Some random events brought me to Shadow, and so in a full three days with summer weather and focusing on November 21st - the Entrances of the Virgin -, I had the opportunity to see that something is moving on this magical island, which wants to eliminate the image of the typical tourist destination and enrich his quiver with new weapons that will raise the level of services provided. To fit the deceitful culture, the local gastronomy with traditional Skiathos flavors, and the alternative thematic tourism.
Η Skiathos, a place where I spent the summers of my youth 1964-1979, when on Pine cones we were swimming 10 nomads. A place that I missed, that I have wronged, but that he has also wronged himself. As far as my boss is concerned, I promise that I will redress the injustice and from what I see, the island does the same, advancing the hope and the revitalization of its society and its tourism.
The path to Κάστρο is one of the most beautiful in Greece, by car and on foot, or if you want only on foot. Of course, if you have prepared with a reading of some short stories of the two great Skiathos novelists, his Alexandrou Papadiamantis and Alexandrou Moraitini, then it is certain that you will be equipped with knowledge, sense and magic to decode the points of the landscape and discover its demons.
Due to piracy, the Skiathos abandoned the Byzantine city between the 14th and 18th centuries, which is where the city of Skiathos is today, and built the medieval settlement of Kastro, at the northern end of the island. As the fortress was inaccessible from the sea and the entrance to it was possible only with the mobile wooden bridge, it provided the inhabitants - ranging from 500 to 1500 people - relative protection.
There were still about 20 churches with four parishes, water tanks, cisterns, baths. Today the settlement has been destroyed and only its temple remains in perfect condition Birth of Christ and Saint Nicola's.
The church Christ in the Castle was the metropolis of the medieval city of Skiathos. It is a basilica with a wooden sloping roof, built in the 17th century.
It has excellent frescoes and a wooden iconostasis from 1695, while the wall of decorative plates on the exterior of the church is interesting. This church was mentioned more than any other Alexandros Papadiamantis and by him Alexandros Moraitidis in their Christmas stories.
One hundred kilometers of dirt roads in the north and pristine from any kind of development side of the island take you to Papadiamantia landscapes, as the great Skiathitis described them so brilliantly.
Byzantine and post-Byzantine small churches side by side in ancient and Byzantine frying pans (network of towers that sent signals with signals from one end of the Aegean to the other)
Inside the ravines you will meet paths, chapels, elves and fairies. As long as he has good eyesight.
Sheep in the olive groves are patiently waiting for the "apollo" Papadiamantio Shepherd!
Pines, pine trees, olives, cypresses, figs, walnuts, arbutus and oaks are the main Skiathos flora.
The festival of Panagia Kounistra is the most important of the island. And the people, out of custom, take in their hands, one after the other, the image from the Diocese of Skiathos and lead it to the Monastery of Panagia Kounistra, walking 3 hours.
The next day her picture Panagia Kounistra returns again on foot, but as soon as it reaches the village the established official procession is observed to be led to its permanent place.
First of all, the bread, which you can rarely find in the tourist islands. In Skiathos o Fanis Velentzakos, second generation baker, makes sourdough breads, hot breads, but also various more complex recipes!
But the main thing is that in the street food, it mainly offers its own production, cheese pies, vegetable pies, pumpkin pies and a loaf of bread that drives foreigners and especially Italians crazy. Of course they drove me crazy too.
If a tavern in Skiathos should be awarded in the big competitions with the Greek Cuisine awards, it would be without Amphiliki. But there is no justice in this area. Of course they do not care about him at all Mr. Christos and his sister, who serve authentic Skiathos dishes every winter and summer, the most skiathotic on the island. Everything Zarzavatiko is served is from the thirty acres of vegetable gardens they have.
The marriage of fish and seafood with vegetables is the backbone of Skiathos cuisine.
Here we have a relationship grouper with tomato.
The shells (this is what the Skiathos called the crayfish and the lobsters, because they had no meat and did not fluff) they cooked them mainly with vegetables. Here is one of the most beautiful dishes of Amfiliki Crayfish with zucchini! Thespian light and elegant taste!
Here you can try them too shoes, the Skiathos vegetable pies, so named probably because of their shape.
In the old port of Skiathos Kambourelias, a cafe-ouzo-tavern, based since 1969, for all uses. For the last ten years it has been operated by 2 people from Karditsa and they serve excellent delicacies and provide special friendly service.
Fava with sardines, marinated anchovies, baked potato and melted cheese and the most important Skiathos meze, fish stew (ribs, grouper but also rofo and peskandritsa)!
Η spiral cheese pie for which the two great writers Papadiamantis and Moraitinis quarreled with each other, about its place of origin, Skiathos one said, The other is a reef. In the end, probably none of them were right and the cheese pie comes from Alonissos, where it is prepared in the pan.
An aesthetically pleasing shop in the new port is Grocery store which has two local young cooks presenting a wide variety of appetizers.
Cuttlefish with greens and onion is one of the most popular and typical dishes of Skiathos.
An unknown to most Skiathos, in its field natural wealth but also her gastronomy, she is ready to reconsider and proudly show her treatise. And he has nothing to fear, as long as he bends down to the gastronomic tradition and is inspired by it. The Skiathos gastronomy that is so far in demand by gastronomic travelers very soon can make the surprise.
And soon you will have exhaustive information about all the goodies of the island, the professionals, the excellent winery that is set up at the top of the mountain, about the honey and of course about unexplored recipes! THE Gastronomic Community of Skiathos on the initiative of the Municipality of Skiathos and the support of the conscious professionals of the island, just started its work.
GASTRONOMIC COMMUNITY OF SKIATHOS
The Gastronomic Community of Skiathos is an open system in which those who are interested and meet the conditions arising from the regulations of the Gastronomy and Wine Tourism program can join. The ultimate goal of the action is to make Skiathos a tourist destination, where gastronomy will play a leading role in shaping the identity and cultural identity of the place.
The Gastronomic Communities program has the honor of being under the auspices of the Hellenic Tourism Organization.
MUNICIPALITY
SKIATHOU
PLACE & HISTORY - TRADITIONAL KITCHEN
TAVERNS - RESTAURANTS - CAFES
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