Post by dennisn on Jul 6, 2013 22:40:21 GMT
We've just returned (yesterday) from our first visit to Skiathos and I found that I had not known the following - I'm sure it's old hat to old timers/boomerangers, but I hope new visitors will find it useful....
First, everybody says Skiathos airport is dodgy. It's NOT. The runway is a bit shortish, but the planes which go there can cope with it quite easily, otherwise they wouldn't go, would they? Just a bit of extra braking and reverse thrust noise on landing, but honestly nothing exciting. And I'm one of your nervous flyers. Takeoff starts a bit exciting - the fiercest acceleration I've ever experienced, to cope with the shorter runway. But that's a good feeling for my nervousness - makes it pretty obvious the plane has the oomph to do a proper job of it. And the takeoff wasn't the usual steep climb - it goes out over the sea, so no need to rip up sharply to avoid hurting residents' eardrums, just a gentle ascent - this was the first time in years I didn't have everything painfully clenched tightly for the first ten minutes.
For the return flight, we (package holidaymakers) went in and checked in our suitcases, then were sent back out of the airport, instructed to come back and go through to Departures about an hour before takeoff. Two tavernas satisfy the needs, albeit at slightly goldmine prices (two very tasty toasted baguettes, bottle of water and an orange juice E12.00). Departure lounge can just about handle two package charters, no more. EDIT April 2014. Airport extension works are reported as having demolished the outside tavernas. If true, GRRRR!
There are no airport buses - you walk to and from the planes which park within easy distance. The airport can only comfortably park two charter planes, so they only land one when another takes off. There has been talk of extending the runway (a negligible amount) and the parking apron. If they ever manage to increase to more than two planes at once, expect the checkin process to be longer than it is at present, which is not too bad at all, considering how it gets at other Greek holiday destinations (Corfu is a nightmare in our experience, too many tourists, not enough space or checkin desks).
Unless you are one of those who daren't use toilets in mid air (my partner won't), "go" before you land - there are two toilets per sex in the arrivals hall, the first time I've ever queued for a men's toilet (and one of them was blocked and filling rapidly - sorry!) and if you've been holding on for the landing, you'll regret it if you're not first off the plane!
Transfers to resort or whatever. Getting out of the airport is a breeze and nowhere on the island is far away. We were inside our Troulos appartment, delivered by the Thomson's coach, in under three quarters of an hour from landing - that's including getting the baggage, joining all the other people for the coach and dropping off some of them en route. We really didn't notice the time. And I met somebody from the same flight which landed at about 12:40pm who had a booking on the 1pm ferry and made it.
Food. As cheap as chips, if you'll forgive the pun! The most we paid for any evening meal (for two) in Troulos was 34.30 Euros. That was at Salt and Pepper, the really posh and expensive looking restaurant in Troulos (apparently Goldie Hawn occasionally dines there) about 100 yards from bus stop 18 (you need to book unless, like us, you eat before 7pm). I had a Sea Bass, my partner the best Kalamari she has ever tasted and we had a tomato and onion salad and an ice cream. They provide a complementary 1 litre water, plus three small dips and three (very) hot bread rolls. I had two pineapple juices. In most places, a 500ml beer was 2 Euros. The portions everywhere we went were huge - we simply couldn't eat everything and survived our second week with only main courses and no tsatsiki (my favourite) starters. In one place I asked for chicken souvlaki, but only one stick and when she told me they only serve one stick anyway, I groaned. It was enormous!
Tavernas in Troulos. There are lots. Some people may have favourites, but my own opinion is that they are probably all as good as each other, it really depends on what you order as to whether or not you like them. We ate at Ratatouille, Kalivi, Sunset, Salt and Pepper and Troulos Bay Hotel. Our favourite was Salt and Pepper, simply because they did the excellent Sea Bass and Kalamari (three times, boring aren't we?) and the staff there are soooo good - attentive but not in your face. Least favourite was Troulos Bay Hotel, but mostly down to us not being very clever at ordering, so we didn't get what we thought we had ordered.
Buses. The system of having bus stop numbering is perfect. There's only one bus service, running from Skiathos town (stop zero) down to Koukounaries (25 or 26 is it?), so you simply cannot get the wrong bus (only the wrong direction if you stand on the "wrong" side of the road!). Our Thomson's rep told us there is only one fare, 2 Euros wherever you are travelling, due to the bus company having bought zillions of 2 Euro tickets. What a load of cobblers! They have the usual Greek clipboard selection of tickets of many values. I don't know how much it was from end to end, but we paid 2 Euros to town and less to Koukounaries from Troulos. I don't know what time they start, just long before we went out (7am maybe?). One of our neighbours said they came back from Koukounaries on the last bus at 1am! They run every 15 or 20 minutes. Taxis returning to town will often patrol the stops offering to take you into town for the same price as the bus, but they'll fill the seats with other people too (we never took advantage of the offer).
One thing I seriously regret was getting on the Internet and advance buying a map. Cost me £8.77 from Amazon and there is a stand in the airport arrivals lounge where you can pick up loads of the same thing free!
I hope this has been useful. If I can be of any further help, please ask.
PS, we arrived there with high expectations after reading the reviews on Boomerang forums. The expectations were exceeded. Whilst still there, I hauled out the iPad and booked the same holiday for next June and again for the following September. Nuff said!
First, everybody says Skiathos airport is dodgy. It's NOT. The runway is a bit shortish, but the planes which go there can cope with it quite easily, otherwise they wouldn't go, would they? Just a bit of extra braking and reverse thrust noise on landing, but honestly nothing exciting. And I'm one of your nervous flyers. Takeoff starts a bit exciting - the fiercest acceleration I've ever experienced, to cope with the shorter runway. But that's a good feeling for my nervousness - makes it pretty obvious the plane has the oomph to do a proper job of it. And the takeoff wasn't the usual steep climb - it goes out over the sea, so no need to rip up sharply to avoid hurting residents' eardrums, just a gentle ascent - this was the first time in years I didn't have everything painfully clenched tightly for the first ten minutes.
For the return flight, we (package holidaymakers) went in and checked in our suitcases, then were sent back out of the airport, instructed to come back and go through to Departures about an hour before takeoff. Two tavernas satisfy the needs, albeit at slightly goldmine prices (two very tasty toasted baguettes, bottle of water and an orange juice E12.00). Departure lounge can just about handle two package charters, no more. EDIT April 2014. Airport extension works are reported as having demolished the outside tavernas. If true, GRRRR!
There are no airport buses - you walk to and from the planes which park within easy distance. The airport can only comfortably park two charter planes, so they only land one when another takes off. There has been talk of extending the runway (a negligible amount) and the parking apron. If they ever manage to increase to more than two planes at once, expect the checkin process to be longer than it is at present, which is not too bad at all, considering how it gets at other Greek holiday destinations (Corfu is a nightmare in our experience, too many tourists, not enough space or checkin desks).
Unless you are one of those who daren't use toilets in mid air (my partner won't), "go" before you land - there are two toilets per sex in the arrivals hall, the first time I've ever queued for a men's toilet (and one of them was blocked and filling rapidly - sorry!) and if you've been holding on for the landing, you'll regret it if you're not first off the plane!
Transfers to resort or whatever. Getting out of the airport is a breeze and nowhere on the island is far away. We were inside our Troulos appartment, delivered by the Thomson's coach, in under three quarters of an hour from landing - that's including getting the baggage, joining all the other people for the coach and dropping off some of them en route. We really didn't notice the time. And I met somebody from the same flight which landed at about 12:40pm who had a booking on the 1pm ferry and made it.
Food. As cheap as chips, if you'll forgive the pun! The most we paid for any evening meal (for two) in Troulos was 34.30 Euros. That was at Salt and Pepper, the really posh and expensive looking restaurant in Troulos (apparently Goldie Hawn occasionally dines there) about 100 yards from bus stop 18 (you need to book unless, like us, you eat before 7pm). I had a Sea Bass, my partner the best Kalamari she has ever tasted and we had a tomato and onion salad and an ice cream. They provide a complementary 1 litre water, plus three small dips and three (very) hot bread rolls. I had two pineapple juices. In most places, a 500ml beer was 2 Euros. The portions everywhere we went were huge - we simply couldn't eat everything and survived our second week with only main courses and no tsatsiki (my favourite) starters. In one place I asked for chicken souvlaki, but only one stick and when she told me they only serve one stick anyway, I groaned. It was enormous!
Tavernas in Troulos. There are lots. Some people may have favourites, but my own opinion is that they are probably all as good as each other, it really depends on what you order as to whether or not you like them. We ate at Ratatouille, Kalivi, Sunset, Salt and Pepper and Troulos Bay Hotel. Our favourite was Salt and Pepper, simply because they did the excellent Sea Bass and Kalamari (three times, boring aren't we?) and the staff there are soooo good - attentive but not in your face. Least favourite was Troulos Bay Hotel, but mostly down to us not being very clever at ordering, so we didn't get what we thought we had ordered.
Buses. The system of having bus stop numbering is perfect. There's only one bus service, running from Skiathos town (stop zero) down to Koukounaries (25 or 26 is it?), so you simply cannot get the wrong bus (only the wrong direction if you stand on the "wrong" side of the road!). Our Thomson's rep told us there is only one fare, 2 Euros wherever you are travelling, due to the bus company having bought zillions of 2 Euro tickets. What a load of cobblers! They have the usual Greek clipboard selection of tickets of many values. I don't know how much it was from end to end, but we paid 2 Euros to town and less to Koukounaries from Troulos. I don't know what time they start, just long before we went out (7am maybe?). One of our neighbours said they came back from Koukounaries on the last bus at 1am! They run every 15 or 20 minutes. Taxis returning to town will often patrol the stops offering to take you into town for the same price as the bus, but they'll fill the seats with other people too (we never took advantage of the offer).
One thing I seriously regret was getting on the Internet and advance buying a map. Cost me £8.77 from Amazon and there is a stand in the airport arrivals lounge where you can pick up loads of the same thing free!
I hope this has been useful. If I can be of any further help, please ask.
PS, we arrived there with high expectations after reading the reviews on Boomerang forums. The expectations were exceeded. Whilst still there, I hauled out the iPad and booked the same holiday for next June and again for the following September. Nuff said!