Beaches on Skopelos
Our Hand-Picked Guide to the Best Beaches on Skopelos
For a relatively small island, Skopelos punches well above its weight when it comes to the number and variety of its beaches. The most popular are on the more sheltered west coast and these feature transparent waters, fine white shingle and pebbles, sublime sunsets, well-organised lidos, bars and tavernas. The beaches on the northeastern tip of the island are more rugged, less frequented and usually have no facilities - more suited for those who like wilder surroundings and don’t mind walking a bit. Here below is a list of our favourites, starting in the southernmost tip of the island and moving around clockwise to Skopelos Town on the east coast.
Stafilos beach
Where: on the southern tip of the island, about 4.5km south of Skopelos Town.
Description: a fine shingle beach in a relatively enclosed bay, with transparent, fairly shallow waters. There’s a taverna, a beach bar serving snacks and cold drinks and a lido renting sun loungers and umbrellas.
Access: easy, by car.
Agnondas beach
Where: just round the cape from Stafilos, on the southwest coast, about 8km from Skopelos Town.
Description: a shingle beach at the end of a narrow bay-cum-inlet, surrounded by pine trees that come right down to the water, giving it a green tinge. The little village has a small fishing harbour and there are a few tavernas serving up fresh seafood.
Access: easy, by car.
Limnonari beach
Where: about 10km from Skopelos Town on the west coast, just north of Agnondas.
Description: in a sheltered south-facing bay the shape of an upturned horseshoe, Limnonari is one of Skopelos’ star beaches, a mix of sand and shingle with transparent waters. The water becomes deep fairly quickly and getting in involves walking on stones, so some people prefer to use rubber sea shoes. There are a couple of good tavernas and lido facilities.
Access: quite easy, by car, though the track to the beach is steep and winding. Alternatively, walk about 1.5km along the seafront path from Agnondas.
Panormos beach
Where: about a third of the way of the west coast, about 12.5km from Skopelos Town
Description: a long curvaceous west-facing stretch of shingle and pebbly beach that is one of the most popular on the island. The crystalline waters get deep quite quickly. There are a couple of lidos renting sun loungers and umbrellas and a few tavernas in the village. It’s a great place to go to watch the sunset while floating in the water.
Access: easy, by car.
Milia beach
Where: on the west coast, just north of Panormos and about 14km from Skopelos Town.
Description: one of the longest and straightest beaches on Skopelos, Milia faces west, looking out to the small islet of Dassia and Skiathos island in the distance. The shingle beach is flanked by vibrant green pine trees that subtly change the hue of the water. There are lidos, a beach bar and other facilities. As with all the beaches on Skopelos’ west coast, Milia is an excellent spot to watch the sun melt into the sea.
Access: easy, by car.
Kastani beach
Where: just 100m north of Milia on the west coast.
Description: fans of the movie Mamma Mia! should recognise Kastani beach, as it was here that several scenes were filmed. It is smaller than its (less famous) neighbour but possibly more beautiful. There is a lido and a beach bar, the perfect spot for a sundowner.
Access: easy, by car, though the last section of the road is a dirt track.
Hovolo beach
Where: about halfway up the west coast, just south of the village of Neo Klima.
Description: flanked by white cliffs and green pines, Hovolo is one of the more dramatic beaches on the west coast. Fine shingle meets transparent blue waters, whose vibrant blue hues are emphasised by the whiteness of the seabed. There are no lidos or bars, so visitors should take provisions and shade.
Access: not so easy. Parking at the southernmost point of Neo Klima, you will need to walk, along, by and sometimes in the sea to get to the best part.
Kalives and Armenopetra beach
Where: about halfway up the west coast, just north of the village of Neo Klima.
Description: two secluded white pebbly beaches with transparent waters separated by a little promontory. There are no facilities so these beaches don't get too busy, but you should take some provisions and shade. Armenopetra, meaning "shipping rock" is named after the large white rock just off the beach, which is something of a landmark for sailors.
Access: Kalives is not so easy to access and requires some cross-country walking. Armenopetra is accessed via a rough road (a 4x4 would be handy) and has a parking area.
Loutraki Glossas
Where: Loutraki, below the village of Glossa, in the northwest.
Description: perhaps not the most naturally beautiful setting, as it’s on one side of the harbour wall, but the water is clear, there’s usually plenty of space and the views out towards Skiathos are stunning. Being close to the town centre, there are plenty of tavernas and bars.
Access: easy, by car.
Aggeletu, Perivoliou, Pethamenis, Chondrogiorgis beaches
Where: on the northeast coast, roughly 5km from Glossa and 25km from Skopelos Town.
Description: the beaches on the eastern coast of Skopelos tend to be wilder, less frequented but full of dramatic beauty. Four such are Aggeletu, Perivoliou, Pethamenis and Chondrogiorgis. You won’t find any lidos, bars or tavernas on these beaches but you might find you have them pretty much to yourself, especially out of the peak summer weeks. All four are quite small and have shingle and pebble beaches and wind-sculpted cliffs and rocks. They are best when the wind is blowing from the south.
Access: for the more adventurous. Winding roads will get you so far and then it is necessary to walk.
Agios Ioannis at Kastri
Where: about a quarter of the way down the east coast, about 22km north of Skopelos Town and 6km east of Glossa
Description: used as a location for the wedding scene in the film Mamma Mia!, the church of Agios Ioannis sits atop a rocky outcrop above the sea. Worth a visit in its own right, after ascending the 105 steps and admiring the views, visitors can head down to the small shingle beach and have a well-deserved swim in the crystal clear waters.
Access: easy, by car and a short walk (about 100m).
Glisteri beach
Where: about 4km north of Skopelos Town.
Description: at the end of a narrow inlet, Glisteri is a north-facing pebbly beach with a lido, a taverna and a beach bar, popular with the locals of Skopelos Town.
Access: easy, by car.
Glifoneri beach
Where: about 2km north of Skopelos Town.
Description: with its mix of sand and shingle, transparent waters, a good lido and panoramic tavernas nearby, Glifoneri beach is another that’s popular with the locals, who can nip for a swim during their lunch break.
Access: easy, by car.
