Skopelos, Greek island in Sporades archipelago, Greece
Skopelos is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea that belongs to the northern Sporades group and is covered with dense pine forest. The landscape alternates between steep mountain slopes, small coves with pebble beaches, and terraced hillsides where olives and plums grow.
The island carried the name Peparethos in ancient times and was known for its wine production, which Roman writers mentioned. During the medieval period it was controlled by Venetian merchants before falling under Ottoman rule and later becoming part of the modern Greek state.
The island maintains 360 religious structures, including chapels and monasteries, with the basilica of Agios Athanasios representing the earliest construction period.
The island is accessible only by ferry, as there is no airport; connections run through Volos on the mainland or the neighboring islands of Skiathos and Alonissos. The best time to visit is spring and autumn, when temperatures are mild and the paths through the forests are comfortable to walk.
Small white chapels stand on hilltops and at remote beaches scattered across the island, often reachable only by narrow paths. Many of these buildings open only once a year, when the local community celebrates the name day of the respective saint.
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