Thassos, Greece… Ssshhh! It’s a secret!

Golden Beach on Thassos in Northern Greece is definitely one of the nicest beaches on the island. There are dozens of great bars and restaurants selling local fresh produce and the beach is beautiful
Golden Beach

A PHOTO-DIARY OF OUR HOLIDAY TO THASSOS, GREECE

The Secret Island Of Thassos, Greece

Thassos… The most Northerly Greek island there is. A little green gem tucked away in the Aegean Sea, that nobody seems to have heard of and even fewer seem to have visited. It’s late May and the temperatures are perfect for our pasty British skins. A kind and thoughtful 27 degrees with warm breezes that shake the olive trees gently, making their pale leaves twinkle like a dancers leotard.

As you approach by sea, it has the landscape of a Hawaiian island. Sloping green peaks, much lusher than many of the other Greek islands, and with sandy beaches peeking out like white petticoats from their jade skirts. The shallow waters are turquoise and clean, and teaming with fish. The locals are sweet-tempered and happy, pleased that they can show off their home and proud of their ancient history.

Thassos has a coupole of ancient ruins and they have been well preserved, it makes for a great day trip and a fun thing to see and do
There are plenty of secluded beaches on Thassos, beautiful coves and isolated beaches typical of northern greece
its not hard to find beaches that are a bit off the beaten track in Northen Greece. Thassos has lots of beautiful quiet coves.

Our Thassos Holiday

We managed to explore pretty much the whole island during our stay, it’s not that big and neither of us sits still that well unless anchored by a good book. So, with our little car we went in search of everything Pinterest had promised us, with the mission of finding a hotel in the perfect spot for our final three nights here.

Under strict instructions from rent-a-banger to only stick to asphalt roads, we, erm, absolutely definitely did not venture onto mud tracks at all and eventually found our way to hidden natural pools and waterfalls with only the help of blue arrows painted on rocks and a few broken twigs to say someone had tread there before. Tourism just hasn’t hit Thassos yet, save for a few Eastern Europeans and some cockneys that have been coming since the 1990’s boom-time. But that’s great! The beach towns are quiet but the amenities are there if you need them.

There are beach bars all over the coast in Thassos, it's hard to say which are the best beach bars as they all have great views and a great atmosphere
Thassos town is full of culture and there are plenty of opportunities to see how the locals live
Thassos town has some of the best restaurants and bars on the island, great fresh fish and squid and gorgeous views of the harbour
Thassos Town

Where We Stayed on Thassos

We stayed at the beautiful Island View (read review) on the slopes of Golden Beach and we were very content with our panoramic breakfast views from the most nurtured terrace garden you’ve ever seen. Damn Germans stole the best table each morning though.

The beaches have enough sun loungers for everyone, all 12 tourists, and they’re free if you buy from the beach bars they’re attached to. Make sure you try the Gyros from Beba’s. Golden Beach is definitely one of the nicest on the island to stay at but the East and North West coasts have some gorgeous small resorts too. Some with only one hotel or restaurant if reclusiveness is your thing and you wanted to talk to only ten people on your whole holiday. A special favourite of mine was a beach just around the corner from Skala Rachouni on the West, they’re all so rustic and sleepy the beaches around there but this one has a little wooden pier and that, in my books, makes it nicer!

Due to the sheer ridiculousness of 5* hotels only costing £45 a night though, we booked 2 nights at Ilio Mare. It’s a bit further around from the little wooden pier beach and we spent 3 days in complete luxury at the type of hotel we wouldn’t usually be able to afford in any other country! I became quite accustomed to receiving my morning frappe on a beach-bed, complete with muslin curtains and embroidered scatter cushions. I may never rough it with the 4 star’s ever again!

ilio mare is one of the best hotels on the island of Thassos - 5 star luxury and very modern, you won't want to leave
Ilio Mare – Skala Prinos
The east side of Thassos gets the best sunsets on the island and there are plenty of gorgeous spots to watch the sun go down
The cute little fishing port of Paradise Beach

What We Did In Thassos

We ventured inland up the hills and discovered some of the prettiest villages in Thassos, which go by an even slower pace of life than the beach towns.

Further south the hills sing with the hum of a million bees, naturally, since the island’s livelihood is in honey, and olive oil too. As you approach the villages the hives stand out among the olive groves, lines of wooden boxes painted in rainbow colours, and when you reach habitation old couples sell you their produce from their front steps.

The squares are Greek by stereotype, full of tavernas and stray cats, and decorated with floral vines to keep the sun off their restaurant terraces. I hope I’m replicating a perfect picture of this wonderful island for you but don’t tell everyone because right now it’s just the right level of rustic to holidaymakers which allows for happy locals and amazing memories.

Want to hire a car in Thassos? You'll find its the best way to see the island. The public transport is great too but hiring a car on Thassos will allow you to get off the beaten track and discover the secret side of Thassos

Read more about where we ventured in our post : The Best Things To Do In Thassos

Where To Eat In Thassos

Among our highlights were a few great tavernas and restaurants, one of which we nearly didn’t try based on the fact it’s nicknamed the Wedding Cake (real name La Terrasse) because of its obnoxious architecture. It’s probably mock-Italian and wouldn’t look out of place on Lake Como or Garda but here on Golden Beach, Richard felt it looked a tad ridiculous. Enough to put him off his Stiffado, but we’re so glad we tried it – nice one Trip Advisor! We even returned a second night.

I’ve also got to mention the taverna we chose on our last night in Thassos town, Tavernaki, traditional Greek food home-cooked to perfection and served with more than a smile by all the staff, a lovely, lovely place on an equally lovely street.

Paradise beach on the east coast of Thassos is one of the best beaches on the island - very quiet and fantastic sea views with a great taverna
Paradise Beach on the East coast
Tavenaki in Thassos town was one of the best restaurants we went to on Thassos, the best food and great service and atmosphere
Tavernaki – Thassos Town
There are some amazing restaurants on Golden Beach on Thassos, service fresh fish and squid with the best views you could ask for.

There are lots of quiet, isolated beaches on Thassos and it's not hard to find your own private spot, perhaps sharing it with a few turtles

You get the best greek sunsets on the east, especially on the beach near the Ilio Mare hotel


We were sad to leave but it’s left within us a quest to find some more of these unspoilt Greek islands. We figured the ferry ride from the island probably puts many off because of the extra it adds to your journey, but, in our opinion, it’s definitely worth it!

Don’t forget – if you’re still in the planning stages for a Thassos holiday we have reviewed our 2 favourite Thassos hotels HERE – very strong recommendations!

We have since visited another ‘off the beaten track’ quiet Greek island – Skopelos.

Skopelos Greece – The Mamma Mia Island


Pin For Later…

Thassos is a great family holiday spot in Northern Greece. It's relatively unspoilt compared to the likes of Crete or Corfu. Plus, the landscape is similar to Hawaii being very lush and green. There are plenty of quiet off the beaten track experiences to have but equally the towns are full of the best bars and restaurants Greece has to offer. It's easy to find cheap flights to Thassos and it seems no one else has heard of it, so book yourself a flight and enjoy one of the best islands in Greece

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

 

32 Comments Add yours

  1. Freddy says:

    ….sorry Alex, but I forgot to also ask which other islands have you visited in Greece?

    1. Alex says:

      Oo lots but I’ve got to say my three favourite are Thassos, Rhodes and Paxos. We’ve been to Thessaloniki in mainland Greece too and that’s also so beautiful – very rugged.

  2. Freddy says:

    Thank you Alex for your fantastic insight!! Thassos I’d definitely on my list for my “off the beaten path” Greek Island extended tour next summer. I have been to Paros, Naxos, Mykonos (and Delos), Ios, Santorini and Rhodes on previous trips and really looking forward to spread my wings next time around!!

    1. Alex says:

      You’ve been to some fab places! You’ll definitely love thassos then, its just a bit more unspoilt than other islands! Have fun and thanks for dropping by!

  3. Mel Butler says:

    This place looks amazing, I love Greece but I have never been here. I am going to pin this and come back to you when I go. Great pictures.

    1. Alex says:

      I can thoroughly recommend it Mel, it’s sooo beautiful and rugged. Proper Greece 😉

  4. Alright, I’m sold. What a beautiful place, with just the right amount of things to do. And your hotel is stupidly nice – £45 a night!? Insane. We went to Santorini earlier this year and it was pretty, but so packed full of tourists (and expensive!) that I actually didn’t end up loving it as much as I thought I would. Next time I’ll try Thassos 🙂

    1. Alex says:

      It’s a shame about tourists sometimes right!? 😉 thanks for connecting.

  5. Looks great! I love places with few tourists – who doesn’t, right? 🙂

  6. It looks absolutely stunning – and I can’t believe what awesome value the 5* hotel was!

    Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday!

  7. Emilie says:

    Wow it looks beautiful!! #KCACOLS

  8. Carol Cameleon says:

    What a lovely place! Sunshine, places to see, friendly faces and good food. Perfect! #kcacols

  9. I so want to go there now… Not expensive and so idyllic

  10. Looks so idyllic! And not too expensive , far from the rainy UK. The dream…I want to go there now #KCACOLS

  11. Oh it looks amazing! I would love to go. I love Greece, we went to Corfu back in March x #KCACOLS

  12. Satah says:

    How long is the ferry ride? Looks beautiful 🙂 #KCACOLS

    1. Alex says:

      50 minutes but it’s not a bind-you can sit outside and it’s a big ferry so there’s room to get up and walk around. Plenty of beautiful things to see 🙂

      1. Lee says:

        It’s a half hour if you go from Keramoti to Limena. Those ferries run on the hour from 0530 until 2300, as opposed to the twice daily ferries from Kavala.

        1. Alex says:

          Thank you for this info.

  13. Catherine says:

    Oh I want to go I want to go!! I’ve been to a few Greek islands, but nothing as beautiful as this. And £45 a night for a 5 star hotel is bonkers. This is going on my list for next year 🙂

    1. Alex says:

      Yay!! Go for it! How we booked it so cheap is in my blog Last Minute Dot Com if you need ideas! I’m currently trying to find a 5 star hotel in London for our anniversary and you’ve got to add another zero on there!

  14. sue disney says:

    Great blog, we are off to Limenaria at the end of August. We haven’t been to Thasos before, a little nervous of the crossing as I’m not very good on water! Very excited and definitely in countdown mode 🙂

    1. Alex says:

      Ar, thank you- glad you enjoyed it! Don’t worry about the crossing-it was so smooth. Just watch out for the seagulls (you’ll see what I mean)! I hope you get to explore a bit because it’s a gorgeous island!

      1. Lee says:

        Also forgot to mention, Keramoti is about 20 miles east of Kavala, but only about 5 miles from the airport if that’s how you’re coming in. If you get to Kavala after the last ferry leaves, you can take a cab to Keramoti for the hourly boats. A little pricey, but cheaper than an overnight stay in Kavala, although that town’s worth seeing too.

        1. Alex says:

          Thanks so much for the info – you’re a star!

  15. 123twinkletoes says:

    Loved your blog………but what makes you think Thassos is unheard of?……..many different nationalities have been holidaying there for years…….the difference is, it just hasn’t been spoilt in the process and, this year, it is uncannily quiet, as is much of Greece compared with a ‘normal’ year. Great photos too by the way!!

    1. Alex says:

      Thanks for your comment, I’m glad you share my affection for the Island. It seems like Thasos gets overlooked by many of the package holiday companies from the UK which probably helps it remain unspoilt. We certainly found many people hadn’t heard of it or knew much about it but that’s not to say it’s completely unknown. It’s certainly spurred us on to find some more quieter Greek gems too! 🙂
      Glad you liked the photos!

  16. Sue Whitworth says:

    SOooooo looking forward to it now you have painted the perfect picture of everything that we love about Greece and its people thank you so much for sharing’

    1. Alex says:

      I know you will have a fab holiday-it’s impossible not too! Enjoy.

  17. Jane Taylor says:

    Amazing! I want to go!!! I might even take the rest of the family. I love the fact that when we do book a holiday abroad o can just pop to your website and copy you rather than bother with brochures!!

    1. Alex says:

      You definitely should take the kids! I’m just writing a blog about the pro’s and con’s of last minute booking so look out for that one! 😉

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *