Koukounaries
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| Koukounaries or Strofylia Κουκουναριές |
|
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Prefecture: | Magnesia prefecture |
| Province and Island Chain: | Northern Sporades |
| Municipality and Island: | Skopelos |
| Number of municipal districts: | 1 (Agios Nikitas - seat) |
| Founding of settlement: | 1964 |
| Population: (2001) - Percent of the municipality |
126 2.05% |
| Altitude: -lowest: -centre: |
around 5 m |
| Postal code: | GR-370 02 |
| Area/distance code: | 11-(00)30-24270 |
| Car designation: | BO |
Koukounaries (Greek: Κουκουναριές, meaning "pine cones" after the trees surrounding the beach), is a site on the island Skiathos (part of the Sporades), 16 km southwest of Skiathos Town, Greece. Koukounaries was once known as Maratha (Μάραθα). Koukounaries is well known for Koukounaries Beach, also known as "Chrisi Ammos" (Greek: Χρυσή Άμμος, meaning "golden sand") since the sand there is extremely fine.
Until 1964 when Skiathos was designated by the Greek National Tourism Organisation as a development zone for tourism, Skiathos town was the only settlement on the island. Following the GNTO's decision a coast road connecting Skiathos town to Koukounaries was built. At the same time the first large scale hotel on the island was built in Koukounaries.
Currently, Koukounaries is a popular tourist destination during the summer. There is a large variety of hotels, hostels, camping sites, tavernas, restaurants, bars, "ouzeri", and cafes.
Contents |
[edit] Population
| Year | Village Population | Percent of the municipality |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 126 | 2.05% | -47 or -41.96% |
[edit] Koukounaries Beach
The beach in Koukounaries is run by the Municipality of Skiathos. The beach is fully equipped with (relatively inexpensive) beach bars, (clean) toilets, showers, water sport facilities, lifeguard towers and a marina.
It is approximately 1.5 km long, a good 15 minutes walk from one end to the other.
Between the beach and the main coastal road, there is the lagoon of Strofylia which together with the forest of Koukounaries form a rare aquatic natural habitat and are protected under the supervision of the Municipality of Skiathos.
[edit] Other
Agios Nikitas has a church and a small square (plateia).
[edit] External links
- Municipality of Skiathos
- National Tourism Organisation (GNTO)
- Koukounaries on GTP Travel Pages (in English and Greek)
