Again only a first impression some 25 years ago (1986 or about) before we returned in 2014: this was for me love at first sight. Skopelos Town looked wonderful. It's big, the houses are build against the mountain and the harbour is very attractive with lots of shops and terraces, and a beautiful, big white church on the right side of the boulevard. Within a couple of minutes I thought 'I wouldn't mind living here'. You can get lost in all the small streets as you climb upstairs, and some of the views you get as a reward are astonishing. Down in the harbour you find the excursion boats that will take you to various destinations, such as a tour to the Mama Mia church and than around the island, to Alonissos island and the Marine park or other sites.

There are lots of little old churches, cosy little squares and trees and flowers everywhere you go in Skopelos Town. The town has the remains of a Venetian fortress that dates from the 13th century, from which there is a wonderful view over the town and the sea. Some of the churches are really old and date from the Byzantine period. The prettiest one is situated at the end of the harbour and is called the Panagia Tou Pirgou. In front of it stands the smaller church of Aghioi Pantes.

Every here and there in skopelos Town you will find a strange shop with funny and interesting items that you wouldn't find on any other island. Up in the town you find dinner plates that were immured in the walls by the builders. There are steep stairs, Venetian balconies, houses with flower pots in front of them, and around every corner there could be an unexpected surprise. On the east side of the village you find several monasteries (Evangelistriou, Sotiras, Metamorphosis and others) that you can visit. They can be reached via a partly unpaved road. Some of them ask for some walking.

And just because Skopelos Town is quite big it doesn't mean that it's busy or noisy. It's in fact nothing like that: because it is build on a mountain and because most of the streets are so narrow there's hardly any traffic. I loved it. This is one of the nicest Greek towns that I ever visited, maybe (sorry my friends in Mykonos...) even nicer than Mykonos Town, because it's so peaceful. Somewhere I read a negative story about Skopelos Town and that it was so much nicer in Skiathos Town, but it is something I cannot agree with. Both villages have a charm of their own. For a video that I have made of Skopelos Town - click here.

Like on Alonissos most of the beaches here are supposedly pebble beaches. I didn't stay long enough the first time to check on them (but we did this in 2014). I can only tell you that the town beach is one pile of big and small pebbles and not very inviting to spread your towel on and take a dip into the water (this has improved, there is now also a small sandy beach, a small pebble beach at the shore beneath the fortress and there is a larger pebble beach which is not that bad just outside the town on the north side, called Gliferoni beach). This last beach and the renewed small sandy town beach are better and also more suitable for small children, but within walking distance of Skopelos Town there are also the beaches of Stafilos and the naturist beach of Velonia.

Just behind the small sandy beach on the east side of the town you can take a look at the ancient remains of the "Asclepieion of Ancient Peparethos". Don't expect too much of it though, since there are only a few stones to be seen and it is not really spectacular. Peparethos is the ancient name of the island of Skopelos and there used to stand a temple on this spot, which was dedicated to the God of healing and medicine, Asclepius.

As far as we could see during the boat-trip the scenery on the island was beautiful. Skopelos has got another harbour, which is called Agnontas. It is situated in the south of the island and this is where the ferries sail in in case there is a strong wind from the north. If this happens there is a free bus transfer from this harbour going to Skopelos Town. Agnonotas has a small pebble beach and lays in a picturesque bay with beautiful green-blue coloured water. There is a large tree on the beach that gives some shade and a few wooden boats float on its waters. Every now and then you might see a cargo ship in the harbour. There are a couple of taverns and there are a few accommodations but it's not a very large village.

The harbour on the other part of the island where the ferries make a regular stop is the village of Loutraki, which is situtaed just below the second largest village of the island, called Glossa. In Loutraki you find several ancient remains like for instance the Roman baths (they are at the left hand side of the village as you face the see, and you have to climb over a few rocks before you get there. They are a little bit beyond the end of the beach directly at the sea - just a few stones though). You will also find restaurants and a supermarket here and there is a beach of some kind, but not the best of the bunch though.

The upper town of Glossa offers nice shops, supermarkets, a bakery, taverns, some accommodations, a pretty village square (on the top next to the church with an enormous tree) and wonderful views over the island and the sea. At the petrol station in the village you will find the crossroads that will take you to the tourist attraction the "Mama Mia Church" (a church on a rock, made famous by the movie with Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan) and the dirt track to the more secluded beaches in the north east of the island, like Hondrogiorgi beach. With plenty of shade and a nice scenery Skopelos is also a good island for making walks. For those wanting to explore the island on wheels it is best to hire a Jeep. Large parts of the island are paved but if you want to visit the monasteries next to Skopelos Town and some of the more remote beaches it is best to this this by bike or by Jeep. Some of the dirt tracks are quite steep and bumpy.

Skopelos has a surface of 96 km² and there are 4700 inhabitants. The island is green and densely covered, with beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters and traditional villages. The island is known for its 360 churches, the lively folklore and traditional buildings. Skopelos is popular with foreign tourists and people from other parts of Greece.

The main towns on the island are Skopelos town and the village of Glossa. The capital and harbour of the island is the first sight that people see on their arrival. The town has got a beautiful Greek charm with white houses, wooden balconies, narrow alleys and streets. The main town is the place where most of the activities are concentrated. Skopelos island is the largest island of the Sporades.

The island of Skopelos is known for its long beaches, clear seawater and small bays surrounded by pine tree forests. Most of the beaches are situated at the southwestcoast of the island. The better known beaches are Panormos and Milia. The area around the island is attractive for people that have a boat. The island has many idyllic bays with fine sandbeaches or pebble beaches that can only be reached in this way.

For the page with all the information and many more pictures of the beaches of Skopelos - click here.

There is only one good road and a good bus service that visits the rest of the island. Most of the stops are at the bays where the beaches are to be found. Stafilos is the most crowded one of these beaches, also because it is on a 4 kilometer walking distance of Skopelos Town. Stafilos is a sandbeach set in a sheltered bay. South of Stafilos is the naturist beach of Velonia. You can reach Velonia by a path that leads from Stafilos beach. It is not so touristically developped and it is divided in a part where you can rent parasols and sunbeds and a part where you just put your towel in the sand. In the next village, the small village of Agnontas with its fish restaurants, there is a village beach and also a possibillity to walk to the next beach (or take a wooden boat to) Limnonari, which is at a 900 meter distance in a very well protected bay. Here the water in the sea is almost always very quiet. The bay is a very beautiful color of turqoise.

Panormas beach is populair with windsurfers. The water here is quite steep. Panormas is set in a beautiful natural setting and this place is one of the best places to enjoy a sunset. In the village of Panormas there are a couple of hotels and some rooms for rent. Next to Panormos beach is the beach (or small beaches) of Linarakia, situated between Andrines and Panormos beach. There is a small path leading to the beach a few meters after Panormos beach. You can also reach Linarakia through a small path leading from Panormos beach. Behind it are the two small beaches of Adrines.

The next beach, Milia, at 21 kilometer distance of Skopelos Town, is more quiet and it consists of sand and small pebbles. Milia is concidered to be the most beautiful beach of the island and it is surrounded by pine tree forests. It is quite large. Next to Milia is the smaller beach of Kastani. Along the main route from Kastani to the village of Elios you will pass three beaches that are dificult to reach and some smaller ones, amongts which are Megalo Peuko and Hovolo (Hovolo is easy to reach nowadays and a textile beach). Elios is a quiet little fishing village with friendly inhabitants. On the north and on the south of the village there is a beach, interrupted by the harbour with its fishing boats. The beaches consist mostly of pebbles of different sizes.

North of that at the end of a road that ends up in a dirt track you will find the beaches of Kalives and Armenopetra. It's more like one beach divided into two by a large rock. Both beaches can be reached over the same track, both beaches are pebble beaches. Armenopetra has also some sandy patches and is the larger and more picturesque beach of the two, but it is also more exposed to the wind. From Skopelos Town there are caïques (small wooden boats) to the more difficult to reach, but attractive beach of Glisteri , and from Agnontas there are small boats to the beach of Limnonari. Around Glisteri there are more small beaches.

Finally, there are a number of beaches in the northeast of the island of Skopelos. Some of them are only accessible by boat. At Mama Mia church there are a few beaches and further north of that there are a number of beaches too. Perivoli Beach is the northernmost and largest beach, which is accessible via a recently paved road. A bit more more secluded and quieter is the beautiful pebble beach Hondrogiorgi that is situated at the end of a dirt road. Between these two lies Kanalaki or Pethameni beach (translated: "Dead Woman beach") that seems to be more difficult to reach. Good shoes are required. The beach has this name since in the 70's a dead woman was found here. Pethameni beach is accessible by a path that lies in front of the entrance of Hondrogiorgi (left). You have to climb a bit over some rocks first. From the sea you can see that the two beaches lie just right next to each other.

For a larger map of the island of Skopelos with the beaches on it click here.