Upgrading the Skiathos Trails: A pioneering blend of culture and environment

The purpose of the project is the protection, preservation, and promotion of the cultural and natural heritage of Skiathos through the enhancement of its hiking network and the active participation of the island’s residents. To achieve this, the following actions will be carried out:

Research and documentation of the cultural heritage of Skiathos, both tangible and intangible, and the collection of oral histories from the island’s inhabitants. The results of this research will contribute to the creation of thematic cultural routes, and the collected material will be incorporated into the existing signage.

Improvement of the existing trail network through the development of cycling routes. It should be noted that since 2020, the Municipality of Skiathos has been certified by NATTOUR AMKE as a Bike Friendly Destination for its efforts in promoting cycling tourism on the island.

Organized inspection and installation of information signs regarding accessibility options for people with disabilities on the existing trail network, following the official specifications of the National Confederation of Disabled People, with the aim of upgrading accessibility for the first time in Greece.

Training and raising awareness within the local community on the maintenance of both the trails and the cultural heritage to ensure the project’s continuity and sustainability.

Promotion of the overall initiative through the upgrading of the Skiathos Trails website and parallel open events.

The ultimate goal of all the above is the adoption of an environmentally friendly tourism model for Skiathos, based on the connection between the island’s cultural and natural wealth. The project will be implemented from October 2023 to October 2024.

The project “Skiathos Heritage Trails” is part of the funding program “Natural Environment & Innovative Actions 2022” and specifically falls under the priority axis “Development and implementation of policies or actions for the protection and enhancement of the cultural environment with an environmental focus.” The budget of €50,000 is funded by the Green Fund, with the beneficiary being the Social Cooperative Enterprise Paths of Greece, partnered by AMKE Diadrasis, and with the participation of the Municipality of Skiathos.

“The project is based on the Guide developed by the National Confederation of Disabled People (N.C.D.P.) within the framework of the project ‘Reinforcing protected areas capacity through an innovative methodology for sustainability’ (‘BIO2CARE’), which was part of the Cross-Border Cooperation Program ‘INTERREG V-A GREECE-BULGARIA 2014-2020’ and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and national resources from Greece and Bulgaria.”