Accommodation

The options below give a good benchmark as to the range of options for your stay on Skopelos. But feel free to dig online and find the deal for you...


www.skopeloscountry.com
Our good local buddy Andonis has two beautiful 2-bed villas, each with a pool. You'll need a car for this stunning location nestled in the hills of Karya. (c100euros/night) Mention our names!


www.skopelos.net/cherrytree/index.htm
An exceptionally cute little cottage ('kalivi' in the lingo) is run by friends Robert and Stephen in Mortero near Panormos. Mention our names!

Riginas Studios
Blessed with a stunning location these cheap and cheerful double room studios (35-40 euros/night) also have a communal bar/restaurant and swimming pool. Email us to arrange booking.

www.adrina.gr
If it's good enough for Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell... The classy Adrina Resort offers great value for 4 star options ranging from double rooms (75 euros/night), through maisonettes, up to villas (225 euros/night).


www.skopelosvillage.gr
Less starry, but Julie Walters and the rest of the cast of that blasted film will have appreciated this resort's many practical benefits at good prices.


www.holidayislands.com
A high standard for private villas is set by the slick local operator Thalpos.

www.skopelosweb.gr
Many individual owners post their villas, apartments, cottages and rooms here for private lettings .

Domatia
A room or an apartment with a greek family is a more adventurous and cheaper option. There are many of these in the old town of Skopelos, tucked amongst the white-washed cobbled streets and draped with bougainvillea. We estimate costs at approximately 30 euros/night. Those happy to brave the locals and leave things a little later should contact us to arrange.

Package Deals

For a package of accommodation, flights and car hire there are good deals to be had out there. Happy hunting!

The upmarket Ionian and Aegean Island Holidays have offered a straight 15% discount to our guests, or 10% on deals already offered on their website:

www.ionianislandholidays.com
Call Bernadette on 020 8459 0777 and mention our names!


Sunvil have a slightly lesser level of options but ask what deals can be done for guests of Sam and Phil.

www.sunvil.co.uk
www.greekislandsclub.com
Call Tracey on 020 8758 4758

The Island

Skopelos island is not huge. There aren't too many roads other than the one which links the two towns of Skopelos Town and Glossa, and this takes just 45 minutes.


Centrally positioned and on the beachy side of the island, Panormos is our first suggestion for where you should stay. The long curving beach has a few laid back tavernas and is great for families.

Motor boats are available for hire in Panormos and the perfect yachty bay of Blo is around the corner. There are secretive coves nearby and a bus runs to other beaches just a few minutes away.


Up in the hills, places such as Raches, Potami and Pefkias offer solitude in the olive groves that keen walkers will love. Hire a car and you won't be more than 15 minutes from a good beach.


The busy capital (population: 3000) Skopelos Town has lively bars, cafes, tavernas and a couple of good restaurants. The labyrinthine backstreets have bags of charm and the town is well worth a day trip or two, but beach-floppers might resist renting an old town house.


Agnontas is like a tiny - really tiny! - Panormos. A very sweet bay with just 3 picture-perfect tavernas. The long sociable beach of Milia is hard not to love and it's next to lovely Kastani. Locals regard the new town of Elios (aka Neo Klima) as unfashionable and too built-up but, overlooked by the peak of Delphi, it is one of the quietest beaches on the island.


Stafilos is deservedly popular with a cracking clifftop view down to the narrow beach. It's a busy party place in midsummer, but in early June it'll be quieter.


Glossa is a world apart. This wonderful village on top of the hill is a slice of old, traditional Greece. Fabulous views from this part of the island and a short drive away to hidden corners and windswept beaches. Its port way below is known as Loutraki. Car hire essential.


In all honesty, there are no places on Skopelos that we would tell anyone not to go to. It really is a lovely island. We look forward to our family and friends exploring and discovering their own favourite spots.

Travel to Skopelos

Skopelos is a beautiful island in the north-eastern Aegean. It has no airport so you'll need to board a boat to get here. The little bit of travel effort is certainly worth it and you may well wish to consider staying for a holiday of a week or more.


Charter flights from Gatwick and Manchester land on the neighbouring island of Skiathos. From the runway it's a very short taxi ride to the port and a boat ride of no more than an hour to Skopelos Town. There is a choice of flying dolphin, cat or big old ferry but - be warned - sailing times can be unpredictable. Fortunately, Skiathos has a very pleasant waterfront on which to wait and acclimatise with an ouzo.


Alternatively, more determined travellers might consider flying to Athens or Thessaloniki with a scheduled airline. You can then connect to Skiathos with Olympic Airlines (approximately 3 times a week), or catch a bus and then a ferry. From Athens, Alkyon Travel run a slick service via the tiny port of Agios Konstantinos taking around 4 and a half hours in total. From Thessaloniki, it's a 2.5 hour bus to the town of Volos and 3 hours or so trip on the ferry or flying cat.

The Proposal

We returned from our travels to Skopelos and our very own secret beach. In the surf at sunset Phil knelt on one knee, produced a ring and asked Sam to marry him. Sam said yes.

Sam's ring was made by our dear friends Lefteris and Eleftheria Giannakopolos here on Skopelos. It is set with a sapphire smuggled out of Burma with the help of Pascale. Efharisto poli! Merci beaucoup!