Operation Tsougria
Meet Giannis! (Photo 1) On the beach at Vassilias (just below Skiathos Club) is Stephanos [Stefanos] Boats & Watersports. They offer the usual trips to Kastro & Lalaria and the neighbouring islands. (c €70 for three hours). We asked Anestes to phone him and ask if he would just take us to Tsougria and pick us up. No problem! Tsougria is the jewel in Skiathos’ crown. It’s like a Caribbean island, with golden sands and shallow turquoise waters. Giannis was our pilot for the day. When you’re ready to return to Vassilias just phone Stephanos. Cool.
If you happen to encounter Stephanos near his hut on the beach and step up to chat to him, he will shout out, “You have just made the best decision of your life!” Haha! An instinctive salesman. He’s also a really nice bloke. If you’re into skiing he’s your man.
So off we go………to Tsougria. It’s a straightforward crossing from Vassilias. You can get there from Skiathos Town. However, you will have to book onto one of the plethora of boats at the harbour, sharing your experience with crowds of other tourists, many of whom do not want to visit the other stops on the trip. By the time they anchor at Tsougria it’s two-thirty to three o’clock in the afternoon and the day is virtually done. A private boat for two definitely tops a 60 or 70 seater.
Look at that beach! The sand is a kind of white and golden mix, with a little shingle in some places, but hardly noticeable. The water, too, shifts from pale blues to a greenish hue in the distance. There is a luxury bar, snack bar and a la carte restaurant (often missed by many tourists, who assume the burger bar IS the restaurant). There is no menu in the restaurant and you have to approach the waiters to ask what fresh meals they are preparing that afternoon. Be prepared to be astounded!
There are plenty of heavy-duty sun-beds on offer with essential parasol protection. The UV rays are lethal. You will see plenty of clowns lying roasting in the midday heat, of course. The beds are not cheap at the front (€50 each), but at the rear they are very reasonable. It’s up to you. Also, the staff are excellent and will take drink orders at your bed. Toilet facilities are immaculate with a hand-washing system which will challenge the best lateral-thinkers!
The toilet block is located a short distance from the other facilities. Behind it is a dried-out pond and worth a gander. Lunchtime beckons and the snack bar is a must. There are lovely high stools on which to perch and enjoy the smoked salmon baguettes with avocado and Caesar salad. Wash it down with some chilled white wine and a cool beer. Everything is laid back, even collecting your payments for the bill. The beach bar ‘La Isla’ lives up to its luxurious reputation. The main restaurant is situated under some shady skrim and has tables set out. The floor is sandy - it’s a beach.
After lunch you can relax on the bed for a while and wait for the inevitable boat trips to arrive. It’s worth the wait, just to witness the ensuing chaos. Many arrive frustrated and bored to find €50 bed prices. Some arrive without swimming gear! Some get stranded and miss their boats. The Greek staff seem unperturbed by any of it and, of course, it’s the Brits who mainly embarrass themselves. It’s entertaining there, especially listening to the things the tourists come out with. I’ve put a collection of wacky comments in another blog page (Bell-Towers & Bell-Ends) if you want to laugh/cry. One of its most attractive features is definitively swimming. It has fantastic shallow water and is very warm and inviting. If you get a chance, go to Tsougria.
Not a bad lunchtime view. There’s plenty of shade, too. La Isla has been thoughtfully designed for an up-market experience and doesn’t disappoint. You can watch the planes coming down as they approach the airport or go snorkelling at the rockier ends of the bay. If you do nothing, that’s fine. La Isla enhances the zero.
A view from in front of the sun beds. It probably beats Koukounaries because of the fewer number of bodies.
The tourist boats have arrived, but it’s still relatively quiet in the sea. The dried-out pond makes for an interesting detour from the latrines. It’s where some of the local maintenance workers hide out in the shade. The sun-beds here are not of the luxurious kind, but are nevertheless essentially functional. What a location!
