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Overview: Golden Beach is a tourist-developed area on the east coast of Thassos island where hotels and apartment complexes have sprung up in recent years to cater for the ever-increasing number of holidaymakers who are discovering this so far unexploited Greek island. The resort has a magnificent, safe white sand beach and easy access to two quaint villages, Potomia and Panagia, providing everything one expects from a Greek island holiday. Compared to most other Greek resorts, though, the pace is slow and relaxed and nightlife is subdued. This is gradually changing as development proceeds and numbers of visitors increase, but there are as yet no bright lights and burger huts. Most visitors hire a car to explore the island and otherwise spend their time soaking up the sunshine on the beach, trying out the many seafront tavernas or taking walks.

Shopping: Shopping opportunities in Golden Beach itself are limited to a few small supermarkets and kiosks, enough to keep self-caterers happy. Waterfront kiosks sell beach accessories like airbeds, along with ice cream, magazines and cigarettes. For serious souvenir shopping, though, you can take a trip to nearby Thassos town (Limenas), the island capital, just a short taxi drive away. Here there are little shops aplenty selling everything from lighters engraved with an island scene to magnificent marble sculptures. Island specialities to look out for are fragrant honey, locally made olive oil, and marble.

 

Restaurants: One would have to stay at Golden Beach for a very long holiday to try out all the tavernas in the vicinity. Quality and menus vary, of course, but all offer authentic Greek food (with the emphasis on seafood) and ambience, and prices range from inexpensive to downright cheap.

 

Nightlife: Thassos is not a destination for all-night party animals. Nightlife, particularly in Golden Beach, is limited to a few cocktail bars or spinning out dinner at a local taverna, perhaps spiced up with some Greek dancing or a guitar player. Nearby Thassos town has some piano bars and discotheques.

 

Activities: Golden Beach and the other main tourist beaches on Thassos offer a variety of water sports equipment for hire, including sailing boats. Most visitors spend a day or two sightseeing on the island, which has several archaeological sites of interest. Motorbikes or cars can be hired for this purpose. Guided or unguided horse riding trails can be undertaken from Pine Tree Paddock in the village of Rachoni. More energetic holidaymakers enjoy exploring the extremely scenic island on foot. Walking trails have been mapped and guidebooks are available at most kiosks in the towns and villages.