Thassos Sights: Ancient Limenas, Aliki & the Archangel Monastery
The main sights of Thassos are the ancient remains of Limenas (Thassos Town) and the marble village of Aliki in the south-east. Thassos Town scatters an ancient agora, temple foundations, a theatre and a 4th-century-BC city wall around the modern streets, while Aliki pairs ancient marble quarries and a Doric sanctuary with the cliff-top monastery of the Archangel Michael.
- Free entry
- Archaeological Museum
- City wall
- 4th century BC
- Castle
- 1259
- Marble
- Aliki quarry
Ancient Limenas (Thassos Town)
Thassos Town, or Limenas, scatters its ancient remains, mostly foundations, across the modern town, which makes it a good place to go sightseeing. Behind the ancient Trirema harbour lies an ancient agora, the market place, with the remains of a small circular temple and several monumental altars. To the south stand a small Odeon and part of a paved Hellenistic street that leads to the foundations of the Arch of Caracalla. Gold, silver and marble made the town prosperous in antiquity.
The Archaeological Museum
The small Archaeological Museum stands near the ancient agora and holds a 3-metre-high Kouros, a sculpture of a young man, along with various pieces of sculpture. Entrance is free.
The theatre, wall and Acropolis
A well-preserved ancient theatre is hidden away in the forest above the town, and around the ancient town runs a well-preserved city wall from the 4th century BC, together with an Acropolis. The wall around ancient Limenas was 4 kilometres long and built of marble and stone; it was strengthened for defence and pierced by many gates. The remains of the Acropolis are now built into the walls of a Medieval castle of 1259, and from the Acropolis a road leads to a Temple of Athena.
Aliki: marble quarry and sanctuary
Aliki, on a peninsula in the south-east of the island, is one of the most photogenic parts of Thassos and an area of archaeological importance. Just behind the beach houses lies an old settlement, and a Doric sanctuary of about 30 by 15 metres, dating from the 7th century BC, keeps a number of Doric columns; older buildings are thought to lie beneath. A Kouros found on the site is now in the museum of Istanbul. In late Roman times, in the middle of the 5th century AD, two Basilicas were built here, and parts of the peninsula were quarried for marble in the 6th and 7th centuries AD, with some salt mines on the edge of the headland. The area was abandoned in Byzantine times. The beach itself is described in the Thassos beaches guide.
Monastery of the Archangel Michael
The monastery of the Archangel Michael stands south-west of Aliki, built on a rock and cliff at the waterfront, and it pairs well with a visit to Aliki since the two lie close together. A strict dress code applies inside, so you must cover up, and photography is not allowed indoors.
The Giola rock pool
Giola is a natural rock pool on the rocky south-east coast of Thassos, near the village of Astris. The sea-carved basin sits among the cliffs and fills with clear water, reached on foot from the road above. It is a natural landmark rather than an organised site, so bring your own water and sturdy shoes.