Skopelos travel tips: The most important information for your holiday

Are you planning a holiday on the Greek island of Skopelos? Here we have all the important information about getting there, getting around, accommodation, excursions and much more – compactly summarized for you. Whether you are planning a relaxing beach holiday or a Sporades island hopping: With our Skopelos travel tips you are well prepared!

#1 Getting to Skopelos Island

Skopelos does not have its own airport and can therefore only be reached by ferry. The journey to Skopelos is either via the city of Volos on the mainland or via the neighboring island of Skiathos, both of which have an international airport: Skiathos JSI and Volos VOL. However, direct flights are only available during the season, mainly in summer. You can view available connections here:

➲ To cheap flights to Skiathos*

➲ To cheap flights to Volos*

#2 Ferry routes to Skopelos

Most holidaymakers come from Skiathos to Skopelos – depending on the connection and location of your accommodation, you will reach either the port of Skopelos town or the port of Glossa (Loutraki) in the north of the island.

The ferry connections depart regularly from the Greek mainland, especially from the ports of Volos (Thessaly) and Agios Konstantinos (Central Greece), as well as Mantoudi (Euboea). Journey times vary between 1.5 and 4 hours, depending on the departure point and type of ship, with the Seajets catamarans are the fastest.

→ The island of Skopelos can be reached regularly by the following ferry companies:

• Seajets
• Aegean Flying Dolphins
• Olympian Ferries
• Sporades Lines (Petroula)

Since there are regular ferry connections from the neighboring islands of Skiathos and Alonissos even in the low season, Skopelos can be easily integrated into a Greece Island Hopping integrate. In summer, the ships even run several times a day, allowing flexible travel planning for a Sporades Island Hopping.

In high season, it is worth taking the ferry tickets to Skopelos to book early, as the places can be booked up quickly. The easiest way to do this is through our partner Ferryhopper*:

➲ To cheap ferries to the island*

#3 Hotel tips in Skopelos

Skopelos offers a manageable number of hotels, most of which are rather small guesthouses. Nevertheless, a few larger resorts have established themselves in recent years that want to fulfil the desire for an all-round carefree holiday. In addition, there are numerous apartments and studios in Chora, Glossa, Klima and Panormos.

Our accommodation on Skopelos

Villa Politimi Luxury Retreat near Skopelos Town

We had an unforgettable stay in the dreamlike Villa Politimi of Skopelos Luxury Retreats. Marianna and Nikos are warm hosts who have created a true paradise with attention to detail. The villa offers space for four to six people with two bedrooms and combines stylish comfort with breathtaking views.

→ With our partner Booking.com* you will receive more information about the villas of Skopelos Luxury Retreats and you can check availability and prices right away:

➲ Book Villa Politimi Luxury Retreat*

Here we experienced peace, luxury and pure Greek hospitality. We will never forget the hours spent together as a couple in the evening with a glass of wine on the terrace overlooking Skopelos Town and splashing around as a family in the pool in the afternoon. A place to fall in love with – our absolute recommendation for Skopelos!

Recommended Skopelos Hotels

Enclosed we have three recommended Hotels on Skopelos with good guest reviews. Click on the links from Booking.com* to get details of the accommodations:

• Adrina Resort & Spa*
• Skopelos Village Hotel*
• Thea Home Hotel*

→ on Booking.com* you can view available accommodations on a map and compare prices directly:

#4 Car rentals for Skopelos

With an area of almost 96 km2, Skopelos is one of the smaller ones Greek Islands. This is the best way to see the highlights of Skopelos in a short time, whether you choose a scooter or a rental car. The road conditions are fine and for the 25 km from Skopelos Chora to Glossa in the north, you have to plan about 40 minutes, depending on the route.

→ For a cheap car hire for Skopelos you can check our partner Discover Cars*:

➲ To cheap rental cars for the island*

If you want to rent a car on site, we recommend the provider Magic Cars, which is very close to the port. On offer are small cars, SUVs, scooters or quads, and all at fair prices.

Bus travel in Skopelos

The public buses connect the most important towns on Skopelos, from Skopelos town in the east to Loutraki in the northwest. For an extensive exploration of the island, especially the secluded northern beaches and Mamma Mia! filming locations, we recommend renting a vehicle.

→ Current bus routes for Skopelos can be found here: Bus timetable of the island

#5 Places to visit in Skopelos

In addition to beautiful beaches, lush forests and authentic villages, Skopelos also scores with spectacular film sets, as many scenes from the movie Mamma Mia! were filmed here on Skopelos. Below is a summary of the main highlights of Skopelos:

• Skopelos Town
• Mamma Mia! Church (Agios Ioannis Kastri)
• Palouki monasteries (including the Holy Monastery of the Annunciation)
• Amarandos Cove (Three Pines of Skopelos)
• Sentoukia Tombs
• Mamma Mia! Beach (Kastani Beach)
• Lighthouse at Cape Gourouni
• Village of Glossa

#6 Skopelos Tours & Tours

Skopelos is not a classic Greek destination for exciting tours and wild adventures. Nevertheless, some activities such as hiking or water sports, especially kayak tours (provider: Kayaking Skopelos in Nea Klima). In addition, on Skopelos there are Mamma Mia Tours that lead to the filming locations.

→ Click on the links from GetYourGuide* to provide you with details and availability of the guided tours for Skopelos displayed:

➲ To the easy guided island hike*

➲ To the tour to the Mamma Mia filming locations*

#7 Skopelos restaurants: Our recommendations

In contrast to the neighboring island of Skiathos, the price level in the restaurants and cafés on Skopelos is even cheaper, and we sometimes found the quality to be much better.

You should definitely try the Skopelos Pie, a specialty of the island. This spiral roll of thin filo pastry is usually filled with mizithra cheese or a sweet cream. Available at Michalis Skopelos Pies in Skopelos Chora.

→ A selection of our favorite restaurants and cafes on Skopelos We would like to introduce you below:

• Azan, Chora
• Gourmet Street Food (Skopelos Experience), Ditropo
• Madalaki Coffee, Neo Klima
• Scoopelaki Ice Cream, Chora
• …

Want more restaurant tips for Skopelos?

→ In our Google map you will find all the cafés and taverns on the island that we have tested and recommended, as well as our best Skopelos travel tips:

#8 Best time to visit Skopelos

The season on Skopelos usually begins with the Greek Easter and ends at the beginning of October, depending on the weather. At the end of May we actually had two days rain on Skopelos. Overall, however, it was very sunny. The beaches in the north of Skopelos were deserted and there was a heavenly calm in the air.

For us personally, the months of June and September are the most beautiful months to travel, because that’s when you can expect Skopelos great weather, pleasant bathing temperatures and fewer people on the island than in midsummer.

• May: still a few rainy days possible, sea cold, lush nature, ideal for active holidays (hiking & co.), many facilities only open from mid-May, hardly any holidaymakers
• June to early July: pleasantly warm and hardly any rain, sea is slowly getting warmer, almost everything is open, few vacationers
• Mid-July to the end of August: hot temperatures, lots of holidaymakers, perfect for pure beach holidays
• September: sunny weather, warm water, relaxed atmosphere, few people
• Beginning of October: End of season, most facilities close, the weather becomes unstable again

FAQ Skopelos: The most important questions

Where is Skopelos?

Skopelos belongs to the Northern Sporades and is located in the western Aegean Sea between the neighboring islands of Skiathos and Alonissos. With an area of around 96 square kilometers and about 5,000 inhabitants, Skopelos is one of the medium-sized Greek islands. Most people live in the capital Skopelos town, which is also called Chora.

How to get to the island of Skopelos?

The easiest way to reach the island is by taking a direct flight to Skiathos and then taking the ferry to Skopelos (from 15 minutes to 1 hour). Alternatively, Volos and Thessaloniki airports are also available as starting points. From there you can also get to Skopelos by rental car and ferry. Important: Clarify with the rental company in advance whether you can take the rental car with you on the ferry!

Is Skopelos very touristy?

No, the island is hardly known to international tourists so far. When we were there at the end of May, we were the only ones on site in some places and met only a few other vacationers. According to locals, Skopelos is only expected to get crowded between mid-July and the end of August. Then many Greeks come to the island from the mainland.

How much time do I need for Skopelos?

To explore the main highlights of the island, about 5-7 days on Skopelos are ideal. If you take more time, you can also explore the island on foot on hikes and have a beach day in between.

What are the best places to stay in Skopelos?

Chora (Skopelos Town) is central, lively and ideal for nightlife. In the hinterland of Chora it is quieter to spend the night. Panormos and climate are perfect for beach lovers, Glossa and Loutraki in the north are a bit remote for island exploration.

Is Skopelos suitable for families?

Absolutely – we felt very comfortable here as a family! The island is quiet, safe and offers many opportunities for swimming, although most of the beaches are made of fine gravel and sometimes drop deeply in the shore area.

Can I combine Skopelos with other islands?Yes, due to its proximity to the islands of Skiathos and Alonissos, Skopelos is perfect for island hopping in the Sporades.

→ More articles and numerous Sporades travel tips can be found at:

• Sporades Blog – The archipelago at a glance

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