Thassos basic information

Basic Thassos Information: Discover what the island has to offer

The most basic Thassos information

• Thassos Island is located at Northern Greece, opposite to the coasts of East Macedonia.
• Thassos is located at Kavala gulf, 18 nautical miles from Kavala and 6 nautical miles from Keramoti. The island belongs to the Prefecture of Kavala.
• Limenas is the capital of Thassos Island.
• Access to Thassos is possible only by ferry boat, which transfers vehicles as well. The itineraries are very frequent during summer. The trip from Keramoti lasts 30 minutes and from Kavala 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Numerical Thassos information

• Thassos’ surface is about 380 square kilometres.
• The length of Thassos coastline is more than 115 kilometres.
• The island’s resident population amounts to approximately 15.000 residents.

Thassos information - morphology and environment

Thassos is covered by a mountain chain, while the most characteristic and highest mountain is Ypsario, of more than 1,200 meters high, which separates morphologically the island in two parts. The first part is the east and north one, which has high mountains full of pines ending to beautiful sandy beaches. The second part is the south and west one with amazing sandy beaches among the forests of olive trees.

Thassos’ vegetation is impressive thanks to its beauty and density. There are mountains covered with dense vegetation of cedars, platans, oak trees and pines, and the ground is full of the world famous white marble of Thassos. One of the most basic Thassos information for the visitors is exactly the fact that the subsoil of the island in many parts consists of marble, which is the reason for the distinctive white sand of many beaches.

Thassos is renowned for its white marble around the world, from ancient times and until today. Thassos has on the whole exported tones of marbles to all developing countries of the Middle East and Southern Europe; Mecca - the holy pilgrimage of Muslims - constitutes the most famous example, which is mostly paved with Thassos’ white marble.

Historical Thassos information

Mythology mentions that the name was given to the island by Thassos, who reached this gorgeous place on his effort to find princess Europe who was abducted by Zeus. Thassos spent his whole life here, enchanted by the island’s beauty.

Mild and temperate climate, pine forests and the white marbles of the area are historically significant reasons for the installation of populations on the island. The island was initially populated by Thracians, according to accurate historic resources, around 2,000 BC, and Phoenicians around 1,500 BC. Parian colonists - residents of Paros Island - settled around 700 BC, were integrated with the indigenous population and greatly developed the island, while this progress continued even later, during the Roman era.

Nowadays, the best archaeological site still existing today, where one can admire on his own the archaeological Thassos information, is Limenas, the island’s capital. There you shall find the ancient market and the ancient theatre, with excellent examples of Greek and Roman pre-Christian art.

Thassos is an island combining rich vegetation with crystal blue water, beautiful villages close to the sea and on the mountains, as well as the archaeological monuments with interesting shops and good night life. You may find your stay at the island much more interesting when knowing some basic Thassos information.