I'll start this review by stating that what you are going to read is based on my experience of a small area of the island of Thassos, during an incredibly relaxing holiday in late June/early July 2002. It would be exceeding difficult to predict exactly what your holiday would be like, but here ... Read review
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Advantages: Relaxing, great food and friendly locals Disadvantages: Might be too quiet for some
...visit if you want to get away from the crowds (now don’t all flock there!).
Check out the photos below.
Further reading:
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Thassos (Tourist Guide, Useful Information, Map). By Reggina Mousteraki, published by Adam Editions (www.adam.gr)
... more
I'll start this review by stating that what you are going to read is based on my experience of a small area of the island of Thassos, during an incredibly relaxing holiday in late June/early July 2002. It would be exceeding difficult to predict exactly what your holiday would be like, but here is my story (probably with a fair dash of the 'glib biography' in an attempt to keep folks interested).
Booking *********
This holiday was a last minute deal, in fact booked just over two weeks before going, through the Canterbury branch of Thomas Cook. I actually had nothing to do with booking it; my girlfriend arranged it all one day while I was at work. Luckily, for all concerned I was able to get the days booked off! She got a great deal at £180 per person, which included the flight, transfer and accommodation (bed and breakfast).
There doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule for getting late deals at travel agents, we found it much more difficult to find a deal last year and ended up paying slightly more.
Getting there **************
We flew out from Gatwick at some ungodly hour of the morning, with tour operator JMC. I don't remember very much of the journey as it had been a tiring week at work and only two hours sleep so I drifted off for most of the flight to Kavala. Once landed and out of the airport, it was a short coach ride (complete with friendly guide, to point out the stork nests in the church towers etc) to the port of Keramoti. We boarded the ferry almost immediately and began the short journey (about 45 minutes if I remember correctly) to Limenas, the largest town and port on Thassos.
After a pleasant voyage, we boarded the coach again and soon were on our way through the roads of the island to our accommodation in Limenaria. We were one of the last to be dropped off and had no idea what to expect as the travel agent had been unable to find any pictures of where we were staying. The places we passed on the way were all fairly remote, very pleasant but a hire car would have been necessary for getting about. I started to worry a little about where we were headed as economy was a high priority with this holiday and we had decided not to hire a car, meaning it was important that things such as tavernas and shops were within walking distance of where we were staying.
On arrival in Limenaria, it looked... well, okay. We got off the coach on the main road through the town, there were at least some shops and restaurants about. I realized that we wouldn’t starve but it wasn’t exactly picturesque. Again, my worries were unfounded as we were lead, cases in hand down a side road and up an alley to our beachfront hotel. We were even situated at the quieter end of the beach away from the road.
Accommodation ******************
Our accommodation was called Pension Kiparisiou. The room itself was fairly basic but had all we needed, double bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, bedside tables etc and a bathroom with toilet, sink and shower. There was no base on the shower or shower curtain, with water draining through a hole in the centre of the floor. This appeared a little strange to begin with but was fine as long as care was taken not to get the toilet roll wet.
Our balcony overlooked the sea (we were moved to this room without asking by the apartment owners on the first day) and had a retractable sunshade, which came in very handy. Cooking facilities and fridges were provided in a communal area just down the corridor from the room if required, this was ideal for storing pots of local yoghurt and keeping drinks cool. Electrical items such as kettles, fans etc were available to rent.
The reason that there had been so little information about our accommodation, seemed to be that it was usually booked up by German and Austrian holidaymakers. There was only one other English couple in the block who had also got last minute deal. This was fine by us, as we had gone to Greece to escape our lives in the UK for a week.
The holiday *************
As mentioned above, this was a very lazy holiday. Our daily activities mainly focused on getting up too late for breakfast (in theory, but they always saved some for us!), going for a bit of a swim and a read on the beach (I don’t usually sunbathe, but Helen likes to), having a light lunch (generally Greek salad), a bit more swimming and then out for dinner. As is usual for us on holiday, we didn’t have a lot to do with the holiday rep and didn’t go on any of JMC’s organized tours. A variety of these were on offer, if that’s your thing but some were cancelled due to poor demand, which was probably due to the time of year.
In between relaxing, we explored a lot of the local area on foot. On the hill, above Limenaria, is a strange old abandoned building that looks a bit like a Scooby Doo style haunted mansion. This used to be the headquarters of the local mining company. This is not open to the public (not very pretty anyway) but there are good views of the town and sea from the cliff paths around the building and just beyond there are some gardens. Poseidon’s Garden is an area decorated with carved pieces of marble around the old mine workings and is a nice area to explore. A trail leads from here to another pleasant and even less busy beach just along the coast. A secluded bay between these two beaches can also be reached by scrambling down a rocky path from the spooky building or by clambering round the rocks at the end of the harbour. Once down, there is a large cave to explore, but beware if you are easily put off your lunch this area seemed to be popular with the occasional but decidedly non-bashful nudist.
We went snorkeling on Limenaria beach and round the rocky area and there was a fair bit of marine life to see. I saw quite a few cuttlefish (quite difficult to spot while static as they camouflage themselves) and a variety of small fish including some odd ones whose side fins resemble legs and appear to walk on the bottom. I looked these up when I got home, just to check they weren’t some kind of mutant or ouzo induced hallucination and they do exist!
Food/drink ************
As far as eating out is concerned there is a great deal of choice in Limenaria, our favourite taverna was Asterias (very friendly people and great food) though all four or so restaurants in the stretch from Asterias until the end of the road are worth a visit. All serve traditional Greek food and a variety of other dishes and most make a real effort with the presentation of the food and service. I forget the names of all of these restaurants but another of these was also great, they had wooden menus with a picture of a fish on which may help in identification should you go there, if they haven’t changed them! For a variation on the Greek salad and though I love them it is nice to have a change, try Asterias special salad. A bit further along is the Marina Restaurant, this unfortunately had a fire while we were there and had to close, but was another good place to eat.
My favourite Greek dishes were souvlaki (pork on skewers) and calamari (squid usually in batter). Other dishes that I had and enjoyed were stifado (a sort of beef stew), meat balls with cheese inside (a special of the day at Asterias) and moussaka. Most dishes came with a choice of chips or boiled potatoes. We tried some of the other restaurants in the area and found all of them to be of a general high quality and also reasonably priced. Our evening meals usually cost less than 20 euros for two.
After our meal we often visited a bar for cheap cocktails before heading back. Our favourite was Agali, where we were typically greeted as “our friends!” and later in the week “our best friends!” which is typical of the friendly reception received by visitors to Greece as a whole. In Greece, I have heard that it is considered rude to serve drinks without food so every drink you order is served with a small bowl of crisps or nuts and quite often a shot of Ouzo!
For nightlife, there were a couple of small clubs one near our accommodation and one nearer the harbour end of town. There was a larger club, just a little way along the coast; buses to this could be arranged by your rep.
Last word ***********
This holiday was exactly what we needed, and ranks as one of my best ever to date. I would definitely like to go back, but next time would hire a car or use the local buses to explore more of the island. Thassos, is not one of the better known Greek Islands but is well worth a visit if you want to get away from the crowds (now don’t all flock there!).
Check out the photos below.
Further reading: *****************
Thassos (Tourist Guide, Useful Information, Map). By Reggina Mousteraki, published by Adam Editions (www.adam.gr)
Advantages: Quiet, Relaxing, Good Food, Reasonably priced Disadvantages: Don't go here if you are looking for night clubs and discos
...I spent two weeks in Thassos at the end of June/beginning of July 2006. We had a wonderful and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a quiet relaxing break in the sun.
The Journey
We have been to a number of Greek Islands before, but had been put off visiting Thassos because there is no airport and you have to transfer to the island via ferry. Don't let this deter you. The transfers in both directions are extremely well organised and ... ...island at the port of Thassos Town, where you board another bus for between 15 to 30 minutes to arrive at your hotel. In our case this was The Socrates (Another Original Name :-)) in Skala Prinos. You arrive with only your hand luggage as your cases are collected from the airport seperately by truck, which then drops the cases off at your apartment. We were a little concerned about this at first but I have to say it worked very well and our cases ...
dont_ask_me 31.08.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Thassos (Greece)
Advantages: great beaches, good food Disadvantages: a bit of a journey to get there
I visited Thassos a few years back, but was so impressed with it, I felt I had to write a review to encourage others to visit.
We went to Thassos on one of those last minute package tour holidays with Thomson's, and only paid £175 each for 14 nights, in a self catering studio apartment at the Glyfada apartments, just outside Thassos town.
A bit about the island:
Population: 16,000 Thassos lies 10km off the coast of mainland Greece. Its nearest ... ...good spot for bee-eaters.
Apparently, Thassos has been permanently habituated since the Stone Age.
After a long and tumultuous history, Thassos belonged to the Romans, Macedonians, Egyptians and Turks, but in 1912, it was united with Greece. However during WW2, it was occupied by the Bulgarians.
Thassos has had a history of gold mining, and more recently oil has been found off shore.
The main town of Thassos is Thassos town, or Limenas as it ...
elliepom 07.11.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Thassos (Greece)
Advantages: Quite, yet lively as well. Disadvantages: Someimes a little on the hot side.
Seven days on Thassos which felt like seven weeks we did so much. A few pointers for others heading that way:
1) Garden Studios, Thassos, is well located, but the rooms in the back block are incredibly airless. No aircon, but no fans either. Poor design means nights of passion-sapping heat that never goes away. Head for the verandah for a cool night (or if you don't want to share the twin room no more!), but mind those mozzies. Bottom line: pay ... ...3)At the back of Thassos town there is a walk up a hill to a high point from which you can watch the sunset. This is a MUST. Catch it on a good evening and it will be an unforgettable experience. But take a torch to get get you down again, or wait for the moon, or sunrise over the sea behind you the next day. Believe me, once you are up there, you wont want to come down. And watch for the prehistoric altar for Pan on the way up.
4)Best place to ...
gregemartin 12.07.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Thassos (Greece)
Advantages: More like the real greek island with a hint of commercialism Disadvantages: May be too quiet if you are a wild child
We went to Thassos about 8 years ago so things may have changed a bit.Let's hope not for the worst.We flew from Manchester travelling in early September.After arriving at the airport we were taken by coach for a 1/2 hour dirve to the ferry crossing to Thassos island.
We were not particularly looking forward to this as it's the first one we've done and were expecting delays and hassle.I am pleased to say it was totally painless.We were dropped of ... ...road on the outskirts of Thassos town.Our studio was ok but the downside was there was no reception or staff if you had a problem.Unfortunately one night I did as my husband took quite poorly.There was me wandering the road(yet again!)trying to find a phone.I did find one at a garage and the staff were really helpful but did not speak much english.Problem was neither did the doctor at the receiving end so a mobile phone would not have helped.Must ...
grafter123 26.11.2006 (29.11.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Thassos (Greece)
Advantages: History on your doorstep. And that RED WINE. Disadvantages: Had to come home.
We decided on Thassos this year, we were going to go to KOS but that fell by the wayside due to the XL Failure that dragged KOSMAR down.
So as THASSOS is the most northernly of the Greek Islands we chose to go in June, normally we holiday in May.
On the run up to the holiday I kept checking the weather to find in May the tempretaures were in the 80's and sunny days, would it change.
As it turned out we had two weeks of wall to wall sunshine.
... ...to be on, the Blue Thassos Ferry, and how long before sailing.
We had 35 mins, so time for that first Cold MYTHOS Beer at one of the water front Tavernas.
The ferry crossing only takes about 35 mins. There seems to be a tradition of feeding the Seagulls as the ferry sails along, they keep flying alongside.
You dock at Thassos Town or Linemas as the local name is.
You are then either Bussed or Taxied to your accommodations where you willl find ...
poshtroika 05.07.2009 (22.07.2009)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Thassos (Greece)
Value for Money
Sightseeing
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around
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Advantages: Nice hotel, good swimming pool and bar, fantastic scenery, close to the beach, very peaceful Disadvantages: Very remote - a few more tavernas would be advantageous, the seabed was covered in seaweed
My partner and I have just returned from a wonderful holiday staying at the Hotel Coral in Skala Rachoni, Thassos. We booked with Thomsons Holidays as a last minute package deal, although this hotel can be booked independently. We stayed for a week during the school holidays from July 22nd to July 29th 2007.
THE LOCATION and FACILITIES
The hotel is literally 180 metres from the sea (less than 5 minutes walk) and is set within beautiful olive groves with a spectacular mountain backdrop. The small resort centre of Skala Rachoni is about 1km away along the seafront, and the village of Rachoni is 4km inland.
There is plenty of parking available at the hotel and a lovely swimming pool with pool bar. The swimming pool, which is a decent size, is set within the olive groves and so the surroundings are totally peaceful. My only gripe is ...
Advantages: Beach Side Dining on Fresh Well Cooked Dishes. Disadvantages: Had to come home.
off we went the 10 yards to a shady table set up on the sand (Very Shirley Valentine)
We were attended by the Lovely Akiss (spelt as i pronounced it) very friendly and helpful if you are trying out your Greek.
Menus brought and Drink order taken.
At this point I would like to say that the Table Wine (From the Barral) of Thassos is the best we have had anywhere in Greece. It was treasured across the Roman Empire.
Lunch times we had Half Litre of White (very refreshing) nights was a Litre of the Red, glourious drinking.
A large Bottle of Water.
Bread was brought with olives and Taziki, and butter. Sometimes the bread would be lightly toasted.
Better half ordered the MOUSAKA, Jane says you can tell a lot about the place from this dish. And the rest was history as this became our eating place.
The Mousaka came with red ...
Advantages: Those Views over the breakfast table. Disadvantages: Little Mythos at 2.5 Euros.
has two balconies instead of one like the others. One faces over the pool area towards the South. The second across the olive trees to the hills in the west for those Sunsets.
The Studios like most Greek ones are basic but clean and fuctional.
Two single beds. LARGE Wardrobe with plenty of hangers. Also Draws. Bed side cabinets, and a gressing table with draws.
The kitchen are has usual two cooking plate unit, but also electric kettle. Sink and Drainer with cupboards. Also good sized fridge.
bathroom is larger than normal with open shower, no curtain (But Hey this is Greece) and there is actually a plug in the sink.
There was always plenty hot water.
Thassos is onw of the Greenest of Greek Islands, and water shortage does not seem a problem.
Towels and sheets were changed every 3 days, and the help cleaned around ...
