Skiathos: pine forests reaching down to the sea

Koukounaries Beach, bordered by a protected pine forest, remains the island's most famous thanks to fine sand and shallow waters.

A few minutes away, the main village of Skiathos preserves white alleys and traditional shops around a small fishing port.

Continuing along the coast reaches the Evangelistria Monastery, where according to tradition the modern Greek flag was first sewn in 1807.

In the evening, a boat trip leads to Lalaria Beach, accessible only by sea, with white pebbles and a natural rock arch carved by the waves.

The modern Greek flag, with its blue and white stripes, would have been sewn according to local tradition right in the Evangelistria Monastery during the Greek War of Independence.

The pine forest of Koukounaries, protected as a natural area, reaches literally to the sand of the beach, providing rare natural shade for such a frequented Mediterranean shoreline.