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News and Events For Skopelos
Now immortalised in the Hollywood movie "Mama Mia", Skopelos town is a picturesque unspoilt harbour town, full of cobbled streets and quaint churches. A short ferry ride from Skiathos, the island has a tranquillity and charm, which, combined with lovely beaches, friendly people and authentic villages, mark it out as truly special.
Our villas in Skopelos are all in wonderful locations, most are a short distance to the town with stunning sea views, whilst others are tucked away in the countryside, near orchards, walking trails and hilltop monasteries. All of our villas in Skopelos have private pools.
Celebrating Easter in Skopelos
Easter is often more celebrated than Christmas in the Greek Orthodox church and this year, Greek Easter falls on the week of 29th April. Usually there is a five week difference between western and eastern Christian celebrations of Easter, whilst once every four years it falls on the same date.
Easter is a joyous time to holiday in Greece; spring brings flowers and fauna in abundance and the Greek people enjoy the release from the winter hibernation. Even if you are not a devout Christian you cannot help but be moved by the ceremonies and way of life that begin on Easter Sunday after 40 days of fasting. During “Megali Evdomada” or “Holy week”, fasting is taken seriously and many traditional tavernas delight in producing delicious vegetarian and seafood dishes. Church services are held throughout the week.
Holy Week traditionally goes as follows:
• Monday – This is the day to go to church and kiss the icon of Christ.
• Tuesday – A day of mourning.
• Wednesday – All household chores must be finished on this day.
• Thursday – Communion services are held all day and churchgoers bow before Christ on the cross.
• Friday – A day of mourning, and of rest. At dusk, the Epitafio (funeral bier) is paraded around the town or village, then at midnight the ‘Anastasi’ (Resurrection) marks the culmination of Holy week. Greeks usually attend midnight mass, and everyone brings a lit candle home to bring good luck to the household for the year ahead. The Lenten fast is broken with mageirista meat soup, red eggs and cheese pies.
• Saturday – Another service is held and the churches are filled with flowers. Lambs are killed in readiness for the Sunday feast.
• Sunday – Families and friends gather together to celebrate, roasting a lamb or goat on a spit, with music and dancing throughout the day.
In Skopelos, the women who decorate the funeral biers of the main four churches in the capital compete to create most colourful, dramatic or aromatic flower decorations and they are paraded through the streets, culminating at the harbour. The 'Epitafio' are then returned to the individual churches and the followers continue with the service.
Kalo Pasxa – Happy Easter!
Easter is a joyous time to holiday in Greece; spring brings flowers and fauna in abundance and the Greek people enjoy the release from the winter hibernation. Even if you are not a devout Christian you cannot help but be moved by the ceremonies and way of life that begin on Easter Sunday after 40 days of fasting. During “Megali Evdomada” or “Holy week”, fasting is taken seriously and many traditional tavernas delight in producing delicious vegetarian and seafood dishes. Church services are held throughout the week.
Holy Week traditionally goes as follows:
• Monday – This is the day to go to church and kiss the icon of Christ.
• Tuesday – A day of mourning.
• Wednesday – All household chores must be finished on this day.
• Thursday – Communion services are held all day and churchgoers bow before Christ on the cross.
• Friday – A day of mourning, and of rest. At dusk, the Epitafio (funeral bier) is paraded around the town or village, then at midnight the ‘Anastasi’ (Resurrection) marks the culmination of Holy week. Greeks usually attend midnight mass, and everyone brings a lit candle home to bring good luck to the household for the year ahead. The Lenten fast is broken with mageirista meat soup, red eggs and cheese pies.
• Saturday – Another service is held and the churches are filled with flowers. Lambs are killed in readiness for the Sunday feast.
• Sunday – Families and friends gather together to celebrate, roasting a lamb or goat on a spit, with music and dancing throughout the day.
In Skopelos, the women who decorate the funeral biers of the main four churches in the capital compete to create most colourful, dramatic or aromatic flower decorations and they are paraded through the streets, culminating at the harbour. The 'Epitafio' are then returned to the individual churches and the followers continue with the service.
Kalo Pasxa – Happy Easter!
Drive... around Skopelos in one day,easy to do as the island is small but perfectly formed! Do it early on in your holiday and you can pin-point places to return to during your stay. Leaving Skopelos town,head for Stafylos then north past Agnondas, Limnonari, Panormos, Milia, Kastani, Old Klima and finally Loutraki, before arriving in Glossa. Head back south via Agios Ioannis, a beautiful monastery perched high on a rock above the sea and famously used as the wedding location in the Mama Mia movie!
Sail... out to see monk seals in their natural habitat, now a marine park. Trips leave regularly from Skopelos Town to visit these delightful creatures frolicking in the protected waters between Skopelos and Alonissos. Thriving in the fish infested seas that surround the islands, the monk seals may not be best friends with the local fishermen... but everyone else seems to love them!
How... many churches can you find in the town? There are 120+ of them in Skopelos Town alone, so exploring every alleyway in the labyrinth maze of tiny back streets, trying to find as many as you can is absolutely necessary. It is also a great excuse for straying into one of the many excellent gift shops or partaking of pungent ouzo in a tempting café bar along the harbour front.
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Skopelos, Greece Area Information
A tranquil island inhabited by warm, hospitable locals with a profusion of orchards and a seemingly infinite number of churches and monasteries. Skopelos is the largest of the pretty Sporades islands.
Skopelos is a walker's paradise with numerous marked trails and routes. Many a pleasant hour can be spent rambling through the abundance of olive groves and plum orchards that are strewn all over this fertile island.
Bathed in the early evening sunlight, Skopelos Town's cobbled streets and whitwashed façades are incredibly impressive and a therapeutic sight for jaded senses. At this lovely time of day why not accompany the friendly locals, who can be found relaxing and 'people watching' in the
charming harbour front tavernas, 'kafenions' and 'ouzeries' that spread out their tables under the plane trees.
Skopelos Town is one of the most picturesque and unspoilt harbour towns in all of Greece, behind the lovely harbour awaits a maze of cobbled streets and alleyways which conceal over 120 individual churches and monasteries. Some of the most interesting to visit are Zoodochos Pigi, the dramatic 18th Century church of Panagia Eleftherotria and the Episkopi, a fortified Venetian monastery abandoned incomplete when the Ottomans invaded.
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Just above the town, Mount Palouki is home to the church of Evangelistria, which clings to the rocky hillside enjoying magnificent views.
The island's sand and pebble beaches are irresistible. Visit Stafylos, a popular family beach close to Skopelos Town or the fine pebble beach at Agnondas, whose dense, verdant pine forests provide a stunningly beautiful backdrop.
Considered one of the best beaches on the island Limnonari is a broad crescent of white sand and smooth sandstone rocks while nearby Panormos is a beach with a view! A magnificent, naturally protected bay, it was once the site of an ancient city and sections of the old town wall still remain today.
Just around the headland, both Milia and Kastani boast vast stretches of tree-lined pebble, sand and spectacular crystal clear waters while the tiny pine clad islet of Dasia just a short distance away, offers an idyllic setting.
Glossa, Skopelos' second town, benefits from a stunning position high over the sea. This unspoilt, picturesque village simply oozes charm. A short drive from Glossa, on the east coast brings you to the picture postcard monastery of Agios Ioannis, perched high on rocks that jut out over the Aegean Sea (location for the famous wedding scene in the movie 'Mama Mia!').
Nearby Agios Taxiarchon is also well worth a visit, as is the amazing Gourouni Cape at the most northern tip of the island and home to a handsome lighthouse. There are also several beautiful beaches nearby including Perivolio and Hondros Georgos.
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Local Cuisine
Kafenions (small traditional cafés) are commonplace around the villages of Skopelos. Most are frequented by men drinking their Greek coffee or frappe playing cards or backgammon or simply arguing about politics or football - a favourite pastime in Greece! We highly recommend the Skopiot cheese pie, found in the bakeries on the harbour front - delicious!
Saints' days
Since all the Greek Orthodox churches are named after saints, everyone will visit their local church on its 'name' day. The larger churches will celebrate with a lively Paniyiri (festival) on its specific Saint's day, where loud music will be played and food and drink will be served late into the night.Climate
The Sporades Islands enjoy a stable, maritime climate with warm summers and a welcome, fairly constant breeze. Sea temperatures are usually comfortable enough for a swim even during low season months.Getting there
As Skopelos does not have its own airport all flights arrive to the neighbouring island of Skiathos. At time of going to press the best choice of charter flights are from Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester with Newcastle and Luton also served. We offer a transfer service from Skiathos airport to the ferry port and onward to Skopelos included in the rental rate.View villas in Skopelos, Greece
Book your villa holiday online or telephone: 00 44 1954 261 431