Thasos, Greece Day 1 – Eastern and Southern Coastline

Last year, we did a one-day cycling tour around the island of Thasos. This year, we decided to change things up and explore the island over three days. On the second day, we planned to climb Mount Ipsario (1204 m), the highest peak on the island, by bike. According to plan, the first day was meant for cycling from Limenas (the port where ferries from Keramoti arrive) to Limenaria along the island’s eastern and southern coastline.

Early on the morning of Friday, May 10th, we loaded the bikes onto our cars and headed toward Kulata and then Keramoti. The idea was to leave most of the cars in Keramoti and board the ferry with just the bikes and one or two support vehicles for the luggage. But bad weather ruined our plans. It rained on and off, and the strong wind had stopped the ferry service. A huge line of all kinds of vehicles had formed, and it was unclear when the next ferry would operate. So, we all joined the line in our cars and hoped a ferry would run at some point during the day.

Finally, after more than an hour of waiting, cars were allowed to board—ours included. We learned only one large ferry would operate that day due to the rough seas. The island of Thasos was shrouded in thick clouds, so we decided not to cycle but rather take a scenic drive along the eastern and southern coasts toward Limenaria.

We miscommunicated a bit with the rest of the group, so only our car took the eastern route. We stopped several times along the way to take pictures—despite the gloomy weather, we managed to snap a few decent shots.

Shortly before 4 p.m., we arrived at the women’s monastery of St. Archangel Michael, perched dramatically on cliffs in the island’s southern part. It turned out the monastery was closed for lunch and would reopen at 4 p.m., so we waited a bit. During that time, I took pictures of Livadi Beach, which was clearly visible down below.

At 4, the gates opened, and we went in to explore. It’s a beautiful and well-maintained monastery, full of flowers and plants. The buildings are in a traditional Greek style—a magnet for tourists. But since it was a dreary weekday, there weren’t many visitors, and we had a peaceful walk around.

Afterward, we decided to visit Giola—one of Thasos’s legendary spots. It’s a naturally carved rock pool with a sandy bottom, filled by waves spilling over from the sea. A magical place that draws crowds in summer, but on that day, it was nearly deserted.

From Giola, we headed straight to Limenaria. It was time to check into the apartment we had booked via Booking. We wandered a bit trying to find it—most of the streets near the harbor were one-way and, of course, not in our favor—but we finally reached the small marina. The apartment was in an old but renovated house right across from the harbor.

We didn’t take photos of the apartment, but it was an absolute jackpot—clean, retro-styled, and only about 210 BGN for two nights for six people, roughly 17.50 BGN per person per night. The apartment had three double rooms, two bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, and a separate dining room. The dining area and one of the bedrooms shared a terrace with a sea view.

Before dinner, the whole group met for a walk along the pier. We had split up into four accommodations. After a lovely sunset stroll, we ended the day at a local tavern, where we ate, drank, and enjoyed ourselves.