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Guide · The boats
Boat trips from Skiathos, ranked and explained
Boat trips from Skiathos fall into a handful of families: island days to Skopelos and Alonissos, beach cruises, sailing yachts, sunset runs and small private boats. Here is what each one actually includes.
Check availabilityfrom $72 · cancel for free
Editorial team, skiathosboattrip.comUpdated October 20, 2026about 7 min to read17 sources
The short version
- 01Island day
- Skopelos and Alonissos with a 1-hour swim, 9 hours, from $72.
- 02Beach cruise
- Kastani and Panormos on Skopelos, 7 hours, from $62.
- 03Sailing yacht
- Lunch cooked on board and snorkel gear, rated 4.93, from $162.
- 04Sunset
- A 3-hour evening boat with one drink, from $44.
- 05Our pick
- The two-island day, rated 4.79 from 701 reviews.
The families of boat day
Boat trips from Skiathos start from a harbor that Visit Greece counts among the largest natural harbours in the Aegean, so the choice on the quay is wide.1 It helps to sort the boats before you compare prices. Some carry you to the neighboring islands for a few hours ashore. Some stay near Skiathos and stop at beaches you cannot drive to. Others are sailing yachts with a cooked lunch, short evening runs, or small boats you hire for your own group.
Each family answers a different wish. An island day is about towns, lanes and a long swim on the way home. A beach cruise is about water and sand, with lunch in a seaside village. A sailing day is slower and quieter, with more time in the water and food made on board. A sunset boat fits after a beach day, and a private boat lets you set the pace yourself.
Read the listing before you pay, because two boats with similar titles can give very different days. Look at where you board, how long each stop lasts, what the fare includes and whether lunch is yours to buy. The sections below go through the boats one family at a time, then a table and a short decision helper put them side by side.
The island day
From the old port to Skopelos, Alonissos and the swim
-
09:00
Meet at the old port
Board the Agios Nikolaos; it sails at 09:15.
-
80 minutes
To Skopelos
1.5 hours ashore in the island town.
-
40 minutes
On to Alonissos
1.5 hours at Patitiri and the old town.
-
20 minutes
The swim stop
1 hour in the water before heading home.
-
Around 19:00
Back in Skiathos
The boat returns to Skiathos Port.
The island day to Skopelos and Alonissos
This site's trip is the long one. The boat Agios Nikolaos leaves Skiathos Old Port at 09:15 after a meeting at 09:00, sails 80 minutes to Skopelos for 1.5 hours ashore, then 40 minutes on to Alonissos for another 1.5 hours, and finishes with 1 hour of swimming. The fare covers the boat ticket, all fees and taxes and a group leader, while food and drinks are yours to buy.
Its record also names what you see between the stops: the Blue Caves of Alonissos, part of the Marine Park and photo stops at Agios Ioannis Chapel and Amarantos Rocks on the way back, with a return to Skiathos Port around 19:00. It is rated 4.79 from 701 reviews and starts from $72.
A second listing sells a day on the same boat name. It also names the Agios Nikolaos at the old port, free time in Skopelos town and on Alonissos, the Blue Caves and Milia Beach, and it is rated 4.97 from 90 reviews at the same starting price. Compare the two on the dates you want, since availability decides which one you can book.
Traveler ratings
How the boats score on GetYourGuide
of 5
The listings
Eight Skiathos boats side by side
| Boat | Hours | Rating | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skopelos and Alonissos day | 9 | 4.79 (701) | $72 |
| Same islands, other seller | 9 | 4.97 (90) | $72 |
| Mamma Mia beach cruise | 7 | 4.25 (939) | $62 |
| Lalaria and Tsougria cruise | 7 to 8 | 4.21 (464) | $56 |
| Aeolus sailing day | 7 | 4.93 (367) | $162 |
| Waterandsnow yacht | 7 | 5.00 (222) | $162 |
| Sunset cruise | 3 | 4.89 (55) | $44 |
| Sea kayak and snorkel | 2 | 4.90 (92) | $58 |
Duration, rating with review count and starting price as each listing states them; prices are from prices, not quotes.
Three ways to spend the day
Islands, beaches or sails
Most to see
Most reviewed
Lunch on boardDecision helper
Which Skiathos boat suits you?
Start with the thing you want most
The island day
Skopelos and Alonissos, 1.5 hours each.
The Mamma Mia cruise
1 hour at Kastani and 2 hours at Panormos.
A sailing yacht
Aeolus Sailing cooks lunch on board around 14:00.
The sunset boat
3 hours from the old port, one drink included.
The sea kayak
2 hours with snorkeling, 10 people at most.
Skiathos is renowned for having more than 60 beaches that stretch all around the island.
Beach cruises on the Kalypso
Several listings board one boat, the KALYPSO, at the new port opposite Alpha Bank, with a 09:15 departure. The Mamma Mia cruise sails 100 minutes to Kastani Beach for 1 hour, spends 2 hours of free time at Panormos and ends with a last stop of 1 hour. It is the most reviewed of the boats here, rated 4.25 from 939 reviews, from $62.
The other Kalypso day stays around Skiathos. It sails 50 minutes to Lalaria for 1 hour, 5 minutes on to Kastro Beach for another hour, gives 2 hours of free time at Katigioris or Asselinos and swims 50 minutes at Tsougria. It is rated 4.21 from 464 reviews and starts from $56. The Municipality of Skiathos notes that Lalaria can only be reached by sea in dead calm, so that stop depends on the day.3
Two more listings sell days on the same boat under other names, from $59 and $56. Beach cruises suit families and anyone who wants long swims more than towns. Their ratings sit below the island day and the sailing boats, so read recent reviews and check the stop list on your date.
Map
From Skiathos harbor to Skopelos, Alonissos and Lalaria
The day boat's route east to Skopelos and Alonissos, then Skiathos itself with the north-coast beaches and the islets off the harbor.
1Skiathos town2Glossa3Agios Ioannis4Kastani and Milia5Skopelos town6Patitiri
1Skiathos town7Lalaria8Kastro9Tsougria10Arkos11Koukounaries12Agia Eleni13Aselinos
- 1Skiathos town and Bourtzi
Bourtzi, a small green peninsula, splits the harbor into the old port and the new port; the boat to Skopelos and Alonissos leaves from the old port.4
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Glossa
A stop of the Aegean Flying Dolphins hydrofoils between Skiathos and Skopelos town.5
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Agios Ioannis in Kastri
A chapel on top of a rock above the sea, one of the Mamma Mia! filming locations.6
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Kastani and Milia
Kastani is the sandy Mamma Mia! beach; Milia looks across to the islet of Dasia.67
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Skopelos town
The largest island of the Northern Sporades, with a town in the old Pelion style.89
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Patitiri
The port and capital of Alonissos, below the old village and its castle.10
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Lalaria
Reached only by sea and only in dead calm, with white cobbles and the Trypia Petra arch.311
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Kastro
The medieval town on the northern tip, 11 km from the modern town.12
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Tsougria
An islet with pines and two small lakes, less than 2 nautical miles from the port.13
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Arkos
One of the small islands the municipality names for a sailing day from Skiathos.14
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Koukounaries
The pine-backed beach on the south-west point, with boats for rent and a sunset viewpoint.15
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Agia Eleni
A west-coast beach known for its sunsets.16
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Aselinos
A north-coast beach reached by dirt road or by boat; a north wind brings big waves.17
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
Before you choose a boat
01
Read on the listing
- The quay: old port, new port or a beach
- How long each stop lasts
- Whether lunch and drinks are included
- Pickup, and where it stops
02
Pack for the day
- Swimwear and a towel
- Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
- Your booking confirmation
Cost calculator
What a shared boat day costs your group
Pick a boat and the number of travelers.
People
Total from$143
each from $72
Check availabilityfree cancellationEach total multiplies the lowest per-person fare a boat lists on GetYourGuide by your group size, converted at the European Central Bank rate; checkout shows the final sum.
Video
Kalypso Boat Trip - Skiathos Greece
Nothing from YouTube loads on this page until you press play.
Sailing yachts with lunch on board
The top-rated group in this comparison is the sailing boats. Aeolus Sailing leaves at 10:15, cooks lunch on board around 14:00 and carries a paddleboard, snorkel gear and fishing gear; it is rated 4.93 from 367 reviews. A 55-foot yacht run by Waterandsnow takes a small group of 12-13 people at most and holds a 5.00 rating from 222 reviews.
Kallisti Sailing uses a 46-foot sailboat for an 8-hour day with paddleboarding and snorkeling, rated 4.94 from 73 reviews. A wooden boat built in 1958 by Georgios Psarros stops at Lalaria, Kastani, Panormos, Tsougria and Arkos, with swims of about an hour each. Prices for these days start around $146 to $182.
The Municipality of Skiathos describes the island as a base from which boats reach Skopelos, Alonissos and about 20 rocky islets and small islands such as Arkos and Tsougrias.14 A sailing day gives you a slice of that, with fewer people on deck than a big cruise boat and a meal you do not have to find yourself. It costs more, so it pays off most when the swims and the lunch matter to you.
Sunset boats, kayaks and private hire
The shortest outing is the evening boat. MTM Experiences meets at the old port at 18:15, swims at Lalaria and stops near the Kastronisia islets for the sunset, with one drink per person included, over 3 hours. It is rated 4.89 from 55 reviews and is the lowest starting price in this comparison at $44.
For a smaller group in the water, Skiathos Supway runs a 2-hour guided kayak with snorkeling from Sklithri Beach, limited to 10 people. It is rated 4.90 from 92 reviews and starts from $58. The kayak needs calm sea, and the listing asks you to stay flexible on the day and time.
Private boats sit at the top of the price range. A private speedboat to the caves and Lalaria lasts 3 hours and starts from $647, while a skippered rib starts from $183. Neither price says how many people it covers, so ask the operator before you compare it with a shared fare.
Where the boats leave from
Skiathos town has two quays, and the boats do not all use the same one. Bourtzi, a small green peninsula, separates the old port from the new port, according to Visit Greece.4 The island day on the Agios Nikolaos and the sunset boat meet at the old port, while the Kalypso boards at the new port opposite Alpha Bank.
Some boats give a meeting point that moves. The private speedboat operator arranges the spot the day before and names the old port next to the Torpedo as the usual place. The kayak meets at its office on Sklithri Beach, outside town. Save the meeting details from your booking, because the confirmation is the version the crew works from.
Pickup changes the morning too. The island day and the Kalypso beach cruise list pickup as an option, and the Mamma Mia cruise says pickup is from the main road by your hotel. If you walk to the harbor instead, give yourself time to find the right quay before the gangway goes up.
How to pick the right boat
The best boat trips in Skiathos are the ones that match your own day, so start with the hours you want to spend. A 9-hour island day fills most of your daylight, a 7-hour beach cruise leaves the evening free, and a 3-hour sunset boat fits after a lazy afternoon. Then decide whether towns or swims come first, because that one choice removes half the list.
Next, look at the score and the count behind it. A rating of 5.00 from 222 reviews says more than a perfect score from one or two bookings, and a 4.25 from 939 reviews tells you a popular boat pleases most but not all. Recent reviews show how a boat runs this season, which a starting price never will.
Finally, plan around the sea. Captains change routes when the wind rises: the Mamma Mia cruise writes that its stops can change in rough seas or high winds, and Aeolus Sailing reserves the same right for its captain. Book a day early in your stay, and a rough morning still leaves room for another try.
Book your seats
Skopelos, Alonissos and a swim in one day
Pick a date, reserve now and pay later, and cancel free up to 24 hours before.
You ask,we answer.
Which boat trip from Skiathos is the longest?
The island day, 9 hours. It visits Skopelos and Alonissos and ends with a swim.
Which is the cheapest?
The sunset boat in this list. It starts from $44 for 3 hours with one drink.
Is lunch included on the island day?
No. Food and drinks are not included; there is time for lunch on Alonissos.
Which boats serve lunch on board?
The sailing yachts. Aeolus Sailing, for one, cooks lunch on board around 14:00.
Do all boats leave from the same quay?
No. Some use the old port, the Kalypso uses the new port opposite Alpha Bank.
Can I cancel if plans change?
Yes, on these boats. Each one lists free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Does every trip reach Lalaria?
Only in calm sea. The municipality says the beach is reached by sea in dead calm only.3
Sources
Sources and evidence
- 1Greek National Tourism Organisation (Visit Greece)Skiathos↩
- 2Greek National Tourism Organisation (Visit Greece)Skiathos↩
- 3Municipality of SkiathosLalaria↩
- 4Greek National Tourism Organisation (Visit Greece)Bourtzi of Skiathos↩
- 5Aegean Flying DolphinsSporades timetable 01.06.2026 - 31.10.2026↩
- 6Greek National Tourism Organisation (Visit Greece)The Beaches of Skopelos↩
- 7Greek National Tourism Organisation (Visit Greece)The Beaches of Skopelos↩
- 8Greek National Tourism Organisation (Visit Greece)Skopelos↩
- 9Greek National Tourism Organisation (Visit Greece)Sporades Islands↩
- 10Greek National Tourism Organisation (Visit Greece)Sporades Islands↩
- 11Greek National Tourism Organisation (Visit Greece)Beaches of Skiathos↩
- 12Municipality of SkiathosKastro↩
- 13Municipality of SkiathosTsougkrias↩
- 14Municipality of SkiathosSailing↩
- 15Municipality of SkiathosKoukounaries↩
- 16Greek National Tourism Organisation (Visit Greece)Beaches of Skiathos↩
- 17Municipality of SkiathosAselinos↩
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