Although Skiathos is off the usual tourist map, it's iconic Lalaria Beach is becoming more and more popular because of its white pebbles... white pebbles which could cost you hundreds of euros.
Visitors to this spectacular Aegean island must not remove pebbles from Lalaria Beach unless they want to be slapped with a fine ranging from €775 to €1000!
The draconian rules were introduced in 2018 with the aim of curbing rock theft at the island’s most famous beach.
Named after the ancient Greek word for pebble – las – visitors to Skiathos’ Lalaria Beach will be met with a sign informing them that taking the white stones is strictly forbidden.
The signs, which are also in place on the boat that transports tourists to the beach, read: “It is strictly prohibited to remove pebbles or stones from anywhere on the beach.”
In an effort to encourage compliance further, the Skiathos authorities have also placed so-called “Lalaria Beach pebble return boxes” at airports, where visitors are also subject to suitcase searches.
Without these rules in place, the island was at risk of losing whole chunks of its famous beach, made its film debut in the first Mamma Mia movie.
Local authorities and activists have popularised the slogan “Take a picture, not a pebble," which now features on posters around the island.
Speaking to The Guardian, the island’s harbour master chief discussed the fines when they were first introduced in 2018. He said: "Lalaria is not a protected site so the fines were announced in extremis.
“Now that all these measures have been taken we hope they will have a deterrent effect.”
According to the town’s spokesperson, Athina Papageorgiou, the rules were necessary given the Skiathos’ rising popularity.
She said in 2018: “On the back of the tourism surge there’s been a noticeable decline in the stones. It may be a small thing to take one here and there, but when that is repeated multiple times, the result is there is nothing left.”
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