SKIATHOS, GREECE | A PHOTO DIARY

Hey everyone!


After having not visited the tiny island of Skiathos for almost ten years, I finally managed to go back to one of my favourite places. Not much has changed in my absence, except the Mamma Mia overload. This tiny island, and surrounding islands where used as film locations for the movie and the  locals have taken this as a great business opportunity! There's even an outdoor cinema in the main town that offers weekly viewings of the movie, with their own added twist! Settle down with a glass of wine and watch the film under the stars, by the end everyone will be up on their feet dancing and singing along!

Skiathos is a small island in the Northwest Aegean sea, situated in the group of islands known as Sporades. It's about six miles long, and four miles wide, with Skiathos Town being the most populous place. For me it was like returning home, my family used to visit for our holidays and I knew where I was going. Everyone is friendly and you will never feel unsafe.

This year we stayed a five minute walk from the town centre, which meant we could take in the great nightlife that this tiny island has to offer. Plenty of bars and restaurants that line the harbour, and the main road of Papadiamanti. Most of the food is very traditional, with plenty of places to grab a Gyros!

From the town you can grab a short boat across to the unpopulated island of Tsougria, which is a protected natural habitat and a perfect place to spend the day relaxing. It doesn't get too busy, and the water is crystal clear. There's a small taverna on the beach, and remember to bring your snorkelling gear!

Jump on a boat tour around the island, or a tour that visits the nearby islands of Alonnisos and Skopelos. Or do both! Why not? Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the dolphins that live in the waters below!

The airport in Skiathos is very small, so small that it stretches from one side of the island to the other and has become a popular destination on the island for both plane spotters and those who are looking for an adrenaline rush. You can stand at the end of the runway, and feel the power of the planes engine as it speeds down the runway.

If you're able too, rent out a car for a couple of days so you can drive around the island and explore. We managed to visit the monastery for the first time, which has glorious views from the mountains and you can learn about some of the islands history. There's a shop that sells wine and liquor produced from the monastery itself. 

Whilst we had the car we decided to drive to the Il Kastro, a place we had also never explored before. Read up on this ruined town before you go, as it has a lot of history. It used to be the capital of the island, and a walk through the narrow pathways makes it easy to imagine the old society come to life around you. It's not easy to get to, no busses and very steep roads if you are going to drive. Some boats stop here, but require a very steep hike to reach. The best way to visit is to either rent a 4x4 or book on to a tour that stops here. Just bring sensible shoes and a bottle of water! It's definitely a hidden gem on the island, and so secluded that it will never be busy.

 Skiathos is full of lots of different beaches, some family favourites include; Mandraki, Koukounaries, Troulos and Tsougria as previously mentioned. But if you're looking for a relaxing place to swim without the sand, then head over to the Tennis Club to use the pool for free.

I will always keep coming back to visit this wonderful place, it holds so many of my memories and it's just beautiful. I want to bring everyone I know so that they can experience the island for themselves.

Thanks for reading, xo
*As with all pictures featured on my blog, they are all taken by me unless otherwise noted. I use a Canon S120 and iPhone 6S. 

THE WHITEST BEACH ON EARTH

Hello everyone! 

Maybe the title is a little misleading, but i doubt you can visit a beach and say that it is the whitest in the world, it's more like: 'this is the whitest beach that i have ever seen in my life'.  Which is the case here.

I introduce you to Lucky Bay, situated in Cape Le Grand National Park, 50km East of Esperance in Western Australia. AKA one of the whitest beaches in Australia, possibly the whitest in my opinion.

We pulled up in the car park at Lucky Bay, which is also a popular camping spot and has basic facilities such as a toilet, BBQ facilities and picnic tables. If you have a 4WD then you can drive onto the beach and park up wherever you fancy. 

We spent a good few hours having lunch and taking a stroll along the shoreline, having a photo shoot as we went. 

Just look at the clash of colour between the sun, sea and sand!

The serenity of this place was incredible. It was so calming and you immediately feel all of your troubles go away.

One of the other reasons to visit this beautiful place, if the views weren't enough already, is to meet the locals. By locals, i mean the kangaroos that live in the area and spend most of their days greeting visitors on the sandy shores. 

 Can you get anymore Australian?

Cape Le Grand is a beautiful National Park, and just like the majority of parks in Australia their is a small fee to pay upon entry. But this gives you the whole day to explore.


Whilst in the area we decided to go on a little hike up Frenchman's Peak. I say a little hike, it did only take an hour to reach the summit... walking at a 90° angle! It could almost be classed as rock climbing! 

But the summit gave you a 360° uninterrupted view of the surrounding land, and you could see for miles in each direction! 

 Looking down whilst halfway, and looking back up once at the bottom!

This place should definitely be on everyone's bucket list, and if it's not then you better get a pen and add it!

Thanks for reading, xo