Greece - Korina Miller [541]
Sleeping & Eating
Hotel Selenunda ( 24240 34073; www.skopelosweb.gr/selenunda; Loutraki; d/tr from €40/55; ) Perched well above the port, these self-catering rooms are large and airy. A family apartment sleeps four, and the genial hosts, Karen and Babbis, can suggest ways to explore the area.
Flisvos Taverna ( 24240 33856; Loutraki; mains €3-7) Perched above the seawall 50m north of the car park, this friendly family taverna offers fresh fish at decent prices, fresh chips, homemade mousakas, and perfect appetisers like taramasalata (a thick purée of fish roe, potato, oil and lemon juice) and tzatziki.
Taverna To Steki Mastora ( 24240 33563; Glossa; mains €4-7) Look for a small animal roasting on a big spit outside this popular psistaria (restaurant serving grilled food), between the church and bakery.
Agnanti Taverna & Bar ( 24240 33076; Glossa; mains €8-12) Enjoy the views of Evia from swank Agnanti’s rooftop terrace, along with superb Greek fusion dishes like grilled sardines on pita with sea fennel and sun-dried tomatoes.
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AROUND SKOPELOS
Sights & Activities
MONASTERIES
Skopelos has several monasteries that can be visited on a beautiful scenic drive or day-long trek from Skopelos Town. Begin by following the road (Monastery Rd), which skirts the bay and then climbs inland. Continue beyond the signposted Hotel Aegeon until the road forks. Take the left fork, which ends at the 18th-century Moni Evangelistrias, now a convent. The monastery’s prize, aside from the superb views, is a gilded iconostasis containing an 11th-century icon of the Virgin Mary.
The right fork leads to the uninhabited 16th-century Moni Metamorfosis Sotiros, the island’s oldest monastery. From here a decent dirt road continues to the 17th-century Moni Varvaras with a view to the sea, and to the 18th-century Moni Prodromou (now a convent), 8km from Skopelos Town.
Moni Episkopis rests within the Venetian compound of a private Skopelian family, about 250m beyond the ring road. Ring Apostolis ( 6974120450) for details and an invitation. The small chapel within is a wonder of light and Byzantine icons.
BEACHES
Skopelos’ best beaches are on the sheltered southwest and west coasts. The first beach you come to is the sand-and-pebble Stafylos Beach, 4km southeast of Skopelos Town. From the eastern end of the beach a path leads over a small headland to the quieter Velanio Beach, the island’s official nudist beach and coincidentally a great snorkelling spot. Agnontas, 3km west of Stafylos, has a small pebble-and-sand beach and from here caïques sail to the superior and sandy Limnonari Beach, in a sheltered bay flanked by rocky outcrops. Limnonari is also a 1.5km walk or drive from Agnontas.
From Agnontas the road cuts inland through pine forests before re-emerging at pretty Panormos Beach, with a few tavernas and domatia. Enquire at Panormos Travel ( 24240 23380) for accommodation bookings. One kilometre further, little Andrines Beach is sandy and less crowded. The next two beach bays, Milia and Kastani, are excellent for swimming.
Tours
If you can’t tell a twin-tailed pascha butterfly from a double leopard orchid, join one of island resident Heather Parson’s guided walks ( 6945249328; www.skopelos-walks.com; tours €15-25). She fights to maintain Skopelos’ natural beauty, and her four-hour Panormos walk follows an old path across the island, ending at a beach taverna, with wonderful views to Alonnisos and Evia along the way. Her book, Skopelos Trails (€10.25), contains graded trail descriptions and a pull-out illustrated map, and is available in waterfront stores.
Sleeping & Eating
There are small hotels, domatia, tavernas and beach canteens at Stafylos, Agnontas, Limnonari, Panormos, Andrines and Milia.
Limnonari Rooms & Taverna ( 24240 23046; www.skopelos.net/limnonarirooms; Limnonari Beach; d/tr/ste €65/80/120; ) Set back on a beautiful and sandy bay, this well-managed domatio features a well-equipped communal kitchen and terrace, just 30m from the water.