One of the mainattractions that you absolutely must include among the things to see in Skiathos is undoubtedly its ancient fortress and the village ofthe same name.

A completely abandonedvillage today built in the fourteenth century precisely in 1360 toprotect the inhabitants from the incursions of pirates and thevarious usurpers who have followed one another in history such as theByzantines, the Venetians and the Turks. We find it about ninekilometers north of the capital on a rocky peninsula. A naturalfortress suspended over the sea with a 360 degree view of the Aegeanand a crazy view. It has an area of about 25,000 square metersand in the period of its greatest splendour, it housed almost 500houses, 4 parishes, 20 churches, a mosque, water tanks and a castleoffice built during the Turkish domination. On the side connected tothe land very high walls with battlements and cannons.

Its history is full of eventsand as we said before it was the stronghold for all the invaders whocrossed the Greek sea. Until 1453 it was the Byzantines who occupiedthe Kastro, from 1453 to 1538 it was the Venetians turn to endup around 1821 with the Ottomans. In 1660, for a very short period,it returned to Venetian hands with the siege of Francesco Morosiniwho, however, then had to surrender to return to Turkish hands. Let’ssay that in all these years the population who lived in the fortressdid not have such a comfortable life of their own, the spaces werelimited, the houses small and everything was always under theconstant fear of being exterminated. When Greece finally returned toits independent state in 1830, the remaining population moved towhere Skiathos Town now stands, giving it life with the constructionmaterials of the old fortress which were reused for doors, windows,roofs and the timber necessary for the construction houses.

To date, little remains ofthe ancient capital compared to its original beauty, you can admirethe remains of a house, two parish churches(https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieve) that of Christo and San Nicola,ruins of the San Vasileio Church and that of Santa Maria, aportion of the wall with the gate, the machicolation, the waterdrainage system, the now half destroyed mosque, two water cisternsand the ruins of the Turkish castellan’s office. Said like this, itseems uninteresting but only the weight of history that you breathein the visit will make you imagine what in the past man was able tobuild for a decent and above all safe life.

For a moment of respite, thebay below offers a coastline of small stones and an extremelycrystalline sea where you can stop for a regenerating swim. To eatsomething there is a tavern that offers typical local dishes andclassic Greek cuisine.