The Perfect 3 Days in Skopelos
The greenest island in the Aegean: pine forest running down to clear coves, a whitewashed hill town full of churches, and the little clifftop chapel the world knows from Mamma Mia.
Best time to go: June or September. Getting around: Skopelos has no airport — fly to Skiathos (JSI) and take the ferry, or sail from Volos/Mantoudi. Buses run the south coast reliably; a car helps for Glossa and the quieter bays. Once your dates are in, Tripwise can search car hire in one tap.
Day 1 — Skopelos Town (Chora)
Morning — the lanes. Chora rises off its harbour in tiers of white houses with grey slate roofs and wooden balconies. There are said to be well over a hundred churches in town; wandering up towards the Venetian Kastro at the top is the whole pleasure.
The Folklore Museum. A restored mansion showing how a prosperous island family lived, with the embroidery and costume work Skopelos was known for.
Lunch — Nastas Ouzeri or Ouzeri Anatoli. Small plates by the water; Anatoli, high up by the Kastro, sometimes has live rebetika in the evening and is worth returning for.
Dinner — Ta Kymata or To Perivoli. Ta Kymata is the oldest taverna on the harbour; To Perivoli does a more refined garden dinner up in the town.
Day 2 — the Mamma Mia church & the north
Morning — Agios Ioannis Kastri. The island's emblem: a tiny chapel perched on a rock stack above the sea, reached by roughly a hundred steps cut into the cliff. It was the wedding church in Mamma Mia, and the climb is short, steep and worth it.
Midday — Glossa. The island's second town, high on the slope above the northern port of Loutraki, and much quieter than Chora — balconies, cats and a long view over to Skiathos and Evia.
Lunch — Agnanti in Glossa. The island's most celebrated kitchen, with a terrace looking straight down over the sea. Book, and go for the plum-and-pork dishes the island is known for.
Afternoon — Amarantos. Cliffs on the north-west shore where the sunsets are the best on the island, and a swim at Hovolo below Neo Klima on the way back.
Day 3 — the pine-backed coves
Morning — Kastani. The Mamma Mia beach: fine shingle, transparent water and a wall of pines right behind it. There is a beach bar, and the bus stops above.
Midday — Milia. The longest and arguably the loveliest beach on Skopelos, a broad sweep of pale pebbles with a wooded islet offshore — bring shade if you want to stay all day.
Lunch — Panormos or Agnontas. Two sheltered bays with tavernas at the water's edge; Pavlos and Mouses are both good, unfussy lunches with your feet almost in the sea.
Afternoon — Stafylos, Limnonari & a Bronze Age tomb. Stafylos is the closest good beach to Chora, with the quieter Limnonari next door. Inland, the Sentoukia rock-cut tombs on the ridge make a curious short walk with big views.
Best beaches on Skopelos
- Kastani — the Mamma Mia beach; shingle, pines and a beach bar.
- Milia — the island's longest and loveliest, with a wooded islet offshore.
- Panormos — a big sheltered bay, good for families and easy on the bus.
- Stafylos & Limnonari — the closest good swimming to Chora, and quieter next door.
- Hovolo — pale rock and clear water below Neo Klima; lovely late in the day.
Where to eat
- The best table: Agnanti in Glossa, with a terrace over the sea. Book ahead.
- On the harbour: Ta Kymata, the oldest in Chora; Nastas Ouzeri for small plates.
- By the water: Pavlos at Agnontas and Mouses at Panormos for unfussy lunches.
🏨 Where to stay
Skopelos Town (Chora) for atmosphere, tavernas and boats; Panormos or Milia to be on a beach; Glossa/Loutraki for a quiet northern base near the Skiathos ferry.
Find hotels in Skopelos →
🚗 Getting around
The south-coast bus is reliable, but a car reaches Glossa, Amarantos and the quieter bays more easily.
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