Skopelos is often spoken of as a forest island, and in fact 80% of the surface is covered by dense pine forest, extending down to a coastline of little bays and harbours, and beaches of almost indescribable beauty.

The soil of the island is rich and fertile and farming continues to be very important here; Skopelos is famed for its wine, among the best in Greece.

Panormos, Stafylos, Agnontas, Elios, Milia, Aghios Yiannis, Perivoli, Limnonari, Kastani, Glysteri, Loutraki, Mourtias, and Armenopetra are some of the island's finest beaches.

Skopelos has retained its authentic island character, with the whitewashed houses and picturesque cobbled streets.
The old town of Skopelos has been declared a traditional community, protected by law from unsuitable development, and is an important part of Greek national cultural heritage.

At the western end of the island we find Glossa, with its many little churches and its famous harbour, Loutraki.

Beaches

On the northern and eastern coasts of Skopelos the shore is rocky, while along the southern and western coasts the sloping ground creates the superb, verdant coastline for which the island is famous.

The finest beaches are clustered at the southern end of the island: Agnontas, Stafylos, Panormos, Elios, Milia are the best-known, but there are many others lying concealed in the green depths of the pine forest.

Places of worship

The island boasts no fewer than 360 places of worship: churches, chapels and monasteries. More than 100 of them are to be found in the town of Skopelos itself.

Among them are the Ai-Yianni monastery, the monasteries of Aghios Riginos, Timios Prodromos, Taxiarches (with its Byzantine chapel), Aghia Varvara and the Evangelismos. Looking down from the latter the town of Skopelos looks as beautiful as a painting.