Tsougrias Beach, Skiathos: The Uninhabited Islet 15 Minutes by Water Taxi From the Old Port, With Two Sandy Beaches, Wild Goats, an Abandoned Olive Press, and a Chapel Carved Into a Cliff

Greece | Tsougrias Island | Skiathos, Northern Sporades

Tsougrias — also written Tsougria — is an uninhabited pine-covered islet less than two nautical miles south of Skiathos port. It has two main organised beaches on its northwest coast, an abandoned olive oil factory where two families once lived and worked, wild goats that roam the hillside, and a stone chapel carved into a cliff face that local fishermen call the “church in the cliff” — dedicated to Saints Floros and Laurus and built in the 1960s from stones found on the islet itself.

The water taxi from Skiathos Old Port runs approximately hourly from 10am, takes 15 to 20 minutes, and costs around €10 to €12 for an open-ended return. The service runs roughly until 5pm or later in peak season — confirm the last return time before swimming too long. Sunbeds cost €20 for two with an umbrella. The Sunset Beach bar provides drinks, snacks, and a restaurant menu with waiter service to the loungers.

The specific timing caveat that every visitor report mentions: the two organised beaches are quiet in the morning when only water taxi visitors are present. When round-the-island excursion boats arrive — typically late morning to early afternoon — the beach fills rapidly and the atmosphere changes completely. The morning is the window for the quiet version. The afternoon after the excursion boats leave is the second quiet window.

Getting There: Water Taxi From Skiathos Old Port, €10–12 Return, 15–20 Minutes, Hourly Approximately

From Skiathos Old Port, the water taxi to Tsougrias departs approximately hourly from 10am. Confirm current timetable and return times at the port before boarding. The crossing takes 15 to 20 minutes. Return boats run until approximately 5 to 6pm in peak season, later at high summer.

Alternatively, most round-the-island excursion boats from Skiathos include a stop at Tsougrias as part of a longer trip. For a self-directed visit with control over timing, the water taxi is the practical choice.

The Two Beaches: Sandy, Shallow, Clear Water, Organised, €20 for Two Sunbeds and Umbrella

The northern beach (Kefalakia) is the most impressive — it stretches into the water on three sides with the sandy composition of a small dune reaching into the sea. The second beach to the southwest (Agios Floros) takes its name from the chapel above it. Both have sunbeds and umbrellas for hire; sunbed supply is sometimes insufficient for the visitor numbers in peak season, making early arrival the specific practical advice.

The water is shallow with a gradual entry — no water shoes needed, no sudden drops. The shallow character makes Tsougrias consistently recommended for families with young children. The snorkelling at the rocky margins around both beaches is the activity that water-sports visitors focus on.

The Cliff Chapel, the Abandoned Olive Press, and the Wild Goats

The chapel of Agios Floros — built in the 1960s from stones found on the islet — is carved into the cliff face above the southwestern beach. The walk from the beach to the chapel takes approximately 10 minutes and provides the elevated view of the bay that makes the approach photograph comprehensible.

The abandoned olive oil factory at the back of the island is the remnant of the two families who once lived on Tsougrias, producing olive oil until the islet became uninhabited. Both the factory ruins and the stone threshing circle nearby are reachable on foot.

Wild goats roam freely across the hillside — visible from the beach and an unexpected element of the visit that children consistently find more memorable than the sunbeds.

Little Tsougrias (Tsougriaki): The Smaller Islet Nearby

Tsougriaki — Little Tsougrias — is a smaller islet near Tsougrias with its own sandy beach, accessible by private boat or some excursion trips. It has no facilities and is the wilder alternative for visitors with their own boat who want to move beyond the organised beach.

Tsougrias Beach near Skiathos is the uninhabited pine islet 15 minutes by water taxi from Skiathos Old Port — €10 to €12 return, two organised sandy beaches (quiet in the morning, fills when excursion boats arrive around midday), sunbeds €20 for two with umbrella, Sunset Beach bar and restaurant, shallow clear water with no water shoes needed, wild goats on the hillside, abandoned olive press, the cliff chapel of Agios Floros 10 minutes’ walk above the beach, confirm last return boat time before you swim.

Take the 10am water taxi. Arrive before the excursion boats. Watch for the goats on the way to the chapel.