Skiathos (also known in Italian toponymy as Sciato) also includes the islets of Tsougria, Tsougriaki, Maragos, Arkos, Troulonisi, and Aspronisi.
Although Skiathos is mainly known as a seaside tourism destination (with beaches of all kinds, now almost all well-equipped), it is possible to undertake about twenty hiking trails to discover its scenic, historical, and architectural beauties.
Mostly inhabited in the southern and southeastern part, the Aegean island has as its only inhabited center the town of Skiathos, located precisely at the southeastern tip, a favorable position as it is sheltered from the wind.
The city port is certainly not unnoticed as it is divided into two by the peninsula of Bourtzi, once a fortress founded by the Gizi brothers. With battlemented walls and loopholes for defense, Bourtzi was also called ‘Kastelli tou Agiou Georgiou’ (meaning ‘Castle of Saint George’) because inside the fort there was a small church erected in the name of the saint protector of the Venetians. Thanks to the abundance of pine trees, the breathtaking view, and the always fresh air, today Bourtzi is a place where body and soul find proper well-being.
Among the few ruins of the Church of Saint George and those of the ancient fortress, in fact, there are also a municipal café and a picturesque cultural center, with conference rooms and an open-air theater hosting theatrical and musical performances.
