🪪 The island at a glance
📍 Where it is
Thassos lies in the North Aegean, opposite the coast of Kavala. The nearest port is Keramoti, where the ferry reaches Limenas in about 40 minutes. Ferries also run from Kavala to Prinos. Kavala airport is a few kilometres from Keramoti.
📍 Where Thassos is
Thassos is the northernmost island in the Aegean, a few kilometres off the coast of Kavala. The island is shown in red, and in green are Keramoti, where the ferry leaves from, Kavala airport and Athens airport.
🗺️ The map of the island
Thassos is almost round, with mountains in the middle and Ypsario rising over 1,200 metres. A road runs around the island close to the sea, and roads climb from it to the mountain villages. The capital, Limenas, is on the north coast. The east side has the marble beaches, the south has Giola and Alyki, and the west has Limenaria and the sunsets.
🗺️ Map of Thassos
Thassos is almost round, with a road that goes all the way around the island. Limenas is on the north coast, opposite Keramoti. Giola, Alyki and the Archangel Monastery are in the south, and the mountain villages lie between the mountain and the sea. Tap each number to see what it is.
Map: Benedetto Bordone, 1528 (Public domain) · Wikimedia Commons
⚖️ Is it worth it? The pros and cons
Thassos is one of the greenest islands in Greece, with good prices, but it is far from Athens. Here is an honest picture.
📊 At a glance, from 1 to 5
👍 The pros
- A green island, with pine trees down to the sea.
- Beaches with white marble and very clear water.
- Giola and Alyki, special spots on the south coast.
- An ancient city in Limenas and stone mountain villages.
- Good prices and close to the mainland.
👎 The cons
- It is far from Athens, needing a flight or many hours of driving.
- In July and August it is very busy with visitors from the Balkans.
- The water is cooler than on the southern islands.
- Giola gets very crowded at midday.
- Little is open in winter.
🏛️ Limenas and the ancient city
Limenas, also called Thassos town, is built on top of ancient Thassos, a city founded by settlers from Paros in the 7th century BC. The city grew rich from its gold mines and its marble. Today the ruins lie among the houses: the ancient agora next to the harbour, temples and stoas, and parts of the walls with their gates.
Above the town, in a pine forest, are the ancient theatre, which hosts performances in summer, and the acropolis with a medieval castle built from ancient marble. The view from there over the whole town and the sea is one of the best on the island. In the Archaeological Museum you will see sculptures from the island, among them a large kouros carrying a ram.
The old harbour, on top of the ancient one.
Above the town, in the forest.
In the centre of today's Limenas.
Temples and stoas from the 6th–4th centuries BC.
Medieval walls on top of ancient ones.
Before mass tourism.
Photos: Ronald Saunders (CC BY-SA 2.0), Explorer1940 (CC BY-SA 4.0), DocWoKav (CC BY-SA 4.0), Heiko Fischer (CC BY-SA 4.0), Mark Landon (CC BY 4.0), Mike McBey (CC BY 2.0) · Wikimedia Commons
From the ancient theatre a path climbs to the acropolis through the pine trees. Set off early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when it is not hot, and take water.
🌊 Giola, Alyki and the Archangel
On the south coast, near the village of Astris, Giola is a natural pool in the rocks, filled with seawater by the waves. You go down from the road on a path and steps. It is one of the best-known spots on the island, so go early in the morning. When the sea has big waves, don't go in.
A little further east, Alyki is a small peninsula with two bays and a sandy beach. Next to the sea is an ancient marble quarry, where you can still see the tool marks, and the ruins of early Christian basilicas. Between Giola and Alyki, the Archangel Michael Monastery is built on the edge of a cliff above the sea. To go in, wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees.
A natural pool in the rocks.
A sandy beach next to an ancient quarry.
This is where the marble of Thassos was cut.
Marble right down to the water.
Built on the edge of the cliff.
Above the south coast.
Photos: arjenD (CC BY-SA 3.0), Ronald Saunders (CC BY-SA 2.0), Nikodem Nijaki (CC BY-SA 3.0), Milena120891 (CC BY-SA 3.0), Shtilian Shterev (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Wikimedia Commons
🏖️ The beaches
Thassos has beaches all around its coast, many with pine trees reaching the sand. In the east, Saliara, also called Marble Beach, has pebbles of white marble that make the water look turquoise. Further south, Golden Beach is a long sandy beach with shallow water, good for families.
Near Limenas is Makryammos, and on the north coast, around Skala Rachoni, there are quiet beaches with shallow water. On the west coast, Potos and Limenaria have the finest sunsets. The marble of Thassos is still taken from quarries in the mountains today.
The beach with the white marble.
Green right above the water.
A long sandy beach in the east.
The view from the highest mountain.
Quiet beaches on the north coast.
Still taken from the island's mountains.
Photos: Gnkmver48 (CC BY-SA 4.0), Shtilian Shterev (CC BY-SA 3.0), Ronald Saunders (CC BY-SA 2.0), Sli23121953 (CC BY-SA 4.0), DocWoKav (CC BY-SA 4.0), Peter Tzeferis (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
⛰️ The mountain villages
Theologos was the island's capital in Ottoman times. It is a traditional village with stone houses, slate roofs and tavernas serving grilled meat. In the east, Panagia has running water, plane trees and paved lanes, while neighbouring Potamia has the museum of the sculptor Polygnotos Vagis, who was born there. The path up Ypsario starts from Potamia.
High on the mountain, Kastro is a village that was once abandoned and today comes to life mainly in summer. The last stretch of the road up is a dirt track, but the view and the quiet are worth the effort.
The island's old capital.
Stone and slate.
The architecture of the mountains.
A village with running water.
Plane trees and stone.
The highest village on the island.
Photos: Ronald Saunders (CC BY-SA 2.0), Nikodem Nijaki (CC BY-SA 3.0), Rosa-Maria Rinkl (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
🏝️ The beaches at a glance
- Saliara (Marble Beach): white marble pebbles and turquoise water.
- Golden Beach: a long sandy beach with shallow water, good for children.
- Alyki: a sandy beach next to the ancient quarry.
- Giola: a natural pool in the rocks, only when the sea is calm.
- Makryammos: a sandy beach with pine trees near Limenas.
- Potos: a long beach in the west, with sunsets.
Giola is small and gets very crowded at midday. Go before 10 in the morning, and if the sea has waves, stay on the rocks.
🍽️ What to eat
Try Thassos honey, from the island's pine trees, walnut spoon sweet, made with green walnuts, and the throumba olives. In the fish tavernas along the coast you will find fresh fish, while in Theologos they serve roast goat.
📅 When to go
The best time is June, July and September. Thassos is in the north, so the sea warms up later than on the southern islands, but the pine trees make the heat milder. In August many people come from Greece and the Balkans. From November to April most places to stay close.
✈️ How to get there from Athens
| How | Duration | From | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plane and ferry | About 3 hours | Athens airport | A flight to Kavala, a taxi to Keramoti and a ferry of about 40 minutes. |
| Car and ferry | About 8–9 hours | Athens to Keramoti | Via the Egnatia motorway. The ferry takes cars. |
| KTEL bus and ferry | About 9–10 hours | Kifissos KTEL station | A bus to Kavala and then a ferry to Prinos. |
From Ioulianou 50, you reach the airport on Line 1 to Monastiraki and then Line 3. For the KTEL Kifissos bus station, take Line 1 one stop to Omonia and then bus 051. On the island there are buses around the coast, but a car gives you freedom for the villages. To compare ferry and plane, see our guide to ferry or plane.
🗓️ Four days on Thassos
Limenas and the ancient city
Morning at the Archaeological Museum and the ancient agora. In the afternoon climb to the ancient theatre and the acropolis, then go down for a swim at Makryammos.
The east coast
A swim at Saliara with its white pebbles, then a stroll through Panagia and Potamia. In the afternoon, Golden Beach.
The south
Early in the morning at Giola, before it fills up. Then the Archangel Michael Monastery and a swim at Alyki, next to the ancient quarry.
The mountains and the west
Morning in Theologos and Kastro. In the afternoon Limenaria and sunset at Potos.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I stay on Thassos?
In Limenas, for the ancient city, restaurants and the ferry. At Golden Beach or in Panagia, for the eastern beaches. In Potos or Limenaria, for the west and the sunsets.
Is Thassos good for children?
Yes. Golden Beach, Skala Rachoni and Alyki have shallow water, and distances on the island are short.
Do I need a car?
No, it is not essential, because buses go around the island. For the mountain villages and the small beaches, though, a car or scooter helps a lot.
How many days do I need?
Four to five days for Limenas, the beaches, Giola and the villages. For a relaxed holiday, a week.
— Kathy
