Koukounaries

Koukounaries (Greek: Κουκουναριές, meaning "pine cones" after the trees surrounding the beach), is a site on the island Skiathos (part of the Sporades), 16 km southwest of Skiathos Town, Greece. Koukounaries was once known as Maratha (Μάραθα). Koukounaries is well known for Koukounaries Beach, also known as "Chrisi Ammos" (Greek: Χρυσή Άμμος, meaning "golden sand") since the sand there is extremely fine. Until 1964 when Skiathos was designated by the Greek National Tourism Organisation as a development zone for tourism, Skiathos town was the only settlement on the island. Following the GNTO's decision a coast road connecting Skiathos town to Koukounaries was built. At the same time the first large scale hotel on the island was built in Koukounaries. Currently, Koukounaries is a popular tourist destination during the summer. There is a large variety of hotels, hostels, camping sites, tavernas, restaurants, bars, "ouzeri", and cafes.

Population

Koukounaries Beach

The beach in Koukounaries is run by the Municipality of Skiathos. The beach is fully equipped with (relatively inexpensive) beach bars, (clean) toilets, showers, water sport facilities, lifeguard towers and a marina. It is approximately 1.5 km long, a good 15 minutes walk from one end to the other. Between the beach and the main coastal road, there is the lagoon of Strofylia which together with the forest of Koukounaries form a rare aquatic natural habitat and are protected under the supervision of the Municipality of Skiathos.

Other

Agios Nikitas has a church and a small square ("plateia").

ee also

*Skiathos

External links

* [http://www.skiathos.gr Municipality of Skiathos]
* [http://www.eot.gr/?langID=2|Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO)]
* [http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=59176 Koukounaries on GTP Travel Pages] (in English and Greek)