Just where is Skopelos anyway? A little history lesson.

The mountainous, densely-forested Sporades Islands are located off the eastern coast of Greece in the Aegean Sea. The group includes about two dozen islands, of which only Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos, and Skyros are inhabited. Long the playgound of the rich and famous, these charming and historic islands are some of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Greece. The island of Skopelos lies 121km (65 nautical miles) from Agios Konstandinos, which is 166km (103 miles) from Athens.



Skopelos Town is the first village one sees when arriving on the island because it is the main port of Skopelos. It is a wonderful little town which is reminiscent of a fairy tale with its lovely whitewashed houses with red tiled roofs, flower gardens and balconies. Its fountains, many little white churches, narrow streets and alleys, and climbing stairs were built amphitheatrically up from the bay. Most of the island's activities are here in the capital, as well as the majority of the population.



Skopelos is one of the most picturesque towns of the Aegean and has been designated as a heritage settlement. The many steps in the town (also called hora by the locals) lead to the most beautiful part of the capital, a site called Kastro (castle). It is located on the top of the hill where the town is built and owes its name to the fortress built there in 340 BC by Philip II of Macedonia from which only ruins of the walls have survived. In the heart of Kastro is the oldest church of the town, the 17th century basilica of Agios Athanassios. The initial edifice was built in the 9th century on the ruins of a temple dedicated to Athena. The panoramic view from the top of Kastro is breath-taking and truly magic.



The island's interior is densely planted with fruit and nut orchards, and Skopelos's unique cuisine makes liberal use of the famous plums and almonds grown here. Skopelos is also known for keeping alive rembetika music, the Greek version of American blues that can be heard in tavernas late in the evening.



The position of the island is of strategic importance and it has suffered several invasions. The first settler and King was Prince Stafilos, the son of Ariadne and Dionysos and grandson of Minoa. He came from Crete, so the island was a Cretan colony known as Peparithos. His grave, containing weapons, a gold crown and funerary offerings amongst other finds (all of which are housed in the Volos museum) was discovered by the cove bearing his name in 1927.

The supremacy of the island was greatly disputed between the Athenians and the Spartans and it was right in the middle of the Persian wars. During the times of the Roman Empire the island was ransacked several times by the Roman hoards. The island was one of the first places in Hellas to preach Christianity. The first bishop and Patron Saint of the island was Agios Reginos, who was tortured to death in 362 A.D.

Skopelos harbor and sailboats below:



During the Byzantine times the island was generally prosperous but was used as a place of exile. It changed hands several times until 1538 when the Turkish admiral Khayr El-Din Bararossa (red beard) conquered the island destroying it and massacring the inhabitants. It remained deserted until the 17th century. When people starting settling again, they suffered greatly at the hands of pirates. It played an important part in the General Uprising in 1821 as it was the headquarters of many of the revolution's commanders. Today however, you will find it is one of the most peaceful islands in the Aegean.