Here we glow again...
Aidan McCartney follows in Mamma Mia!’s footsteps on Skiathos
When foreign holidays were off limits during the height of the pandemic, watching movies set in exotic locations became a favourite way to escape to a distant land.
Despite being a regular on the box for more than a decade, sundrenched singalong Mamma Mia! was a fast track from the four walls of your front room to a faraway place. With ABBA’s Greatest Hits as its soundtrack, an impressive celebrity cast and characters you can’t help rooting for, it’s impossible to watch the 2008 smash hit without becoming swept along by its cloudless skies and feel-good vibes.
Although Meryl Streep is a class act as dungaree-wearing Donna from the Dynamos, for anyone who loves to travel, the real star of the show is the backdrop. When the cameras pan across dazzling blue waters and whirl around the pretty whitewashed villages, it shows Greece in all its technicolour glory. Skiathos, blessed with some of the Aegean’s most exquisite sandy beaches, serene harbour towns and adorable hidden-away churches, was one of the main movie locations, along with neighbouring Skopelos which form part of the Sporades archipelago.
So with the words of a young Donna in mind: “Life is short, the world is wide... I wanna make some memories,” we set off in search of Mamma Mia!’s exuberant holiday happiness as soon as Greece was given the holiday green light.
Following in the flip-flops of two of the film’s leading men, Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan, we checked in for a stay at the Skiathos Princess Resort, on the southern shores of the island. The pair, who played
Harry and Sam, two of the three possible dads of Donna’s daughter Sophie, flew their families out to the hotel during filming and spent their downtime relaxing by the water and swimming in the pool. The location is what sets this property apart from the other seafront hotels dotted along the island’s beachfringed coast.
Sitting in the sheltered bay of Agia Paraskevi, it has a stretch of golden sand reserved exclusively for residents with sunbeds arranged neatly in rows beneath tiki umbrellas.
It’s the sort of place where you can fulfil another favourite Greek island film fantasy. Position a seat down on the sands and you can do a Shirley Valentine, the housewife who dreams of sipping wine by the sea at sunset. It’s equally as exciting for kids on sandcastle missions and those who want to paddle a canoe out into the blue yonder.
The low-rise property is set in large grounds with lush lawns, mature trees, and curved pathways. It’s a five-star hotel, but it’s family-run, so it has a homely, cared-for feel.
Our room, a junior suite, has a balcony with chairs looking out to sea. The spacious layout, with sectioned-off casual seating, is ideal for relaxing out of the heat of the sun and the marble bathroom feels luxurious.
The Princess offers informal dining options including a varied buffet, available for half-board guests while breakfast consists of cooked-to-order dishes such as crepes and omelettes.
Out on the lawns, the swimming pools are surrounded by wooden decking and there are plenty of loungers to go round. Some are doubles.
It’s a relaxed affair at Muses Pool Bar & Bistro, where salads, sandwiches and pizzas are served all day. Alternatively, the waiting staff will bring your order direct to your sunbed.
To enjoy those epic Greek island sunsets, head down to the boho-style Beach Bar, where there is oversized furniture and giant cushions to chill out on. For a livelier night, the P Club Lounge Bar offers live music and evening entertainment.
Our favourite place to eat in the resort is PR Ammos, an open-aired tavernastyle restaurant set in a prime location on the beach.
Chef Nikos pulls out all the stops with a seafood platter to start followed by fresh sea bass fillet and the most succulent chicken gyros. Sipping a bottle
‘‘ Position a seat down on the sands and you can do a Shirley Valentine
of Greek white wine we take our time savouring all the courses while watching the sun go down.
The Santikos Collection, which operates the Princess Hotel, also runs the Aegean Suites, a gorgeous adults-only resort on the east coast and we take the chance to visit the next day by bus.
Nestled in the hills overlooking the Aegean, this all-suite destination hotel has an exclusive, hidden-away feel. Gourmet Mediterranean dishes from Chef Vasilis in the Pelagos restaurant are another culinary high, including the most delicious lamb.
Just a bit further up the coast is Skiathos Town, which can be easily reached by bus. Wandering the cobbled alleys and streets lined with traditional tavernas and bars is pure joy. The bright sunshine makes the carefully painted blue and white buildings all the more dazzling.
Shop for local crafts, gifts, jewellery, clothes and artwork on Papadiamantis Street, which is packed with individual stores, boutiques and galleries.
We also discover several Greek food gems just off the strip including O Paraxenos, set in a tranquil garden.
For a few drinks and a spot of live music, we head to Danny & Zoe’s Blind Dog (named after their dog, Sweet Guy, who was born blind and hangs out in the bar).
There are plenty more bars and tavernas right by the water’s edge at the historic Old Port too.
We enjoy one particularly dreamy evening in open-air cocktail bar Ginfish, watching the sun set across the Bourtzi peninsula. The sounds of ABBA hits drifting from the tourist boats arriving back from neighbouring islands adds to the sun-kissed holiday vibes – and proves to be something we can’t resist buying into.
The next day, we sign up for a Mamma Mia!-themed sailing excursion. Catching the boat from the Old Port, ABBA classics once again soar across the breeze as we make our way across the Aegean Sea.
First stop is Agios Ioannis on Skopelos island for the clifftop chapel made famous in the Mamma Mia! wedding scene. The impressive rock is linked to the island with 100 narrow stone steps up.
Careful editing must have made Meryl Streep’s run to the top look easy after belting out The Winner Takes It All. The views from the top are well worth the climb though.
Skopelos Town is next on the agenda to soak in the mellow atmosphere of the narrow harbour streets lined with garden displays bursting with colour.
The final stop is at unspoiled Lalaria Beach, which is famous for its all-white pebbles and huge rock arch, Tripia Petra. Only accessible by boat, it is one of the most photographed beaches in Greece. The excursion allows time for the passengers to enjoy it all and we go for a dip before drying off in the sun on the powdery sand.
On our final day we jump on the bus again to go in search of Koukounaries, which is Greek for pine cone, a mile-long curve of golden sand, which is backed by a thick pine forest.
After a final swim in the gently shelving waters, we sit in a beachside taverna, eating calamari and sipping cold beers. Although it was flung on to the world stage by Meryl’s movie musical, timeless Skiathos has never been short on scenery.
‘‘ After a swim, we go to a beachside taverna, eat calamari and drink a beer