Skopelos

the island of Mamma Mia movie

Panagitsa of Pyrgos church

Skopelos

Skopelos has become known to the wide public since 2008 as one of the locations where the Mamma Mia! movie was shot. The white chapel of Agios Ioannis Kastri perched on a high rock in the sea provoked great interest and the number of tourists sharply increased but Skopelos is still one of the less popular destinations of Greece.

While in Skopelos, you will definitely notice two things - the very green landscape and the number of churches. The churches are said to be more than 360 in number and in the capital Chora you can see them literally in every corner.

Hotels in Skopelos

General information about Skopelos

Empty streets in the morning

Skopelos lies between Skiathos and Alonnisos, with an area of 96 km2 and population of less than 5 000 residents. Its capital, Skopelos Chora or just Chora, is the liveliest settlement on island, and the second largest village is Glossa. The architecture of the old villages of the Sporades group is a very peculiar mixture of North Aegean and Cycladic style, and the houses in the old parts of Chora and Glossa are typical examples of it.

Skopelos is predominantly mountainous and has high and thick pine trees, mixed with olive trees. In fact, it is one of the greenest islands of the Aegean sea. The main road goes along the sea from Glossa (northwest) to Chora (southeast) but there is one more route which passes through the middle of the island and offers some very dramatic views. The east and north coasts are difficult to reach because infrastructure is less developed in that area.

Where to stay in Skopelos?

Panoramic view of the bay

Skopelos Chora and the area around it offer the greatest choice of accommodation and services. But practically the town has no beach except for a small strip next to the port and having a car or bike is recommended in case you don`t want to use public transport.

Popular seaside resorts are Panormos, Stafylos, Loutraki and Agnontas but they are seasonal and inhabited only in summer. The resort of Loutraki is located very close to Glossa which is inhabited all year round.

Which are the best beaches of Skopelos?

Aerial view

Generally, the beaches of Skopelos are deep around the shore, covered with small pebbles and just a few of them have some coarse sand as well. There are neither entirely sandy beaches, nor beaches with soft sand, but the sea water is transparent and the scenery is picturesque.

Kastani, Milia, Stafylos and Panormos are the most popular beaches of the island, and Kastani is the most sandy. Velanio, Hovolo and Glistery are known for the beautiful scenery, and if you are fans of snorkeling, go for Limnonari beach or the rocks around Amarandos cape where the sea has saturated blue color.

What to do in Skopelos?

The list of sights and interesting things to do in Skopelos includes:

- Walk in the old neighborhood of Skopelos Chora
- The church of Virgin Mary at the seafront of Chora
- The ruins of the Venetian castle just above Chora
- The church of Agios Ioannis Kastri on the east coats of the island
- Walk in the village of Glossa
- Cape Amarandos
- The monasteries of Evangelistria and Timios Stavros, located in Paliouki peninsula
- One-day trip to Skiathos or Alonnisos

What to eat in Skopelos?

Fried and crispy local cheese pie

There are a few specialties in Skopelos that you should definitely try. The pride of the island is the so called Skopelos pie which resembles the common Greek tiropita. It is made of hand-kneaded dough with various fillings (cheese, cream, onion, spinach), fried in the shape of a spiral.

The residents of the island cultivate a dozen varieties of plums and as a result there are many recipe which involve this fruit, usually dried. In local tavernas you can taste pork or goat meat cooked with plums or fish with red sour plums. In bakeries you will find the traditional sweets of Skopelos - hamalia, rozedes, amigdalato and avgato.

Local beer and local wine are also something not to miss in Skopelos - after all, according to mythology the island was founded by Stafylos, the son of Dyonisos, and it was famed for its wine even in antiquity.

How to get to Skopelos?

Fishing boats at the port

Skopelos has no airport, the nearest is on the neighbor island of Skiathos. By ferry you can reach Skopelos in the following ways:

- From the port of Volos to the ports of Skopelos Town and Glossa (both speed ferries and conventional ferries for cars and passengers)
- From the port of Agios Konstantionos (mainland Greece) to Glossa (only in summer)
- From the port of Mantoudi (Evia) to Glossa and Agnontas (only in summer)

Public transport on the island is well organized to use if you have come by plane but car and bike rentals are also available.

Skopelos photo galleryx