Surely some one has been! Any info at all would be really welcome.

Cheers guys!

Hi Maryland,

Not sure how helpful I will be but I went to Thassos and stayed in the town a couple of years ago. I also used to work as a holiday rep for Portland out in Crete and their accommodation was usually superior to Thompson but still fairly basic as this is Greece!!

This is my report:

My boyfriend and I went to Thassos a couple of years ago and stayed in Thassos Town. We loved it and would definitely go again. The ferry trip across to the island put off families with small children so it was mainly couples and families with older children.

The ferry journey across was hassle free as you sit and have a drink in a taverna by the sea and wait until the coach has boarded before you get on the ferry. The journey across was lovely and you could see the island in the distance looming closer.

There are plenty of bars in the town to choose from and lots of restaurants by the sea, in the main street or up the smaller side streets. You can make it as low key as you like depending on which area you go to. Lively main street bars or small local bar on the outskirts.

We loved sitting in the tavernas on the town beach with our feet in the sand watching the ferries going back and forth to Kavala.

The sea is crystal clear and the boat trip was superb!

Thanks Noushkey, your report was really helpful. Mum has been to Greece quite a few times and loves it, so she knows what to expect regards to accommodation. I'm not fussy, as long as its clean I don't mind! We're not planning on spending much time in the room. I'm really looking forward to trying out all the different taverna's and local dishes.

One thing I did wonder, because its the Town, did you find it less pretty than other areas? I was a bit worried in case the harbour was too industrial.

Also, although I drive over here, I don't think I would be brave enough to hire a car over there, are there places to hire bikes, are the other beaches/resorts easy enough to access via buses etc?

Thanks for your help!

Hi
Just had a look where the studios are but there isn't a map on the Portland website. It sounds like you are on the outskirts of town and the apartments look set back in their own grounds which will be lovely. We were a 5 min walk into town but it isn't a busy, bustling, kind of place we found it perfect and we are in our late 30's.

At night the town centre where the shops, bars and taverna's are based is pedestrianised which is nice so you can wander around the shops etc.

We also loved the bars and restaurants further on where you sit near or on the town beach. The only industrial part is where the ferries come in but it isn't very big or very busy. The boat trips set off from round the corner where there is a small harbour with a few boat trips on offer.

It's a pretty town with enough to do for 2 weeks but not 'in your face'. We thought the food was excellent and my boyfriend who is Spanish thought it was the best food he'd ever had on holiday. We went to Zorbas restaurant (very original I know) up a cobbled street, and had a fish platter which came on a big silver salver with different pieces of fish and seafood, absolutely lovely. We went back on our last evening too. It does get very busy and you sometimes have to queue but the food is lovely.

There are a couple of places to hire mopeds. I usually hire one to zip round the island but unfortunately my boyfriend didn't have the bottle so we ended up on a bus to the other side of the island. The bus stopped in the next village and the driver got off, shut the door and went and had a coffee and a cigarette and left us cooking on the bus in August!!!! He nearly had a riot on his hands when he got back in and we both ended up with headache! The beach wasn't even that nice when we got there (sorry can't remember which one it was). We used the water taxis to take us to Golden Beach which is gorgeous with a lovely backdrop of steep hills, a must to visit.

Check out this website for info and click on the photos at the end to get an idea of the tranquillity and the town.

http://www.imagesofgreece.co.uk/epirusnotes.html

Thanks Noushkey for your helpful replies. Looking forward to the end of August for our hols. The link you attached was also really useful as well.

We have been to Thassos twice and loved it. The whole town is built on an archaeology miracle and there is masses to see. Try the walk up the hill to the Theatre. It is built overlooking the sea, surely the best site for any theatre in the world.
The ferry is very quick and a lovely trip. It is well worth spending a day back in Kavala and seeing the fort.

The food is good. The evening stroll is highly entertaining. Noushkey is quite right. Do visit Zorba's. We have seen the waiters break into a dance whilst serving. Very entertaining!

Remember this is aworking island. The beautiful, twinkly marble is superb and has been used in many places throughout the area, including Istanbul. The quarry waste is used as roadstone and it is very strange to see the road twinkling at you when walking to the taverna in the evening.

Hi im heading out to Thassos for the 1st time next Friday and will be keeping an eye out for the twinkling roads i have not read a single bad report about the island but in someways i wish i had because its now got a lot to live up to.

Hi Everyone,
Have read all the above write ups & answers with much Interest. My Wife, Son & Myself went to Thassos, (Scala Prinou), in July 2000 & we thoroughly enjoyed every minute, especially the Ferry. There were 100's of Jellyfish clearly visible in the Sea as well as the Seagulls flying close to the Ferryboat/ship.

I do have an mpg video of that Holiday if anyone is interested, but it's about 250mb!!! It shows our Apartment, the Ferry, a Boat Trip with a Bar B Que, Phillipi Ruins, Thassos Harbour, a few clips around the Island & ends at the Airport. It's a Home Made Family Video but if you haven't been there before, there may be something of interest.

We're off there again on the 14th July & if anyone has any Specific questions about the Island, I would be happy to try & obtain the answers whilst we're there & post them here on our return.

Driving was easy on Thassos, the roads were so quiet, even in July!!! Car Hire was cheap & easy to find, you just have to remember to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road. Not that it matters to the Greeks though, they just drive in the shade, regardless!!!

I think the trip around Thassos is about 60 miles & all the roads we drove along were excellent, but you could always hire a 4x4 & go 'Off Road' into the mountains. We did the Island Circuit several times & explored just about everywhere, Potamias, Golden Beach, Paradise Beach, Aliki was Nice, Astris, Limenaria was Superb as was Skala Maries.

All of the Greek Islands we've been to, (some of them twice), Corfu, Zante, Kefalonia, Skiathos & Samos have been very basic, (some WC's are just a hole in the Floor & you can't flush the toilet paper away either because it will block the drains. You must use the provided bins).

Greek people are very friendly & family orientated. If you are sat at a table, the Waiter will attend to the child or children first, then the Male and last of all, the Female!!! There is no disrespect involved, it's just the way they are. You are never 'rushed away' when you have had your 'cheap' but excellent 3 course meal, in fact, most Taverna owners will keep bringing free extra's like water melon or ice cream for the children.

I hope someone finds this brief description useful & if anyone has any questions, I'll try to answer them.

Thanks bdc 1955 for your reply. I guess one of the things I wanted to know really was how easy is it to get to Golden Beach? I've read that its a really lovely area and gorgeous beach. Are there water taxis from the harbour and how much roughly will it cost.

Are there any particular restaurants/bars that you can recommend.

And are there any other trips/sights that would be on your "must do/see" list?

Also, is there much hanging around once you get of the plane and are waiting for the ferry? I presume its a coach ride to the ferry port and then just wait for the next boat is that right? Does it add a long time onto your overall journey.

Thanks for your help.

Maryland

Water taxi from Thassos Town to golden Beach really easy to get to. Took about 20-30 mins, not sure of the cost but talking a few quid probably. I think they are pretty regular, we just walked to the jetty and hopped on.
Boat trip - a must, wonderfully clear water some of the best I have ever seen in Greece.

It's about 30 mins by coach to the ferry and usually timed so you don't have to wait around too long. I think ferries are every hour and while the coach waits in the queue you sit by the water and have a drink until the horn sounds and then you walk on with your ticket which your Rep should give you.

Really no hassle at all and lovely ride on the ferry with the seagulls eating out of your hand - take some bread!

Can anyone recommend any good accomadation in Thassos somewhere quiet but close enough to walk to Tavernas etc We are couple aged 50yrs. Thanks

Just come back from another 2 weeks in Thassos.

We hire mopeds, not recommended, but hey! it's a holiday

You can drive round the island in less than 3 hours by car.

The book you can buy from most places is very historical and won't give you the important info - nice beaches, cheap food etc etc....

We've found the prices have increased in the last two years and always look at a menu for the prices of a) greek salad varies between 1.80 euros and 5.00 and b) ouzo - ditto.

Thassos Town (Liminas) has some nice places to eat. Turning right, from ferry, you'll come across a place called Mouzes (mouses) you'll recognise it from the octopus drying on the line opposite. Always full of Greeks, which is a good sign.

Other end of the town is the boat yard - go as far as you think you can, and then more.... Family run place, there is a yacht that they have been building for the last 3/4 years, due to be ready September. Awesome place to watch a sunset.

Aliki - worth a drive for the beach bar, cool music, lovely safe cove for swimming. Bit pricy now, but the atmosphere is always very chilled.

Megolos Prinos - Two tavernas up in the mountains.

Potos, Lininara, Skala Potamia and Golden Beach are very touristy. Pefkari has a nice beach with bars and watersports.

Kavala (mainland) has a busy market on a Saturday until 2pm. The hydrofoil (dolphin) will take you across for 16 euros pp return from Thassos Town. Locals selling fruit and veg and local brew 'tipporou' or something (loony juice) airlines won't let you drink it on-board. Turkish made cottons and very cheap clothes. We walked down a main street filled with beautiful people - probably the Manchester equivilent of Deansgate etc.....

Prinos has market Monday - mainly same traders as Kavala.

The cheapest supermarket we found was on the road out of town towards Prinos.

Panagia - you can get goat on a spit, the roads are made up of marble blocks and a stream runs right the way through. If you drink the water from the fountain in the square its either supposed to make you mad or pregnant - depending on who you ask!!

Erics Bar - you'll see lots of adverts for it. Skala Potomia - he boasts the only headed pool on the island, which, when we go in May is very welcome, but in August, think you won't need to visit! Lovely clean pool, no charge for the beds and his apartments are now with Thomas Cook (expensive we thought when he showed us the brochure) Only problem we found is that the pool fills up with the local children at weekends and after 1pm weekdays. So don't go if you want to do 'laps'

El Greco in Thassos Town is run by Jill (from Sheffield) husband is Greek and he cooks, good food, big clean bar.

There is a whole lot more I could tell you............ if you want anymore info PM me and I can email you.

Enjoy

Jo xx

Hi Maryland,
I think most of your questions have been answered, but I intend driving to Golden Beach, so I'll let you know how long/far it is, by car. We'll probably drive round the Island a couple of times as well, taking in scenery & sites, & again, I'll report back on anything I think may be of particular interest to you.
Most Taverna's are pretty good, but I'll let you know the names of any that we find exceptional. As a general Rule, If the Greeks eat there, it Must be okay.
We Fly out on Friday the 14th for 2 weeks & we're staying in an Apartment about 5 minutes walk from Thassos Town. I don't have a camcorder any more, but I will be taking plenty of Photo's with my Digital Camera for distribution to anyone here who wants copies of them.

Thanks bdc 1955 and proton for your replies. Have a great time bdc and I'll look forward to your report on your return!

we went to thassos3 years ago in may ,never again,we stayed at goldenbeach lovely studios(nitemare with teen daughter)the owner and his family were lovely,this was our first time abroad ,didnt know what to expect ,,first mistake (studios) we were told our accomadation was up a hill ,(hill it was like a mountain)hubby uses a wheel chair ,it sat for 2 weeks out side studio,no way could i push it up the hill,we had to hire a jeep just to get home on a night even the fitest of the guests said they will recomend it to there worse enemy when they got home thassos town was lovely,ive got to admit,but there wasnt much to do for our teen daughter with it been out of season ,no other children there hardly,this holiday was just not for us but others may find it ok

ps - Golden Beach is a VERY popular nudist beach. Don't say I didnt warn you

Hi its PARADISE BEACH that is a nudist beach go nude on golden beach i think you will be well frowned upon as for driving to golden beach its about 20mins moped less in a car on a very well maintained road infact the island loop road is avery good one hope this helps ....dave

Just got back from Golden Beach today . I will put a full report of holiday, island and resort in due course (when I catch up on some sleep!)

All I can say at the moment is that it wasn't as quiet as I expect (or was told!) but the island had some of the best food I've ever had and the island was just as Greece used to be - unspoilt!

Hope to have review up by Thursday...

Went to Thassos Town 2 years ago, really nice place. Pretty much unspoilt with plenty of nice resturants to eat in our favourite being Zorbas. There was a bar called Remi something or other overlooking the older fishing harbour which had a nice atmosphere.

The town beach was ok but as others have said Golden Beach is worth a visit, by water taxi it took us nearly an hour. Driving was no problem, this was the first time I had driven abroad, the roads were very quiet.

Would definitly go back!