Skiathos 2020

Traveling in the "Corona-Summer" 2020

Due to Corona, the year 2020 was generally different and so were my trips through Greece. The lock-down forced me to stay home until end of June and travel in July and August, which is normally peak-season.

After visiting the Ionian Coast with my family, I went to Skiathos to see new properties and meet up with old friends.

Places you would normally expect to be bottlenecks because of the large number of tourists caused no delay at all, whilst I ran into bottlenecks in unexpected places because  things were canceled or closed due to the lack of demand.

On the whole, however, it was one of the most beautiful times to see and experience Greece from its original side. It was midsummer, but the beaches were as empty as you would only see them in May / June, the best tavernas always had a table for you and the staff was happy to see you.

My personal impression is that the Greeks are handling the virus very sensibly and respect the precautionary measures, which in turn allowed me to move more relaxed and enjoy my trip. This time I not only wanted to visit several houses on Skiathos, but also visit friends and be more flexible with my schedule, so I decided to travel with my van, in which I can sleep and be more independent than if I were a guest in a luxury villa. Before going to Skiathos, I was at the Ionian Sea to visit Paxos and Sivota, so I came via Athens and then Evia. The route is pleasant to drive, Evia has its own charm and I am always happy to be on this island, even if it is only a short transit.

I took the ferry from the port of Mantoudi, where the ferry only makes one stop at Skopelos before taking you to Skiathos. Before the ferry docks, my cell phone rings. It is one of my friends on Skiathos, he explains to me in which restaurant they are and that I should hurry up, they are hungry and waiting for me. Also at the table, a former regular customer, who liked it so much in Skiathos that he bought his own house and is considering to rent it out through me again when he is not using it himself.

It was a wonderful evening in great company and delicious food, served right on the sea shore. The following days I spent visiting mostly familiar houses to get an impression (and photos) of the small and large developments and improvements that have taken place since my last visit. In the late afternoon I went back to my favorite beach where I enjoyed a delicious meal in the tavern and then ended the evening by the sea in the van.

During the course of my stay, I made various new acquaintances, which in turn led to the fact that I spontaneously looked at a house on the beach and got to see many small, hidden corners. It was a nice, relaxed time on Skiathos. The Corona-induced calm is of course devastating for the people who live from tourism, but as a visitor it was a unique opportunity to experience the island from a completely different, more pristine side.