Nourished by streams and waterfalls, this fragrant world, he tells me, is home to more medicinal plants than anywhere else in Europe. As a specialist in herbal remedies, he should know.
Our five-mile walk takes us over a high plateau, with views to distant Mount Athos, from which the island allegedly takes its name (Skia-Athos – shade of Athos).
We pause at the remote monastery of Kekhria before descending to the beach.
Sitting at the Tarsanas Taverna, where, bizarrely, an octopus has been pegged to a washing line, we enjoy our lunch and sip glasses of ouzo as cicadas chirrup urgently.
I discover so much of the island beyond its beach-and-party reputation thanks to Alexis, the concierge of my hotel, the Skiathos Princess.
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