Thassos holidays

‘Skala’ is a good word to learn if you plan to navigate your way around Thassos’ coast. A lot of the island’s inland villages share their name with their nearest beach, and the word ‘skala’ is put in front of the beach’s name to differentiate the two. As an example, Rahoni is inland from Skala Rahoni, and so on. If you’re interested, the word translates as ‘step’ or ‘little pier’.

Measuring up at 2 kilometres long, Golden Beach is the biggest stretch of coast on Thassos. And its name speaks for itself – the sand here is the colour of the precious metal. The beach comes with the full arsenal of facilities, too. There are watersports, sunloungers and tavernas that let you eat just footsteps from the shore.

Pachis Beach, 6 kilometres from Thassos Town, aspires to be incognito. You have to drive here, and it’s not sign posted from the road. But, while it was once Thassos’ biggest secret, these days it isn’t quite as deserted. There are thatched parasols on the sand and a couple of eateries by the beach.

You don’t need a sweet tooth to pick up a bargain in Thassos, but it helps. Homemade honey, honey with walnuts, and candied walnuts are some of the most popular take homes from the island. Head to villages like Panagia, 4 kilometres from Golden Beach, and you’ll find street-side stalls and souvenir shops around the village centre.

The marble mining industry in Thassos dates back to the BC years and it’s still booming today. If you head to Prinos market, 25 minutes’ drive north of Limenaria, on a Monday morning, you’ll find marble statues standing sentry on more than one market stall alongside trestle tables of fresh fruit, handbags and fabric.

White gold is one of Thassos’ specialities. In fact, the island is home to one of Greece’s top jewellery businesses, Iris Gold. You’ll find their flagship store at the west entrance to Limenaria and a white gold ring will burn a £200-sized hole in your wallet. Thassos Town has a few jewellery shops, too – start the search around 18 Oktovriou Street.

On the whole, Thassos’ nightlife revolves around the island’s eateries. In Thassos Town, 18 Oktovriou Street and Central Square carry most of the restaurant weight. In Limenaria, the seafront promenade is the place to fork through a plate of fresh seafood or a classic Greek dish. For something different, head to

Theologos, 15 kilometres from Limenaria, on a weekend. The village is an ambassador for rembetika music, Greece’s answer to American blues.

The lively side of Thassos’ nightlife is accounted for by bars rather than clubs. In Thassos Town, the bars cluster around 2 main streets. There are outdoor ouzeris around Miaouli Street by the old harbour, and a couple of Brit bars on 18 Oktovriou Street. The town of Potos has its fair share of bars, too. Most of them run along the waterfront in the old harbour area.

You have to be more of a chemist than a cook to perfect this dish. The recipe, which comes from Prinos village, combines onions, beans, cabbage, green peppers and brine. You start preparing the dish 10 days in advance by drying the cabbage for three days. Then you add the other ingredients and leave for seven more days. At this point you add the mixture to some boiled beans to make a casserole.

This slow-cooked stew is made from veal, potatoes, quince, apples, red wine and bay leaves. The dish features on the menu of every traditional restaurant worth its salt. It’s usually served in a heavy clay pot, which gives it the wow-factor.

This dish was born out of necessity in the cramped galleys of Thassos’ fishing boats. It’s made by boiling water, vegetables, garlic and the catch of the day. The fish and vegetables are removed before serving, and lemon juice is added to create a bouillabaisse-style soup.

The smell of this meal cooking starts the countdown to siesta and, when it’s brought to the table, it’s time to retreat from the midday sun. The dish itself is similar to a Spanish tortilla, but it’s made by baking courgette, feta cheese, spearmint leaves, eggs, breadcrumbs and butter.

Autumn is tsipouro production time in Thassos. This brandy-style drink is distilled from grapes. Almost every village has a vineyard of some sort and entire communities turn out to undertake the back-breaking work of grape picking. A couple of months later the first drops of tsipouro are poured and a celebration starts.