SAIL AWAY TO SKOPELOS The pretty Greek island is a haven for sailors – and rare monk seals!
NOT EVERY Greek island lets you rent a boat and potter about at will, but Skopelos does. It’s the difference between a good holiday and an adventurously good holiday — with some embarrassment thrown in. On day one, after manoeuvring our rented boat into sheltered waters off Kastani beach, I cut the throttle and my girlfriend threw out the anchor. Splash!
As the breeze pushed us back, the short anchor line quickly ran out until the end — then we heard a softer, more ominous splash. We hadn’t noticed that the end wasn’t secured. The rope sank fast.
Oh dear. But our shame was admirably handled by the boat owners, who promptly gave us a second anchor, and assured us they would retrieve the original.
This generosity of spirit set the tone for our week on this hilly, pine-forested island. Skopelos is known as the film location for Mamma Mia! and I had feared there might be endless reminders of the day when Meryl Streep’s Donna found love. I need not have worried.
The island lies in the Sporades, east of the mainland. With no airport, most people fly to Skiathos, followed by an hour’s ferry ride.
Arriving in Skopelos is special. It has one of the most scenic ports in Greece. Wooded hillsides are punctuated with white walls topped by terracotta-tiled roofs.
A ruined Venetian fortress and dozens of chapels make you feel that this is a spiritual retreat. Many of the chapels were built by families as status symbols and are owned and maintained by their descendants, rather than by the Greek Orthodox Church. We opted for a villa.
Up a steep hill from Skopelos town, and along a dirt track (vehicle needed) lies Villa Thea, with its cool stone floors, pool and large terrace. In the evenings, the lights from town twinkle and moonlight shimmers on the water.
Thalpos Holidays Boat Hire operates out of sheltered Panormos beach on the west coast, a 20-minute drive from Skopelos town. With guidance from Mr Thalpos himself, the coastline was ours to explore in a 30hp motorboat.
One day, we headed north, anchoring at the pine-fringed Neraki beach, which we had to ourselves, as it is only accessible by boat. Picnic perfection.
The adjacent islet of Dasia comprises little more than rocks jutting out of the blue sea, but our appetite for maritime adventures was well rewarded here.
Watching the whiskered faces of two monk seals rolling lazily in the sea was unforgettable.
These shy, endangered marine mammals — once widespread around the Mediterranean and beyond — are now limited to small ranges, one of which is close to Skopelos.
Glossa is a smaller town in the north, and its whitewashed houses are as authentic as you might wish, with few compromises to mass tourism.
We spent an enjoyable evening here before reaching one of the stars of the island, Agnanti, a restaurant perched high on a hilltop.
Owner Nikos offers visitors fine traditional seafood as well as slow- cooked pork, and the terrace has some of the most spectacular views on the island.
We were tempted to exclaim: ‘ Mamma mia!’ Instead, we wondered how quickly we could return to this gorgeous island. It won’t be soon enough.