7 min.

Thassos Island

A green paradise on earth - this is how Thassos Island could be characterized in a few words. Yet the exuberant vegetation all around the island is not by far the only thing the island would be hiding in its secret treasure box. it has also roamntic sceneries, fabulous beaches, crystal clear sea, white marble quarries and plenty of historical sites. Its beauties are evidenced by the many nicknames the island was given: ‘the pearl of the Aegean Sea’, ‘the Emerald of the Aegean Sea’, or ‘Aegean Paradise’.

If you decide to travel to Thassos, you need to know that you can’t get there by plane as the island has no airport; but there are regular boat and ferry lines from the port of Kavala on the Greek mainland. The ferry trip is a great experience on its own, as you will be accompanied by seagulls learned to take the food they are offered at flight. For ferry timetables and price list, see the section Thassos ferries. The best way to move on the island is on foot, on a bike, or by car. The island has a road literally tracing the island’ perimeter, connecting the individual towns and resorts. Thassos is not large, it is only 100 km long and has an area of 379 km², so it can be travelled all around during one day. For the different places of interest, see the List of sites in the menu on the left. The best tips are summped up in the section Tips for trips. If you have tips for trip, write to use, we will be happy to publish it! And if you are interested where all the places on the island are located, see the section Map of Thassos Island.

How to travel on the island

If you like to know new environments when on holiday and want to travel, you will need a car or a scooter. We recommend to take a look at the websites of the car rental company, National Friend Thassos, and the offer of the scooter hire company Motozagos Thassos.

Thassos climate and nature

The island climate is very nice (For weather forecast for up to 15 days and climatic conditions, see here). The summers are hot, although a bit cooler than in other Greek destinations, especially those in the south, since Thassos is located more in the north close to continental Greece. The winters are quite mild but humid.

Despite the island being rather mountainous (its highest peak, Ipsarion, has more than 1 000 m), it also has rich vegetation - many different bushes, olives trees and pine trees. As the traditional products of Thassos Island are wine and honey, you will also encounter vineyards and blooming plants. And since the island has varied vegetation, there are animals, too. You can observe there some species of predatory birds (falcons, hawks, owls), sea birds (seagulls), some kinds of reptiles (snakes, lizards), turtles and butterflies.

In the very heart of the island, you shouldn’t miss its only lake near the village of Maries. It is small and bathing there is not allowed, but still it is a beautiful scenery for a nice walk or a bike trip. On your way you can also notice a nice waterfall flowing down on a green rock.

Have you visited the island? Help us with the content of the website!

There is never enough information about Thassos Island. And who would be more familiar with the island than those who have spent there their holiday? We would like to ask you to dedicate a few minutes of your time evaluating your holiday on the island, telling us what you liked there and what Thassos means to you, or possibly also to give us tips and advice that could be useful for other visitors who are interested in the island and are thinking of going there for holiday.  

WRITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THASSOS ISLAND

Thassos history and legends

The island history is very long; it dates back as early as the prehistoric times. Yet Thassos history wasn’t always joyful. The island was ruled by many different nations taking turns, as Thassos was a busy trade junction for its strategic position, exporting its mineral resources like gold or marble, and natural products like olive oil, and so it is not surprising this flourishing market was often the target of pirates and attackers. Nonetheless, today the island is completely independent and it comes under the Greek administration.

Like many other Greek islands, Thassos is also wrapped in mythological stories and legends. One of them says that Thassos was the fabulous island of Sirens, tracherous sea creatures, tempting the unfortunate sailormen to a trap with their svým sweet singing, and letting their ships break into pieces against the rocks. The only one who managed to resist them was Odysseus

What to do on the island?

In the north of the island, you will find the capital town called Thassos or also Limenas. Besides many cultural activities, tourist services, and possibilities of shopping or refreshment, the visitors will find there several significant historical sites, including the ancient Agora market, ancient stone theatre, the Temple of Apollo or the Acropolis. For more places of interest, see the section Museums and historical sites.

Thassos beaches

Every year, hundreds of tourists come to visit the island beaches; yet Thassos still preserves its intimate atmosphere. The most popular beaches among the tourists are Alyki (one of the most popular island resorts with turquoise water, a white beach and charming surroundings). Astris (a sandy beach with a steep entry into the water, so not suitable for swimmer but perfect for the lovers of water sports), Chrissi Amoudia (a beach with a white to goldish sand, clean water and plenty of green vegetation), Limenaria (a popular but still quite peaceful beach), Metalia

(a sandy beach suitable for children and non-swimmers with is gentle slope into the water; providing all the necessary comfort for tourists), Nisteri (a beach with sand and pebbles covered under the shade of exuberant green vegetation), Livadi (a beach suitable for camping), Makriamos (a long beach full of fine sand, with a beautiful green landscape in the surroundinngs and full comfort), Paradise (a sandy beach, one of the most beautiful and most popular on the island, with the possibility to practice water sports and (sun)bathing), Pefkari (a sandy beach with pebbles, popular among the youth for its proximity to the local nightlife) Poto (a very popular place with all the necessary tourist services), Rossogremos (a smaller and more remote sandy beach, suitable for those searching for peace), Skala Prinos (a popular sandy beach with all the services available) a Stelakis (a beautiful calm beach with sand and pebbles). For a complete overview of beaches, see the section Thassos beaches

Island resorts

Travel agencies offer tours mainly to the resorts of Astris, Chrissi Ammoudia, Kinira, Limenaria, Mykrammos, Pachis, Panagia, Pefkari, Potos, Prinos, Skala Potamias, Skala Prinos, Skala Rachoni, Skala Sotiros, Thassos - Limenas and Trypiti. For the map of resorts, see the Map of Thassos Island.

Which travel agencies offer tours to Thassos?

Thassos is very popular destination and so there are many travel agencies offering tours to the island. You can find most travel agencies and tours here in Thassos tours centre. The tours can be purchased with one of our special bonuses (a discount, a travel guide or a map), but some travel agencies also offer a discount for an online reservation or have different offers that couldn’t be included in the price list. Therefore it is highly recommended to see also the offer of the travel agencies listed in the Recommendation of a Travel Agency chart. You can find a complete overview of the hotels, suites and studios offered in the destination in the section Thassos hotels.

Thassos on the internet

Among the travellers’ or sales websites, you can also find sites offering private accommodation or a taverna on the island, see e.g. Napoleon Taverna on Thassos.

Video from Thassos

Video

Tips for hotels and tours

Below you can find a few tips for hotels, suites and studios on Thassos. For a complete overview of hotels, see Thassos hotels 

Nearest beaches
Nearest hotels
Nearest monuments

Places nearby