured seagulls, which will be hand-fed. Cars and buses enter the lower part of the ferry. The ferry from Kavala arrives at the port of Prinos in Skara Prina, and from Keramoti to the capital port of Limenas.
Weather in Thassos
Hippocrates, who healed on the island in the 5th century BC, said that "winter on Tatos is more like spring."
The Mediterranean climate of the island of Thassos is formed by a mountain range, forests, occupying 9/10 of the territory, and the sea surrounding the island.
On an island around 300 sunny days.
In summer it is more comfortable here than on others. Greek resorts, summer about 26-30°С, sea breezes bring coolness.
Hotels on Thassos are open from April to October, during the summer months there is almost no rain.
30 reasons to go on holiday to Thassos
Although Thassos is only 25 km from north to south and 22 km from west to east, there is something for everyone here.
Not only European tourists rest here, but also the Greeks themselves. On weekends, it plays the role of a dacha for the inhabitants of Kavala.
Nature lovers will appreciate the mountains, the forest, the heady pine air, the purest sea, the mystery of the Alistrati cave, the rich world of evergreen shrubs and flowers.
Small waterfalls are hidden in the heart of the green island, and swimming in the refreshing water of a mountain lake rejuvenates and gives you a boost of energy. The island gives peace, the opportunity to retire from the bustle of the city, relax in nature.
Fans of the relaxing beach holiday. The length of the beaches of the island, where you can swim in the transparent turquoise sea waves, is 115 km.
Many beaches have a "blue flag". A cruise around the island will help you get acquainted with the "wild beaches" in hard-to-reach and little-visited bays and decide on a vacation spot.
On the island of Thassos, you can not only take a boat trip on a yacht or ship along the coasts of the island, but also go snorkeling or diving in the town of Skala Prinos.
The clear waters of the Aegean Sea will reveal not only the secrets of the kingdom sea urchins and octopuses and legends of sunken ships, but will also give an unforgettable delight after visiting the underwater grottoes of Astris and Tripiti.
The sunken city, discovered at a depth of 100 meters in the south of the island, is also fraught with many mysteries.
Read also: Reviews of the Greek island of Tatos
Intellectuals and lovers of antiquity can take a fascinating walk along the archaeological trail and plunge into the history of Greece in the museum.
Adventurers and adventure lovers will be able to feel like gold diggers or go down into old mines. Canoe rafting on the Nestos River, which flows into the Aegean Sea opposite the island of Thassos, will add adrenaline.
The magnificent cuisine of the island will not disappoint fans of seafood and the Mediterranean diet.
You can learn the secrets of making local wines during a tasting in winery Costa Lazaridis Domaine, and you can have a delicious dinner of fried goat meat in any restaurant, tavern or beach bar.
Thassos is a great place to start a pilgrimage and strengthen your faith.
From the southern coast of the island, Mount Athos is visible, to which you can take a boat trip.
There are many temples and holy relics on the island and in the surrounding mainland cities.
Emerald-marble Thassos is covered with mountains. To the highest peak Ipsario(1203 meters), overlooking the peninsula of Chalkidiki and the island of Samothraki, you can climb in jeeps.
From a bird's eye view, an unforgettable panorama of the Aegean Sea opens up.
The island will delight shoppers with unique gold jewelry and other purchases.
Fans of spa treatments, which are available not only in five-star hotels, but also in Alexandra Beach Thassos Spa and Alea Hotel, will not be disappointed either.
There are few nightclubs on the island of Thassos, but during a Greek night or a Greek wedding, you can not only see incendiary national dances, but also learn how to dance and dance with a glass on your head to the rhythm of Greek music.
Tourists on the island of Thassos have access not only to local attractions, but also to many educational excursions outside of it. The city of Philippi is called the "Gate of Europe and Asia".
The village with the oldest amphitheater got its name in honor of the king of Macedonia, Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great, who captured the city in 356 BC. Near the village of Krinides, near Kavala, there is the only place in Greece for pelotherapy (mud therapy).
Getting to Thassos from Moscow is not as easy as getting to some other Greek islands such as Crete, Rhodes and Kos. The fact is that Thassos does not have its own airport, so it is impossible to get to the island directly. As a rule, a trip to Thassos from Moscow includes a flight to one of the two nearest airports (Thessaloniki and Kavala), a trip to the ferry terminal and a ferry crossing to the island. We have already talked about how to get to Thassos from Thessaloniki and Kavala airports in a separate article. Therefore, in this article we will only talk about how to get from Moscow to these airports.
Direct flight
It is clear that there can be no direct flight from Moscow to Thassos (at least for now), but you can fly directly from Moscow to Thessaloniki Airport on Aeroflot and Ellinair flights. The option, of course, is convenient, but usually the cost of air tickets for direct flights from Moscow to Thessaloniki is higher than the cost of air tickets for flights with transfers.Transfer flight
This option is usually cheaper, but of course, not everyone likes to transfer at some other airport. If you fly from Moscow to Thessaloniki with a transfer, then the transfer can be in places such as Athens, Heraklion (Crete), Rhodes, Istanbul (Turkey) and even Belgrade (Serbia).It is worth judging the profitability of a particular offer not only by price, but also by other criteria, such as the duration of the transfer, the possibility of free baggage allowance, seat selection, etc.
Another advantage of traveling from Moscow to Thassos with a transfer is the ability to land at Kavala airport, which is much closer to the Keramoti ferry port than Thessaloniki airport. This means that you will spend very little time traveling from the airport to Thassos, since you will need about 15 minutes to travel to the ferry port from Kavala airport and another 40 minutes to take the ferry. The flight from Moscow to Kavala is carried out with a transfer in Athens.
What's next
Whichever of the two airports you arrive at (Thessaloniki or Kavala), you will need to get to the ferry port of Keramoti or Kavala, and from there, take the ferry to the island of Thassos. Ferries run more often and faster from the port of Keramoti, but sometimes the port of Kavala is a more convenient option. You can learn more about how to get to Thassos from airports from another article on our website.
By "is it worth" I mean 2 points. Firstly there is no airport on the island and therefore it is necessary to get there “on the way” - with transfers (first by plane - then by ferry). BUT Secondly the island is very small. And in this second paragraph, the problem of the first paragraph again lurked - if you go somewhere on the mainland, then again you can’t do without a ferry ...
Let me start by saying that we had a very good time there. But the fact is that when I was choosing the island where to go, I read on tripadvisor that it looks like pargu . Yes Yes! And Parga is sacred to me (because it is the most favorite place in Greece) and that's why we rushed there ... And yet - everyone almost mentioned that there are few tourists on the island. So this is beauty! Parga, and even without tourists! Of course we will fly, I don’t care what with transfers ...
And what turned out to be true? Well, 'bout pargi - this is nonsense, of course. Doesn't even look close. And loses, IMHO, not only in terms of beauty Parge with its environs, but also to the Ionian islands in general - and Corfu, and L efkasu, and Kefalonia(on the last island I was only with a short stop, but it still seemed to me that way). First of all, because Thassos very tiny.
But there are many pluses too. There are really very few people there! And not just tourists, but in general. Even too little, at times ... That is, when you find here and there, beaches for personal use - this is super, of course, but when you have lunch - you dine in splendid isolation in taverns, then this is a bit too much, IMHO. The Greeks themselves also wondered where the tourists had gone this year, or what had the crisis affected? There, in general, mostly their own Greeks rest. Although the end of May is still not a high season, incl. maybe there will be more people later...
Another plus is that the island is green and mountainous, so there are many beautiful views. Well, as everywhere in Greece - hospitable Greeks and wonderful, albeit unpretentious, food.
We went there "charter" way - so we had a plane to Kavala - and then by ferry to the capital of the island Limenas (where we lived), but we must take into account that if you fly on your own, you will most likely have to fly with transfers - the airport in Kavala is tiny and, apart from our plane , we didn’t see others at all, so it’s not a fact that there are many suitable flights from other Greek cities.
Ferry, by the way, is not very far away - only 35-40 minutes. And time goes by pretty quickly, because. there passengers organize "feeding" of seagulls!
We were there for a whole week and therefore traveled around the island up and down twenty times! Well, maybe not "across", it won’t work out there, mountains. Nevertheless - if you want the beach and the sea, and also a restaurant in the evenings - then it's all there! And in abundance. But if you, like us, cannot sit in one place, and every day you are drawn to exploits, then you will be terribly bored there in 3 days ... Hmm ... We are bored ...
But it was still a bummer to go to the mainland - there this ferry somehow takes a long time to load and unload ... And they don’t go there every hour. In short - we will not go there anymore, but you can still see it once.
Moreover, where else can you find so many beaches with almost no people? And good, with white, soft sand.
By the way, we sunbathed on the new beach every day. I was also pleased that the cat cried on the roads of cars, wherever you want - it slowed down there, taking pictures of beautiful views.
And there were a lot of flowers, not for nothing, because the month of May, the most beautiful time, I suppose ...
The food is local - yes, simple to disgrace), but somehow it always goes well with us, apparently the local air affects))) ...
Especially these Greek salads - no day without them, no, no ... Although they are terribly different for each cook)))
There are various ancient ruins and just ruins too. And in quite a large amount. And the local museum was amazing, to be honest! And after all, the island is quite tiny - a population of 16,000 people, and a wonderful museum has been built off!
Everything about the island of Thassos: hotels, entertainment at sea, holidays on the beaches and excursions. Author's photos and videos, reviews of tourists. Location of Thassos on the map.
Thassos - an island in the north of the Aegean Sea
Thassos located in the north of Greece - opposite the coast Eastern Macedonia. Administratively, it belongs to the periphery Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.
Length coastline the island is 115 kilometers, and the area is 378.84 square meters. kilometers. The population is 14,000 inhabitants.
Only 18 nautical miles separates Thassos from the city of Kavala. It is an amazingly green island, thanks to its rich vegetation: olive trees, pines, cedars, firs, lindens, dogwoods and many other types of trees and shrubs cover the surface of the island up to the tops of the mountains. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the main income of the islanders is wood. In addition, the island is famous for marble mining, developed tourism, olive plantations and, accordingly, olive oil, as well as honey and other agricultural products.
Port of Limenas - the capital of the island
Capital of the island of Thassos port of Limenas, which is a trade and administrative center islands. It is located on the northern coast of the island - in the very place where it was located ancient city Thassos.
During the day, you can swim here on one of the many beaches that stretch along the coastline - Makriammose, Limanaki, Glyfada etc. In addition, you can visit ancient Agora and ancient theater, and in the evening enjoy a walk and shopping, as well as try the "authentic taste of the island" in the many taverns and restaurants.
The small town of Limenas is also called Thassos. Despite its size, the city has a wide variety of shops, hotels, banks, bars, taverns and pub clubs. In addition, there is a post office and a police station, as well as a bus station.
Limenas is divided into two parts - old and new city. Old city, perhaps, represents the most beautiful part of the capital of Thassos. Moreover, it has archaeological value. There is also a very rich museum and many ancient ruins scattered throughout the old part of the city.
In addition, the old port of Limenas is a picturesque sight, especially considering that there was a ancient agora. There are also many temples in the old part of the city: in particular, Church of St. Nicholas and Vatopedi Monastery, which is located in the middle of the old city and is symbol of Limenas.
In addition to ancient ruins, such as old fortress walls, acropolis, theater, temple of Apollo and much more, the city has preserved to this day other historical monuments, testifying to the glorious past of the island, when it grew rich through the development of marble quarries.
Limenaria - the second city of Thassos
Limenaria- the second largest city on the island of Thassos, which, together with the settlement Kalivya in recent years has received great tourism and economic development. The city has beautiful beaches.
The first inhabitants of Limenaria were workers from Castro. Population increased with the arrival of refugees after the Asia Minor catastrophe of 1922.
There are houses built back in 1900 by the Turks (during the Turkish domination), and there are also many neoclassical buildings.
In addition, the interest for any tourist is Palataki(that is small palace) and a fortress located at 600 meters above sea level. Palataki stands right on a rock protruding into the sea cape. This is a two-story rectangular building with towers located along the edges.
The mansion is a model eclectic architecture, with characteristic strict symmetry and with a clear influence of Central European trends in architecture. The building was built in 1903/1904 as Office of the German company Speidel, which at that time was engaged in the development of ores in Thassos. With the abolition of industrial facilities in 1963, the building was abandoned. In 1993, restoration work began for its use as Cultural center.
Along the long coastline of Limenaria are taverns, cafeterias, bars, shops, creating a cheerful atmosphere of vibrant life.
There are many hotels and rented apartments here. Not far from Limenaria is located sand beach Tripiti.
Settlements of Thassos with beautiful beaches
The village is located southwest of Limenas. Rakhoni. There are many monasteries and mansions here, giving this settlement an unusual atmosphere of tradition. In Rachoni you can visit Church of the Dormition of the Virgin built in the 19th century.
Above Limenas is a settlement panagia, with lush rich vegetation, where numerous pine trees, combined with the expanse of the sea, make up a picturesque picture of extraordinary beauty. The village is named by the church of the same name that was erected here in 1832.
Between Rock Panagias and Rock Potamyas there is an organized beach Chrissy Ammoudia which in Greek means "golden sand" A beautiful beach with crystal clear water is surrounded by dense vegetation that descends directly to the sea. The coast here is shallow, which is very convenient for families with small children. Dominating the beach mountain Ipsario gives the area an extra charm.
Rock Potamyas is also distinguished by its surprisingly clean beach, but already with white sand. It should be noted that both in the Rock of Panagia and in the Rock of Potamyas there are a lot of hotels. All in all, such a great combination beauty of nature - clear sea - traditional taverns - modern bars surprisingly conducive to relaxation away from the bustle and noise of the city.
Mountain village Potamya, located on the slopes of Mount Ipsario - the most high mountain islands (1.203 m.) - provides a beautiful panoramic view of the surroundings. Potamya is distinguished by its houses built in the traditional style - with stone walls and wooden roofs - among rich vegetation, old churches and narrow streets against the backdrop of rural silence and amazing tranquility.
In Potamya, in addition to hotels, rooms are also rented out. There are many taverns and cafeterias where you can eat delicious food and have a good rest.
In addition, in Potamya you can visit M uzey Vagis dedicated to the Greek-American sculptor Polygnotos Vagis (Hadzigeorgiou), who was born on the island of Thassos in 1892.
Two paths lead from the village: one - to the seashore, and the other - through dense vegetation - to the mountains.
Within Potos there is, albeit small, but organized beach - Pevkari, which is surrounded by pine trees densely growing around, which, in fact, gave the name of the area, because "sing" in Greek means "pines".
In the mountain settlement of Potos - Theologos you can admire the old mansions and be sure to visit the well-known throughout the neighborhood traditional village taverns, which are famous for their spit-roasted goat meat as well as local house wine.
Theologos is a very beautiful village with no less beautiful houses and mansions. It is thanks to its amazing architecture that this village has been declared in 1979 by the Greek State a traditional settlement, followed by the restoration of houses by the indigenous people. Unfortunately, not everyone was able to do this, so many houses were sold to foreigners, who, in turn, were happy to renovate the newly acquired houses, turning them into amazingly beautiful buildings.
In the summer, in June, a folk festival is held annually in the village in the form of a performance traditional wedding ceremony.
Theologos is located south of Limenas, between Castro and Kinira.
The name Castro speaks for itself, because in Greek it means "fortress". This is the fortress, located in the central part of the island at an altitude of 450 meters above sea level among ravines and gorges.
During the Genoese period it was an amazingly lively and rich area. Currently, the fortress is completely abandoned and deserted.
She was built by the Gattilusie family from Genoa, as evidenced by the inscriptions preserved on the walls.
Here is the oldest temple of the island - Temple of St. Athanasius. It is on the day of the memory of St. Athanasius - January 18 - that the fortress wakes up from a lethargic sleep, enlivening with festive events in honor of this Saint, when residents literally from all over the island flock here.
If you cross the central road of the island, passing through two picturesque fishing villages - Rock of Maries and Rock of Callirachi, with fantastically clear waters and beaches, as well as traditional taverns and their mountain villages, which are surrounded by such dense greenery, as if untouched by time, you go straight to Rock Sotiras, built on a quiet and beautiful shore, from where you can admire the unique beauty of the sunset.
Charming Sotiras village is located between Kallirahi and Prinos, at the foot of Ipsario, at an altitude of 380 meters above sea level.
Currently, the village has a small number of inhabitants. It is famous for ancient ruins, old traditional houses and equally old churches, as well as a spring spring from 1888 (a very famous spring on the island is considered to be source of Panagia).
In its turn, bringing is the largest, densely populated village in the western part of Thassos. Economically, the village prospers thanks to the oil deposits found here.
Prinos is the cultural and social center of the region. There are many restaurants, taverns, hotels, coffee shops and bars.
At 4 kilometers from Prinos there is Kazaviti village, which is divided into Little and Big Kazaviti. This village literally "nested" among the mountains, hiding in dense vegetation.
Beautiful houses with wooden balconies, stone walls and painted ceilings climb up the mountain like steps.
In the gorge, in the middle-western part of the island, at a high altitude, is village of Maries- one of the oldest villages of the island, founded in the Middle Ages. From here you have a wonderful panorama.
Houses in Maries are built close to each other, representing examples of traditional architecture, thanks to their unusual balconies and carved ceilings.
Kallirahi village- This is also one of the oldest mountain villages of Thassos, located 2.5 kilometers from the sea, not far from Maries. Kalliraxi is nestled among olive groves, immersed in dense greenery, with traditional architecture and narrow streets that are perfect for walking. By the way, there are many traditional coffee houses in the village.
The rich vegetation of Thassos gives the right to call the island the greenest island in the Aegean. The proximity to the port of Kavala makes it the most popular tourist destination not only for foreign tourists, but also for the Greeks themselves - throughout the year.
Thassos is a beautiful island located in the northern part of the Aegean Sea and separated from mainland Greece by only a 12-kilometer strait. The island of Thassos owes its name to the mythological hero - the son of the Phoenician king Agenor, who, at the behest of his father, went in search of his sister - the beautiful Europa, abducted by Zeus. The search was unsuccessful, and the young man could not return to his father without fulfilling his order, and therefore remained to live on a beautiful island, which was later named after him.
The first settlements on the island of Thassos appeared around 2000 BC, in the years 1600-1500 it was colonized by the Phoenicians, who were attracted by the reserves of gold and marble, as well as the surprisingly mild climate. Further, Persians, Spartans, Romans, Byzantines, Turks fought for the right to possess the island of Thassos, fertile lands rich in minerals, and only in 1912 Thassos became part of Greece.
There are many historical buildings in Limenaria, including the 19th century Turkish fortress and Palataki Palace, standing at the tip of the cape
In addition to snow-white marble, the island of Thassos is also famous for its excellent wines flavored with the resin of coniferous trees. According to legend, Tasios Inos grape wine was supplied to the palace of Cleopatra herself.
The cleanest beaches, the azure sea, the abundance of vegetation, thanks to which Thassos is nicknamed the "emerald island", marble cliffs, historical sights of Thassos have long attracted both the Greeks themselves and numerous European tourists, the Russians discovered the island not so long ago.
How to get to the emerald island of Thassos
If you are used to traveling by plane, then you should know that Thassos does not have its own airport, and the nearest one - Megas Alexandros - belongs to the city on the mainland -. There should definitely not be any problems with transport to Kavala - the city is connected by regular flights to Athens, and find convenient and cheap flights on the dates of the proposed trip.
Another alternative for air travel enthusiasts is to take a plane to Thessaloniki, and from there take a bus to Keramoti, in order to then transfer to the ferry to Thassos. During the high season, ferries from Kavala and from Keramoti leave for the island daily. About transport options from Thessaloniki Airport Grekoblog.
Thassos can be reached both by plane and by ferries, which depart daily from Kavala and Keramoti during the high season.
Find out more about the ferry schedule, as well as book a ticket. When booking via the Internet, we highly recommend our article, which describes in detail the process of buying and receiving tickets in hand.
Hotels
As in many other popular resorts in Greece, the hotel infrastructure of the island of Thassos is very well developed. Although the island is relatively small, there are over 200 hotels to choose from.
Climate and weather of Thassos
The climate on the island of Thassos is quite mild - winters are warm and humid, and summers are sunny and dry. Since the island is still northern, the cold period here is somewhat longer than in other popular island resorts, although not the same as on the mainland. Winter weather on Thassos begins in November - it rains, and in the mountains it snows until March, the air temperature drops to + 15C. The beach season on the island, respectively, is a little shorter - you can swim and sunbathe from late May to mid-September.
Summer weather on the island of Thassos is mild and pleasant, there is no sweltering heat, the daytime air temperature usually does not rise above + 30C. The peak tourist season is in July and August.
Attractions of Thassos
Limenas, the capital of the island of Thassos, is famous for its Archaeological Museum: here you can see numerous finds from all over the island: magnificent sculptures and Dionysus made of marble, ancient coins and jewelry. Many sights of the island of Thassos are located right in the open air - the ruins of the ancient theater, the agora - the central trading square, the acropolis.
In the old part of Limenas, you can see no less interesting ruins of the temples of Dionysus and Poseidon, dating back to the sixth century BC.
It is worth visiting the convent of Michael the Archangel, who is the patron saint of Thassos. The most important Christian shrine is kept there - a particle of the Holy Cross on which Jesus was crucified.
In the monastery of the Archangel Michael, a particle of the Holy Cross is kept, on which Jesus was crucified
Limenaria is another tourist center of the island of Thassos. There are many historical buildings erected by the Turks in the 19th century, a fortress built at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level, as well as the Palataki Palace with picturesque towers, standing at the tip of a cape that goes far into the sea.
Potamia is a small village in the mountains of Thassos, the birthplace of the sculptor Polygnotos Vagis. In the village there is a museum dedicated to the famous countryman - there you can see his sculptures, as well as paintings. From Potamya, amateurs start their routes to Mount Ipsario active rest– the ascent takes about four hours, but the journey is worth it – amazingly beautiful views of the island of Thassos open from the top.
Not far from Potamya, there is another attraction of the island of Thassos - the village of Felogos - a traditional Greek settlement, where a folk festival is held annually, the purpose of which is to demonstrate ancient wedding rites.
Beaches
The island of Thassos is famous for its beaches - clean and well-groomed, which, in particular, is evidenced by the fact that many of them are marked with "blue flags".
Golden Beach - Golden Beach, stretching along the east coast of the island of Thassos, 12 kilometers from Limenas. This long beach with golden sand and crystal clear water, surrounded by vegetation descending from the mountains to the sea, is one of the most beautiful on the island. The gentle entrance to the water makes it an ideal place for families with children.
Paradise beach or Aliki Beach is white velvet sand and azure sea surrounded by mountains
Makriamos is a beautiful sandy beach located in the heart of the island - Limenas. Soft fine sand, gentle warm sea, emerald vegetation make the beach very attractive for tourists.
The paradise beach of Thassos stretches between the settlements of Aliki and Loutros. Paradise beach is soft white sand and clear sea surrounded by mountains. The beach is divided into three sectors: bikini swimmers, topless sunbathers and nudists.
Near Potos there is an amazing Pevkari beach, surrounded by a pine forest, near Potamya - Potamyas beach, distinguished by white sand. In general, there is no shortage of beaches on the island of Thassos - they stretch along the entire coast: long and open, romantic and secluded, located in secluded bays, equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable stay and completely wild.