Nightlife in Skiathos is far from boring, as the island is dotted with lively resort towns offering late-night tavernas, beach bars, and nightclubs that stay open until late. During the day, beach bums, sunbathers, snorkelers, swimmers – all sorts come to enjoy the delights of the island's famous coastline. But what awaits after the sun has dipped beyond the horizon?

There's certainly no shortage of whitewashed tavernas where sizzling saganaki (flaming Greek cheese) on grills next to fresh-caught fish. There are also loads of those laid-back Greek beer bars, with one foot in the olive groves and the other in the sea. Afterwards, Skiathos touts some vibrant club districts, too, where you can head to dance the whole night away.

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    Skiathos Old Port

    Rock and roll bars meet sleek cocktail joints by the ferry port

    Skiathos Old Port
    • Económico
    • Gastronomía
    • Vida nocturna

    Skiathos’s Old Port might date back thousands of years, but the salt-washed walkways on the Aegean Sea are still buzzing with many nightlife spots. You only need to mosey down to the quaysides to find a long row of seafood restaurants punctuated by al fresco drinking terraces. There's even a stylish cocktail lounge occupying the historical Byzantine fortress of Bourtzi, close to the ferry terminal.

    Things really get swinging on Skiathos Old Port when the evening closes in. Tempting happy hour deals see the price of large beers drop to around €2.50, while other spots do buy-1-free-1 deals on drinks like gin and tonic. If you're hungry, many restaurants serve uber-fresh fish and calamari straight from the grill.

    Ubicación: Old Port, Skiathos 370 02, Greece

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    Skiathos Town

    Charming bars hidden in narrow alleyways

    Skiathos Town
    • Económico
    • Vida nocturna

    Skiathos Town is the main transport hub and arrival point for travellers to this Greek island. You'll rock up on the ferry straight over from the mainland and you don't have to stop rocking after you arrive, either…

    The narrow backstreets swirling around the hilltop Greek Orthodox church are riddled with more bumping bars than you can shake a shot of ouzo at. Start on lively Papadiamanti alley, where you'll breeze through chic cocktail bars in refurbished olive presses. Then head up Polytexniou, which conceals a few neon-hued underground lounges for the later hours.

    Ubicación: Skiathos 370 02, Greece

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    Koukounaries

    Relaxed Greek bars with a chilled vibe

    Koukounaries
    • Económico
    • Vida nocturna
    • Foto

    Koukounaries is one of the few real beach resorts outside of bustling Skiathos Town. Huddled around a little lagoon on the south-western end of the island, it's a relatively family-friendly place with just a dash of hedonism for late-night visitors.

    In the main strip, resto-bars serve up stacked burgers and souvlaki in shaded gardens, while sandy bars fringing the beachfront often have al fresco terraces and tempting happy hour deals. Because it's the smaller of the 2 resort areas on Skiathos, Koukounaries only really gets lively in the very height of the summer. Visit in July and August if you want to join the party.

    Ubicación: Koukounaries 370 02, Greece

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    Foto de Michalis Famelis (CC BY-SA 3.0) modificada

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    Platanias

    Fun pool bars and a mix of tavernas

    Platanias
    • Gastronomía
    • Vida nocturna

    The small town of Platanias has plenty to entertain most holidaymakers in Skiathos. For starters, there are reggae-themed tiki bars right on the edge of its beach, which is considered one of the best on the island’s south coast. You’ll also find wine bars and sports bars in its centre, touting UK pub vibes and pool tables.

    If you tire of the venues in Platanias itself, it's super easy to head around the bay to Kolios, Troulos, or even big Skiathos town, which is linked by direct bus during the summer months.

    Ubicación: Platanias 370 02, Greece

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    Foto de Fredrik Rubensson (CC BY-SA 2.0) modificada

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    Megali Ammos Beach

    Go straight from the sunbed to the bar

    Megali Ammos Beach
    • Vida nocturna

    You’ll always find a crowd on the beachfront of Paralia Megali Ammos in Skiathos. The proximity of the main town – within walking distance to the west – means that the sands here are really accessible. But there's more than just chilling on the beach. Hotels offer oodles of rooftop bars and tavernas for you to enjoy, while the shoreline has a couple of surf-style shacks serving beers and cocktails.

    The party doesn't have to finish at closing time, either. An affordable taxi can whisk you into the middle of Skiathos Harbour or to the pumping dancefloors of Paraliakos strip in a matter of minutes.

    Ubicación: Paralia Megali Ammos, Skiathos 370 02, Greece

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    Paraliakos

    Hop bumping clubs that gaze straight across the Aegean

    • Vida nocturna

    Paraliakos is the closest thing Skiathos has to a main party strip. Winding northeast out of the heart of Skiathos Town, it's within easy walking distance or only a short taxi ride – just in case the legs are already a little wobbly – from the old harbour.

    Paraliakos is usually where the action starts, after the island’s tavernas and sunset bars close for the day. The vibe is noticeably youthful and lively, as whitewashed Greek kitchens are replaced by sleek ocean clubs with beanbags on the sand. Some of the most popular venues have been going since the 1970s, and still draw big-name DJs and techno acts to their neon-lit stages during the summer.

    Ubicación: Paraliakos, Skiathos 370 02, Greece

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    Vromolimnos

    Where rustic tavernas hide in the shade of olive trees

    • Gastronomía
    • Vida nocturna

    Vromolimnos is a celebrated Skiathos beach, strung between rows of pines on the south coast of the island. It’s around a 20-minute drive from the main town. In recent years, a few charming Greek tavernas have been joined by sleek cocktail bars to create a lively dining and drinking hub for the evening hours.

    You won't find any pumping clubs, so it's not the place if you're after all-hours boogying. Instead, Vromolimnos is excellent for sipping a long drink between sunbathing or enjoying mezze platters with cold ouzo just a few metres from the Aegean Sea.

    Ubicación: Vromolimnos, Skiathos, Greece

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    Achladies Beach

    Enjoy cold beers with your feet in the sand

    • Económico
    • Vida nocturna

    Achladies Beach is one of the many strips of golden sand that make Skiathos such a hit with beach bums. You can find it below a rugged cape, just a short drive towards the southwest part of the main harbour.

    While most come here to laze in the sun (and get a tan), Achladies also has a few jet ski jaunts and watersports thrown in for good measure. But, when the light starts to fade, people will switch their sunbeds for sun-baked bars lining the coast. There's a trio of them right by the water, serving casual Greek food and cold beer in a relaxed setting.

    Ubicación: Achladias, Greece

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    Kolios Beach

    For long evenings of excellent seafood

    • Económico
    • Gastronomía
    • Vida nocturna

    Kolios Beach is a welcome respite from the buzzier bar areas closer to Skiathos Town. One of the main stops on the island’s south coastal road, it’s excellent for languorous, lazy evenings of dining and drinking.

    A few tavernas sit right by the shoreline. Tables and chairs are plonked beneath pines and plane trees. Menus are all about showcasing the locally sourced fish of the Med. Be sure to ask for the catch of the day or settle in for a Greek smorgasbord of dry Skiathos wine, grilled cheeses, pita bread, hummus – the list goes on.

    Ubicación: Kolios, Skiathos, Greece

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    Troulos

    Skiathos Town's tamer little brother

    • Vida nocturna

    The little coastal town of Troulos has been charming travellers ever since the first sun-seekers came to Skiathos. It unfolds along the main coast road on the far southern end of the island, a medley of pretty apartments and little Greek B&Bs draped in bougainvillaea.

     At night, there's a lively atmosphere courtesy of Troulos's kebab joints and sports bars. They tend to blur the boundary between kitchen and bar, with menus of casual food that matches well with a cold beer. There's also a couple of tavernas down on Troulos Beach, where you can enjoy local wines while watching the sunset over the Aegean.

    Ubicación: Troulos Bay, Troulos, Greece

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Joseph Francis | Escritor