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| Skopelos | ||
| region | Thessaly (Greek region) | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | unknown | |
no value for residents on Wikidata:  | ||
| height | 680 m | |
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
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Skopelos is an island of Sporades in Greece.
background
Skopelos is the largest island in the northern Sporades with about 5000 inhabitants. Skopelos is also the name of the main port and community center of the island. The other parishes on the island are Glossa and Neo Klima (Elios). The geography of Skopelos includes two mountains over 500 meters; Delphi (681 meters) in the center of the island and Palouki (546 meters) in the southeast. With an area of 95 km², Skopelos is slightly larger than Mykonos (85 km²) and Santorini (73 km²). The next inhabited islands are Skiathos in the west and Alonissos in the east. Skopelos is one of the greenest islands in the Aegean. The local vegetation consists mainly of forests of Aleppo pines, Kermes oaks, a small forest of holm oaks, fruit trees and olive groves. About 80 percent of the island's area is naturally overgrown, which makes Skopelos one of the greenest islands in the country
getting there
By plane
There is no airport in Skopelos. In the summer months, however, there are flights from within Greece and from other European destinations to the airport on the neighboring island Skiathos, from where you can usually get a boat to Skopelos on the same day if you arrive in Skiathos early in the day or otherwise the next day.
By boat
Skopelos is by ferry from Volos and Agios Konstantinos can be reached. In summer there is a ferry service from Thessaloniki and Kymi in Evia and hydrofoils and catamaran services from Volos and Agios Konstantinos. The island has two ports, one in Skopelos town and one in Loutraki. On windy days, the hydrofoils can also approach Agnontas instead of Skopelos town.
Cruise ships dock in the town of Skopelos and in the port of Loutraki.
mobility
- bus; Skopelos has a ring road around the island, from which you can get to almost all tourist spots, including the main villages and beaches. Buses run very frequently in the high season (July and August) and sufficiently frequently also in the low season.
- taxi: There is a taxi rank at the port of Skopelos near the bus station. Taxis have fixed tariffs for different destinations. Although the first daily ferries routinely leave the port of Skopelos at 7:00 a.m., it is often difficult to book a taxi in the morning and it is worth making an appointment with a taxi driver the evening before.
- automobile: It is not worth the effort to bring your own car to the island, although theoretically it is possible. It is more convenient to rent a car or a scooter. Asphalt roads run across the west coast of the island. Internal roads turn out to be little more than dirt roads.
- motorcycle: Motorcycles and mopeds are popular alternatives to cars. You can go to many places where cars cannot go - for example the narrow streets of Skopelos town. Another advantage is that they can be rented cheaply, 15 euros per day is the usual price. If you want to start a day trip with a moped, it is advisable to fill up with gas, as gas stations are sometimes difficult to find and the range is short. An extra stop at a gas station can save a lot of nerves. Before renting a moped, a tire and brake check is strongly recommended for your own safety. If it's the last vehicle in the store, be suspicious - it could be the one in dire need of repair. Helmets are compulsory. The fine for driving without a helmet is 350 euros.
Tourist Attractions
Skopelos has neither special archetectonic-cultural sights (apart from a few monasteries) nor known archaeological sites. Skopelos town is worth seeing and especially the diverse natural landscapes that make up the special charm of the island.
- 1 Drakontoschism. Beautifully located vantage point.
- 2 Three Trees, Amarandos (Τρία Δέντρα, Αμάραντος). beautiful viewpoint on a small cape 5 minutes walk from the road.
- 1 Roman bath. the poorly preserved remains of a Roman bath were part of the Roman city of Selinus. Excavations have not yet been carried out.
- 2 Lighthouse (Faros). Impressive view but difficult approach. 4WD recommended.
- 3 Sentoukia. Lookout point and grave site about 30 minutes' walk from the car park.
Monasteries & Churches
For the size of the island it has many monasteries, which are worth a visit if you have an interest in history and of course religion. One should always keep in mind that these are not tourist attractions, but places of reflection. Appropriate clothing and behavior should be a matter of course.
- 1 Agios Riginos Monastery. Small but still worth seeing monastery complex with a shop with various gifts and items from the monks, including herbs, teas, honey, wine and olive oil.
- 2 Taxiarches Monastery (Βυζαντινό Μοναστήρι Ταξιαρχών). Nice little monastery with its own spring with fresh water, mostly deserted but open, nice but also strenuous hiking trail of about an hour from the parking lot.
- 3 Timiou Prodromou Monastery (Ιερά Μονή Τιμίου Προδρόμου). Nice monastery with a small shop. It was renovated in 1721 under the monk Filaretos, as mentioned on the inscription at the entrance. The icons of the monastery from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries are also important. On the altar of the monastery there is a mural for the foundation of the monastery. Today it is inhabited and farmed by a single monk.
- 4 Saint Barbara Monastery (ερά Μονή Αγίας Βαρβάρας). Beautiful old monastery with a magnificent iconostasis.
- 5 Pano Panagia Monastery. The monastery of Pano Panaitsa also called “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary” dates from the 18th century and is located on the mountain Palaouki. The big feast day of the monastery is August 15th - Assumption of the Virgin.
- 6 Convent of the Annunciation (Ιερά Μονή Ευαγγελισμού της Θεοτόκου). The Convent of the Annunciation is beautifully embedded in an enchanting garden managed by a single nun.
- 7 Sotiros Monastery (Ιερά Μόνη Μεταμορφώσεως του Σωτήρος). Small monastery well worth seeing, inhabited by only one monk.
- 8 St. John's Monastery (Ιερά Μονή Αγίου Ιωάννη)
- 9 Monastery of Saint Mary. small monastery well worth seeing with a beautiful view.
- 10 Chapel of Agios Ioannis. Through the film Mama Mia well-known chapel in a very beautiful location.
- 11 Chapel of Panagitsa of Pyrgos (Ο ναός των Εισοδίων της Θεοτόκου (Παναγίτσα του Πύργου). Nice little chapel with a good view of Skopelos town and sea. Unfortunately normally closed.
activities
- water sports. All kinds of water sports are offered in Skopelos town, such as boat tours, sailing tours, kayaking, diving, and much more. On the popular beaches also snorkeling, water skiing, jet skiing etc.
beaches
Compared to many other islands, Skopelos has a lot of cliffs with beautiful bays, which can only be reached by boat. The number of easily accessible beaches is therefore rather lower. The best Nudism-Beach is Velanio. Outside the season there are also other suitable ones Nudist beaches.
In the south and west:
- 1 Velanio. Nudist beach, accessible on foot from Stafylos beach (approx. 500 meters) or by boat. You should wear sturdy shoes for the small path from STAFYLOS to VELANIO, as it is sometimes very steep and slippery for a short time. The front part of the beach is organized with beach sets and a beach canteen and is no longer a FK beach. In the middle of the beach there are rocks that you can bypass and then you can drop the covers.
- 2 Stafylos. A very beautiful beach that falls very gently into the sea. The sand is very fine-grained. All kinds of water sports are available on the beach. There are sun loungers, parasols and a beach bar on the beach.
- 3 Amarandos. very beautiful and photogenic rocks for swimming and as a viewing point.
- 4 Agnontas. small organized beach next to the port.
- 5 Limnonari. well organized beach with beach bars, restaurants.
- 6 Panormos (Pelagos). long, well-organized and easily accessible beach.
- 7 Adrines. 2 small, fully seated beaches in front of hotel complexes.
- 8 Milia. A large, spacious, clean pebble beach with beach sets and a beach bar and crystal clear, beautiful water. However, you should wear water shoes, as there are larger or flat slippery stones here and there when you walk in.
- 9 Kastani. the clean pebble beach of Kastani is located in a bay with crystal clear water and is extremely popular, well organized, very crowded and also loud due to the beach bar.
- 10 Hovolo. several bays that are difficult to access, with lots of peace and quiet, beautiful landscape, wonderful water, not organized, suitable for nudists.
- 11 Elios. organized beach next to the port of Neo Kima.
- 12 Armenopetra. Beach without loungers or beach bar, a little neglected, often windy, easily accessible.
- 13 Loutraki. Beach at the pier in Loutraki.
In the north and east:
- 14 Sares. The beaches of Sarres are among the most beautiful and most photographed beaches in Skopelos, but access to these beautiful pebble beaches is only possible by boat. You can get from one beach to the next through caves in the rock.
- 15 Aghios Constantinos. Quiet beach with restaurants.
- 16 Glysteri. beautiful secluded beach, not managed, sometimes polluted.
- 17 Vatias Beach. small beach in a bay, often with garbage.
- 18 Agios Ioannis. Small managed beach in a beautiful landscape next to the chapel known from the movie "Mama Mia".
- 19 Spilia Beach. Nice calm bay. You have to climb down a few hundred meters, but the beach is very nice for that. Breathtaking view. No facilities.
- 20 Hondroyiorgos. 2 bays with uncrowded beaches in a scenic location.
- 21 Kanalaki pethameni. beautiful, somewhat secluded beach in a bay.
- 22 Perivoliou. Nice little beach. Not easy to get to by car, but without crowds and a nice tavern in the shade of old trees. There are several bays with beaches that can be reached from the central car park.
shop
By far the best shopping opportunities are in Skopelos town. There are little things in the many mini markets in all tourist centers.
kitchen
Around the island there are very nice restaurants on almost all beaches, where you can enjoy Greek cuisine with a view of the sea. Prices, the offer and the quality hardly differ. Fast food is also sufficiently available at all tourist hotspots, especially in Skopelos town.
nightlife
Nightlife on Skopelos isn't nearly as pronounced as on neighboring Skiathos, but there are still plenty of bars, late-night cafes and discos. Most of the "coolest" bars are on the east side of town, around Platanos Square and behind and along Paralia. The best place for bouzouki music is Metro, and for Rembetika the Kastro. For live music with a spectacular view of the city, the Anatoli Ouzeri is recommended.
accommodation
As one of the islands of the Sporades that is well developed for tourism, Skopelos has all types and categories of accommodation that a tourist would expect. Most of the accommodations are located in the Skopelos town area, as there is also some night life here. If you are only looking for peace and quiet, you are better off at one of the beach hotels. Almost all accommodations are listed and rated in the well-known Internet portals. Many private accommodations are also available, e.g. via www.airbnb.
health
- hospital. Skopelos does not have a real hospital, only health centers (HEALTH CENTER, Tel. 02424 022222, ASCLEPIEION of SPORADES Private Polyclinic Tel. 02424 023837) for simpler cases Volos.
Practical advice
- Drinking water. Due to bottlenecks in the water supply, it can happen in the high season that the drinking water does not have an EC quality standard and therefore bottled water should be used for safety.
- Poisonous snakes. They like to live on rocks and in secluded dilapidated gardens and houses. If you want to go off the beaten track, you should be careful.
- traffic accidents. Numerous motorcycle accidents during the summer season are to be lamented again and again, mostly because of inexperienced drivers overestimating themselves and alcohol.
- crime. As in all Greek islands, crime is very low. Pickpockets do happen and you should watch out for your bags and cell phones when hawkers come to your table in a cafe or restaurant.
trips
The most popular excursion destinations are the neighboring islands of the Sporades
literature
- Northern Sporades, nature between islands and sea (nature guide) by Gerald Hau
- Northern Sporades travel guide Michael Müller Publisher: Skiathos - Skopelos - Skyros - Alonnisos by Dirk Schönrock
- Charter guide Northern Sporades: Golf from Volos Skiathos to Skyros by M. Haselhorst & K. Dittmann
