iSkiathos - Tourist Travel Guide to holidays on Skiathos

Bourtzi is a tiny peninsula that divides the Skiathos port into two distinct parts. It used to be a fort, which was built by the Gizi brothers who ruled over Skiathos back in 1207. Bourtzi was bordered by impregnable walls and there were two towers located to the left and right of the main gate. Presently, it is not feasible to establish the height of the parapet from the ruins.

The house of Alexandros Papadiamantis is situated at a distance of some 100 meters far from the eastern beach of the town, at a small blind alley, a side street of Papadiamantis’ street. The house has been transformed to a modern museum with souvenirs of the life of this great Greek author. The old original entrance of the house at the west is now closed and access for the public is possible through the eastern entrance, via a wooden staircase. This house was constructed by the author’s father and it is at this house that Papadiamantis lived from 1860 until he left Skiathos; today an inscription reminds that it is in this housed that Papadiamantis grew up and died. The house where the author was born is not preserved today, as its owners had demolished it.

The settlement of Kastro and the Castle itself was constructed in the mid 14th century to protect the population of the old town of Skiathos from the pirtates’ raids, pretty frequent in these times all over the Aegean Sea. The new town was established at the northern coast of the island on a small peninsula naturally fortified.