Skiathos Greece Monastery and Church Photographs.

There are four monasteries you can visit on the Greek Holiday Island of Skiathos.

Ciathos also has quite a few small churches scattered around the hills and towns several pictures of which are shown below.

Monastery Photos

Aghios Charalambos Moni
This monstery is located in the north of Skiathos and just about reachable by dirt track but there is also a nice walk you can do instead if you wish.
The monastery has been refurbished and is in really good condition - you can look inside some of the buildings for an idea of how conditions and life used to be years ago. This monastery features a colony (well 7) hungry cats who will really pester you for some food - they are happy to eat sandwiches etc to remember to take something with you so you can feed them - perhaps several nice steaks or pork chops...


Evangelistria Moni The only fully inhabited monastery on Skiathos this is open daily - a very intgeresting monastery to look round. There are some seats in a shaded area and you can get some spring water if necessary. Taxis will take you to this monastery since there is now a tarmac/concrete road to it - also a limited (mini) bus service operates out of Skiathos Town main bus station by the harbour - we know of one bus that is meant to leave at 10:15hrs but this needs checking. From the monastery you will see a wide moni-path going up via trees - this is worth a walk since after a few minutes you will come to a lovely little church which you cannot see from the main road.



Panaghia Kechrea Moni
Located to the east of Kechria Bay this is reachable either by a nice footpath from the beach or a very rough track which you have to get too from the Kastro dirt road - we have walked this track and it probably is only suitable for 4 wheel-drive.
This abandoned 15th Century Monastery is quite small but lovely to visit - situated deep in the forests the spot is really peacefull. The monstery is in good condition having been refurbished and you can look inside one of the original living quarters buildings to see how the monks used to live years ago. There is a really cool shady area with a table where you can sit and enjoy a peaceful snack and drink (there is no drinking water available at this monastery).


Panaghia Kounistra Moni
This monastery is reachable via a tarmac road from Troulos (walking this road is quite pleasant since it is quiet and scenic as it wanders through the forest however the end part is quite steep ) or you can of course have a nice walk up to it from across the hills via various tracks.
The monstery has a nice shaded area with picnic benches and is situated in a lovely setting. There is meant to be a taverna according to some guides but the only thing available we could find was a tap offering warm but drinkable spring water.

 

Churches

One thing that was perhaps a little unusual about the churches on Skiathos was that nearly all of them were open so that you could look inside. Also another feature was that many of them have a small living area which you can take a look at - these churches in some cases almost seemed to be mini-monsteries. Note these churches are not shown in any particular order but we have indicated where they are located.

 

 

Aghios Ioanis Krifos has a little bit of recent history - apparently during the second World War this remote and well hidden church was used for secretly teaching local Greek Island children their own native language - something the German invaders were trying to ban.
The church is located south west of Mikros Aselinos Beach on the coastal track - where the dirt track bends sharp left a path goes off on the right into the hillside. This delightful rocky path climbs fairly easily and the church is reached in around 6 or 7 minutes.

 

The following five photos are of Aghios Ioanis. This Skiathos church is located just south of Kastro. This is a particuarly nice area where you could easily stop for a picnic since it is well shaded and also there is drinking water available from a spring.

 

Walks to Moni Evagelistria and Moni Panaghia Kechrea on Sciathos.

Skiathos Town to Panaghia Kechrea Moni. A one way 14km walk from the outskirts of Skiathos Town via Profitis Ilias then to Panaghia Kechrea Monastery and Bay then on to Kolios. There is a hard initial climb.
From the by-pass road at Bus stop 2 a tarmac road heads inland on to the left of this there is a small concrete track going alongside - there is a lamppost at the start of this track with a small yellow "walking route" sign. The tree-lined track goes directly inland and gently rises as it goes by several small farms. When you reach a house on the left and where the concrete track rises quite steeply [N39 10 49 E23 29 11] look for and take a narrow path on the right- this really nice path meanders and climbs gently as it goes through olive groves. The path comes out in a clearer area and simply follow it to come out on the tarmac road by a house.
Turn left up the tarmac road - follow this road for around 2km - this is really hard going at times because of the steep gradients in places and not helped if the weather is hot. You eventually pass a taverna on the right and now the road really climbs up to a t-junction. Turn left and soon reach another taverna located in a tree-covered area plus the nice Profitias Ilias church is on the right. Immediately at the far right hand side of the taverna there is a narrow path which after just a few metres takes you to another church - this is Profitias Eliseos and well worth the short diversion.
Continue along the road to soon arrive at a junction - take the road below the houses to arrive at a major track and road junction. Take the second right (marked to Kastro and Kechrea Moni) and follow this really gritty/dusty and soon wide road steeply down for a while - around 700 metres from the junction take a marked (to Kechria Monastery and beach) dirt track on the left. This a very narrow, winding and pot-holed track - actually very nice to walk on as you are deep in the countryside and the hills here.
Around a kilometre from the start of the track on the left you find the really delightful small monastery of Panaghia Kechrea. You can look inside and as the monastery has been renovated you can see how the monastery was originally. There is a shaded seating area so this is a very convenient place to stop for lunch etc. but note there is no water available here.
From the monastery continue along the track - it eventually changes to a path - then descends alongside a stream where there are several abanonded ruined watermills (these are hard to see and even explore since they are located through thick scrub and somewhat below by the stream bed.)
The path eventually arrives at Kechnia Beach where there is a small taverna. From the beach you have to walk up a short but very steep track and then Ligharies Beach comes into view - continue along the track and then turn right to go down to the beach. Again there is a small taverna on the beach which sells drinks but the only food available was either salads or omelettes as they have no electricity.
Leave the beach to re-join the track and keep ahead to go inland - this is a quite dusty but very tree-lined cool track - around 1km along from the beach and at a track fork go left and follow the main track as it winds and climbs into the hills and with the valley down on the right. You stay on this main track for 3.2kms (i.e. ignore two tracks which come in from the left) then at a junction turn right - 700 metres later come to another junction which has a large tree in the middle. Go left here and continue along the soon descending track - around 1km along reach some houses on the left and then you arrive at a road junction which again has a tree (a plane tree) in the middle of it.
Go straight ahead and now walk along this tarmac road passing a supermarket, numerous houses and holiday apartments for about 1.5kms to then reach the main coastal road at bus stop 16.

 

Moni Evagelistria to Bus Stop2. This 13km circuit starts out from Moni Evagelistria then visits Moni Charalambos before heading back across the island to the main coastal road at Bus Stop 2. There is a quite steep initial climb - but it's a lovely walk and you get to see lots of interesting churches and monasterys.

This walk starts from the Monastery - we understand a small minibus makes the run up to it most days from Skiathos Town Bus Terminal - however we simply took a taxi from Troulos to get there - this only cost 15 Euros. Having looked round the monastery take a walled moni-path which leaves from the front of the monastery entrance - this heads up to an open area where there is a really nice church - Zoodhochos Pigis.

 

You may also be interested in another church which is on the other side of the clearing but not that visible from the track - we do not know it's name but it is a lovely little church. From the clearing Zoodhochos Pigis church behind you go right up a dusty track - this is quite a climb and is difficult as the surface is either quite rough or on the sometimes really steep parts is of concrete. Simply stay on this for around 2kms - eventually it does flatten out and you pass the ruins of a monastery and then arrives at Profitas Ilias church on the right and a taverna on the left (behind which is the little church of Profitis Eliseos).
There are excellent views up here and also it's worth noting this is about the last proper shade available on this walk for quite some time..

Continue along the track and then turn left staying below several houses above you. You shortly come to a major track and road junction by a shrine, take the first right track which is signposted to Ag. Athanasios - this is a very rough track which initially climbs quite steeply to arrive at Aghios Athanasios church - you can go inside this church and also the living quarters to have a snoop round. Continue along the track which now just rises gently - the surrounds are really nice and this is a very pleasant area for walking. After passing two shrines you come to the church of Aghii Apostoli - you are now on top of the plateau so walking becomes much easier. Passing several farms in a very open area the track then starts to descend to a sort of track junction - one track on the left is gated and the track ahead just goes to an aerial. Go on the main track as it goes to the right and then starts to really descend - passing more farms in the process. On a very sharp bend about 1.3km along take a track on the left which heads on down to the lovely monastery of Aghios Charalambos. The monastery has been really well renovated so you can look round and see how things used to be when it was occupied. The only occupants are several cats and their kittens - these moggies will be extremely interested in sharing any food you have with you - also if their water dish is empty please re-fill it for them.
Return back on the track to the bend and now go left on a now quite rubbly track - this soon really starts to descend and the surface is quite poor in places. At a bend and track fork [N39 11 71 E23 28 93] go right - this is marked with a yellow walking sign. The track is very narrow and soon climbs quite steeply into the hill - you already get some nice views of Evagelistria Monastery tucked in the hillside ahead. The track arrives at a house which is slightly below on the left - the path is marked and goes down passing the house and then goes through olive trees. This now becomes a proper moni-path and is a real find on Skiathos - the path winds round the side of the hills before starting to climb to arrive at a large plane tree, springs and the outside walls of Moni Evagelistria. Climb up the worn steps in front of you and walk on round to the monastery car park and entrance. Note the only drinks available at the monastery is spring water out of an old tap. From the monastery take the wide path which leaves by the gates and head on up to the clearing by Zoodhochos Pigis church - this time bear left to pick up the main road which heads towards Skiathos Town.
Follow this road down as it passes Taxiarches church where there is a nice spring and then around. 5km from the church on a sharp bend find on the right a path marked to Skiathos and Stamelos Springs. This nice path goes through shrubbery and passed the Springs before arriving at a road - turn left and follow this road down towards Skiathos - you can either follow the road all the way down however -much nicer- when you come to a house on the left find opposite this is a marked footpath which goes down through olive trees to eventually join a small road by a house. Turn left and follow the road back to the by-pass road and bus stop 2.

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