Koukounaries Holidays

Koukounaries – that’s Greek for pine cone – sits quietly at the western end of Skiathos. Not surprisingly given its name, the place is surrounded by mountainous pine forests, which make a lovely, fragrant backdrop to one of the island’s best beaches. It’s very restful here, though the equally good-looking but altogether livelier Skiathos Town is just 20 minutes away.

Koukounaries has a kilometre-and-a-half sweep of golden sand, backed by shade-giving pine trees. The bay is spotlessly clean and the water stays shallow for quite a way out. Loungers and umbrellas are lined up, and there are bars and lots of watersports. Should you want more of a party vibe, Banana Beach – an easy 1-kilometre walk along a woodland path – has DJs on bar duty right through to sunset.

The capital, Skiathos Town, is where Mamma Mia! was filmed, and you can still see the boat used in the movie moored up in the harbour. An older local celebrity is Alexandros Papadiamantis, a 19th-century writer whose home is now a museum. His name has been given to the shopping street, where designer labels rub shoulders with antiques. You can get the bus here, or take the 15-minute waterbus from Koukounaries’ jetty.