This mountainous isle in the north Aegean Sea is really unspoiled. Inland, olive groves, orchards and pine forests are honeycombed with scenic walking trails. And along the coast, beaches come in every shape and form, from pebbly bays with mountain views, to cliff-framed coves that can only be reached by boat.
The island’s capital, Skopelos Town, lets you take it easy by day, and let your hair down at night. The town is bracketed by pea-green hills, and full of faded white cottages that tumble down to the waterfront. Kastro, which is the name of the town’s old quarter, is set up high on the hilltop. Follow the stepped alleyways up to its Venetian castle, and the sea views stretch out for miles. Come nightfall, the whole city springs into life, with people spilling out of the tiny bars and restaurants.
Head south from Skopelos Town, and you’ll stumble upon the village of Stafilos. It’s nestled in the middle of a valley, and the whole place is blanketed in pine trees. As for what’s here, there’s simply a scattering of bougainvillea-smothered shops and houses, which huddle around a sandy bay. Glossa, in the north-west of the island, offers the best window into the Greece of yesterday. This picturesque hamlet is packed with rainbow-coloured window shutters and Venetian towers that march down to the sea.
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