Skopelos Hiking: The Best Trails to Beaches
Skopelos is a great destination for hiking, though most of the trails on the island will lead you up to mountain peaks.
I’d much rather hike from the town down to the stunning coastline to check out the island’s famous beaches, so that’s what I’ll focus on in this post.
One downside I found to some of these routes is: they’ll take you at least partly along two-lane highways. There’s very little traffic on the island, but I’d still rather be hiking along a path or trail than a roadway.
key info about hiking on Skopelos:
- You’ll likely lose cell service on most of these trails.
- Have the path on your phone, so you can follow the blue GPS dot.
- Most of the beaches will have cafes where you can buy water, but bring some along on your hike.
- The summer heat on the islands isn’t as intense as it is in Athens, but be prepared for 80s and full sun.
Hike A Loop from Skopelos to Beaches
If you’re up for a full-day challenge from Skopelos, you can follow this hiking loop. It’ll take you about 15 miles, over roads, farm roads, dirt paths, and along the coastline.
From Skopelos, you’ll go:
- 3 miles to Stafilos Beach
- 3.5 miles to Amarandos Cove
- 1 mile to Agnontas beach
- 1 mile to Limnonari Beach
- 5 miles back to Skopelos (town)
Map of the Hike
Hike: Skopelos to Stafilos Beach (Stafylos)
From the town of Skopelos, it’s an easy 2.5-mile walk to the beautiful Stafilos Beach (also spelled “Stafylos” on some signs).
After following the main road out of town, you’ll turn down onto a farm road, lined with wildflowers and olive groves.
You’ll also pass a monastery and chapel along the way.
Stafilos Beach
After walking down a steep street, by a hotel and restaurant, you’ll find Stafilos Beach, which is a mix of sand and rocks.
Yachts and boats are often parked offshore.
The beach is lengthy, and lined with lounge chairs and umbrellas.
A beach cafe usually opens by midday.
CAUTION: Sea urchins lurk in the rocks, so wear shoes in the water!
Velanio Beach
Follow the path at the end of Stafilos Beach up and around to neighboring Velanio Beach. It’s also lined with lounge chairs. It’s best to get here relatively early. Both beaches can get crowded by midday in the summer.
Hike: Stafilos Beach To Agnontas
From Stafilos Beach, you’ll (unfortunately) have to follow the main road as you head toward Amarantos Cove. It’s a two-lane highway which doesn’t have much traffic. Eventually, you’ll wind down onto a tree-lined road, which leads to the beach.
Amarantos Cove (Amarandos)
Amarantos is a rocky spot made famous by the “Mamma Mia” movie. The opening “Honey Honey” number was filmed on the white rocks here in 2007.
The rocks make the bright blue water even more vibrant. It’s a great place for swimming and snorkeling. A few trees provide shady spots to relax under.
CAUTION: The huge Sea Jets ferry makes stops at nearby Agnontas Beach. Its swell creates big waves, which can push swimmers into the sharp rocks.
Agnontas Beach (Agnontis)
From Amarantos Cove, you’ll follow a dirt road down the coast for about a mile to Agnontas Beach.
It’s a small, rocky beach, which is home to a row of coastal cafes.
Depending on the time you spend here, you can rent a boat or relax for a while in the small port area.
PRO TIP: Bring cash, since the cafes don’t take credit cards.
Hike: Loutraki to Glossa
Loutraki is another smaller port town on the western side of Skopelos, and Glosa is a bigger town up the hill from the coast.
To get from the town of Skopelos to the west side of the island, you can hire a taxi for the transfer or take the bus. The bus will cost a few Euros, and it runs a loop around the island several times a day.
Alternatively, a taxi will cost about 60 Euros, and take 50 minutes.
It’s a steep haul up to Glossa! You’ll follow old stone steps and paths from Loutraki up the hill and into the town. It’s one mile from the port to Glossa, and most of it is uphill.
Glossa is a charming old town with several restaurants and shops. The cafes have sweeping views of the coastline below.
I’d recommend making reservations at Agnanti, a family-owned restaurant in Glossa since the 1950s. Ask for a table on their patio overlooking the sea.
Hike: Glossa to the Church on the Rocks
One of the most famous sites on Skopelos is the tiny chapel up on the rocks, just off the coast.
Known as the Church of St. John, or Agios Ioannis Kastri, it’s a decent hike from either Loutraki or Skopelos.
From Loutraki, it’s about a 4.5-mile hike, which took us 2 hours (each way).
If you’re starting in Glossa, it’s about 3.5 miles.
WARNING: There’s little or no cell service on this path. Load the walking map on your phone before you go, put it on airplane mode, and follow the blue GPS dot.
After leaving Glossa, you’ll follow a combination of roads, dirt trails, and farm paths.
Eventually, you’ll emerge along a cliff overlooking the sea, and the church on the rocks will appear below.
The final mile is a windy road which only leads to the church. You’ll probably have a couple of taxis pass you, carrying other visitors.
The Church on the Rocks
Once you arrive at the coast, you have 199 more steps (stone steps) up the rocks to get to the chapel.
The base of the rocks was used for the “Winner Takes it All” scene in “Mamma Mia,” while the peak and chapel were used in the wedding scene.
You can light a candle inside, sign a guestbook, and enjoy the view from the top.
Before hiking back, you can grab a snack at the cafe. The family operating it serves a limited menu, plus a variety of ice creams and drinks.
I’d buy a jug of water here for the 4+ mile hike back to town!
Other Hiking Trails on Skopelos
- Chapels & Monasteries: In the hills east of Skopelos (town) you’ll find trails to a number of chapels and monasteries.
- Glysteri Beach Trail: This is a shorter, easier hike that leads to Glysteri Beach, along the coast north of Skopelos (town). The trail takes you through lush vegetation and ends at a beautiful beach with clear waters. It’s about 2.5 miles (each way).
- Perivoliou Beach: This is a pretty beach north of Glossa, which is about 3 miles from town.
- Hovolo Beach: Another trail goes to this beach on the west coast of Skopelos, 4.5 miles south of Glossa.
