Özge Şengelen
As the sea season approaches, let me take you to a great destination where the turquoise waters of the Aegean, clean beaches, lush nature, mountain villages and delicious food fuse together, Thasos island, which can be a great option for a summer holiday
The Mediterranean and the Aegean is home to some of world’s most beautiful coastlines and sea towns. So, let’s go on a tour starting in the Aegean.
One of the first reasons we chose the Greek island of Thasos for our summer vacation was that it is very close to Istanbul by road. An adventurous road trip was waiting for us again. Even though our car journey was one stop this time, there was much to be discovered on the island.
We went to Thasos knowing we had to invest a lot of time to visit the many beaches and traditional mountain villages. We stayed in a beautiful house with chickens, roosters, tomatoes and fruit trees in the garden and the owner made us feel at home. Fresh tomatoes and fruit decorated our table in the morning. I can still smell the grass that Yannis watered while I was lying on the sunbed in the garden in the evening, resting after the tiring day. We returned from Thasos with the happiness of making a wonderful friend and the many memories we packed in our suitcase.
So, let’s get to know the island that enchanted us so much. Thasos conquered our hearts with its warm people and warm weather. It is impossible to briefly describe this island’s beaches and mountain villages, which dazzled us so much. Therefore, in this article, I will only tell you about the beautiful beaches of Thasos.
If you want to see all of Thasos’s beaches and swim in them all, you must invest in an extended stay because there are more than 30 beaches of various sizes in Thasos. Of course, we could not go to all these beaches, but we wandered around a lot of them, from the most touristic, the most natural, to the most untouched. And we enjoyed swimming in all of them.
If you, too, want to swim in beaches that have not been turned into concrete piles while respecting nature without disturbing the harmony of blue and green, you need to get to Thasos as soon as possible.
Giola Natural Pool
I want to start with the most natural places to swim in Thasos. Giola Natural Pool is a natural pool formed by the waves eroding the rocks. Giola is one of the must-see places in Thasos. According to a legend, this pool is called Aphrodite’s Tear, which you can swim in by jumping from the rocks. It is said to have been created by Zeus to bathe his wife, Aphrodite.
Marble Beach
It’s time for one of the most popular beaches of Thasos. If you told anyone your photos in Marble Beach were taken in the Maldives, they might believe it. Because at Marble Beach, you will swim in clear water with incredible turquoise color. Getting to the beach, which takes its name from the marble quarries located here, is quite tricky but worth it. When you reach Marble Beach, your vehicle will be covered with white powder, and you should be prepared for this. However, I can say that you will not regret taking the trouble when you arrive at the beach. The beach is full of tiny marble stones because it is located under marble beds, which have made this region a tropical island.
Makriamos Beach
Makriamos Beach, located very close to the island’s center, can be a good option for those who want to enjoy the sea without venturing too far from the center. The sea is relatively shallow on the beach, which is all sand. In this respect, there is also a bungalow hotel on the beach, which is ideal for families with children.
Golden Beach
Golden Beach, which I think is one of the longest beaches on the island, is an ideal place for families with children as the sea is relatively shallow. Golden Beach, which resembles a long beach town with its rows of restaurants and hotels behind it, also has a camping area.
Psili Amos Beach
If you ask which was the most crowded beach on the island: I can say, Psili Amos. Especially if you went on the weekend and in August, you might encounter a large crowd. Here, as on other beaches, you will lie down on fine, sparkling sand and enter a wonderful, clear sea.
Aliki Beach
One of the most popular beaches on the island is Aliki Beach. At Aliki Beach, where you can eat great seafood at the side-by-side establishments behind the beach, you will swim in a sea resembling a sheet and among historical artifacts. The beach, which consists of two coves back to back between which the Aliki Ruins are located, is one of the must-see beaches in Thassos.
Paradise Beach
I can guarantee you will see beautiful views on your way to Paradise Beach, which is very close to Aliki Beach. There are also sites where you can swim without paying any fee at this beach, which you will reach after a long winding road in the direction of Limenas Harbor.
You can explore many more beaches I did not include here because we could not fit them in our Thasos trip. Beautiful beaches and pristine coves are waiting to be discovered on the island, which will take you about two hours to walk around.
During our stay in Thasos, we had the experience of swimming at a different beach every day, and one of my favorite aspects of these beaches is that you can use a sun lounger belonging to a facility, or you can lay on your towel, open your umbrella and use the beach. Therefore, it is very economical to use the services of the facilities on the beaches.
On some beaches, you can eat and drink a small amount of food and use the sun loungers and umbrellas all day. But, as I mentioned above, in most of them, you can open your sun lounger, stick your umbrella in the golden sand and enjoy the sea. Besides all these, what impressed me the most is that no club-style businesses were built in the bays in Thasos and the naturalness of the bays was intact.
Everywhere in Thasos where green and blue meet, human hands have made such delicate touches that it is impossible not to be amazed. Thasos is waiting for you this summer to experience the beauty of nature to the fullest.
Courtesy: Dailysabah
