Submerged off of Skopelos
Beneath the crystalline waters of the Sporades islands in the north Aegean, another world awaits.
Photo by Nick Karvounis, via Unsplash.
Pebbled shores open like jaws to form the mouth of a crystalline bay, the endless blue as still and calm as bathwater. Rocks jut out of the water to form high, jagged cliffs which, at a certain altitude, become green peaks of trees piled on top of one another, so green they look artificial. Quite possibly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, the Greek island of Skopelos hosts natural beauty like this in every corner. It’s no wonder that the island has become a popular holiday destination, however its tourists are only a fraction of the number who flock to Santorini or Mykonos, promising visitors a peaceful holiday in one of the country’s concealed jewels.
Although this landscape took my breath away from the moment my ferry pulled into Glossa port (the island is only accessible by boat), when I think of my time in Skopelos I think of being underwater. Over the course of my month on the island, I spent most of my time at the Sporades Dive Centre training as an advanced scuba diver and getting my first taste of underwater archaeology. I quickly became aware of the astounding number of shipwrecks off of the Sporades alone, not to mention the rest of the Mediterranean. While the region is widely known for its crystal blue waters, charming islands and stretches of stunning coastline, public knowledge, appreciation and exploration often barely skims the surface of the waves.
Christoforos wreck, via Anastasios Ktistis.
What lies beneath is truly somewhat of a fantastical second dimension. Unbeknownst to most, the infinite blue is a necropolis for ships, from hauntingly intact boats that sunk merely a few decades ago to two-thousand-year old ancient wrecks of which only anchors and amphorae remain. Where permitted, diving and snorkelling (thanks to the crystal clear waters) invites visitors and researchers alike to another realm of what feels like unexplored treasure. In the process of discovering it, we are welcomed to access a far broader perspective of all the islands and surrounding seas have witnessed over the centuries, and greater affinity for the oceans which contain these wonders and greet us so warmly.
Meanwhile, hundreds more sites not yet transformed into protected dive spots rest anonymously on the sea floor, often discreetly known but untouchable to visitors due to the parameters of the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage and Greek Ministry of Culture regulations. Working within these frameworks is a matter of tightrope-walking between guidelines and legislation intended to protect the sites from the threats of damage and looting, while progressively beginning to recognise the value in their wider promotion towards the same goal of preservation. The choice to publicise and allow regulated access to underwater heritage sites not only jump-starts heritage- and diving-based tourism, in turn bringing visitors and revenue to support local businesses and communities. It also offers the even shinier possibility of greater stewardship of submerged wonders and the waters in which they sit, inspired by both inflated local pride and greater global reverence.
It’s not an easy task, but initiatives such as those taken on my dear friends at the Skopelos Dive Centre as part of the BlueMed project have done a superb job. Between a cultural heritage information centre providing dry-land access to the ancient Peristera wreck off of Alonissos scheduled to open to divers this summer, the increasing dive tourism encouraged by offering wreck diving at the Christoforos wreck in Skopelos’ Panormos Bay (pictured), and ongoing efforts to introduce 3D virtual reality and virtual diving, the team epitomises a new age in cultural heritage management and conscious tourism alike: one in which sustainable undersea discovery is absolutely central, and in which advocacy for the ocean and coastal communities as the crucial keepers of both historical and environmental glories follows close behind. The dawn of new and fruitful possibilities sourced below sea level in the Sporades is merely a case in point of the potential held across the Mediterranean; opportunities which remain largely untapped.
The idea that stewardship – whether for heritage, the environment, or local people and economies – can stem from the lucid appreciation and affinity provided by first-hand experience fits into a wider philosophy with which I, alongside many others in the travel industry, strongly resonate: breath-taking experiences can be pivotal moments, vital to the survival of the elements of that experience. Circling the great blue alongside a school of tuna above the cadaver of the Christoforos shipwreck left me with the feeling of being in the other half of the oyster-shell world above the waves, cracked open just for me. The lasting impression an experience like that has had upon me and, I’m sure, upon so many others might be powerful enough to instigate a shift in tourists’ behaviour. Seeking out similar experiences beneath the waves in corners of the globe one might not have otherwise considered visiting, with conscientiousness of threats to the priceless oceans in which we have marvelled and been welcomed.
Image courtesy of Skopelos Dive Centre.
Christoforos wreck, via Anastasios Ktistis.
Skopelos Above Water
Out of the water, Skopelos is the perfect location for those who want to experience the peace and beauty of a Greek island while avoiding the inauthenticity that sometimes oversaturates popular vacation destinations. While there is an undeniable focus on tourism, the tone of Skopelos is far more down to earth and homemade than other Greek island hotspots. The port of Skopelos town glows with the light and activity of a row of tourist-aimed restaurants and cafes, but in the winding backroads behind this strip you’ll find restaurants, shops, churches, squares and cocktail bars echoing with people, music and conversation. Stay out late enough and chances are you’ll have drinks alongside the staff who cooked and served your dinner – the town is small enough that everyone usually ends up in the same places by the end of a night. Trading stories with familiar faces, even those who had come from all over the country to work that summer seemed to exude an infectious sense of island-happy.
It was thanks to these locals and returning workers and visitors that I’m able to curate this list of Skopelos’ best.
Take full advantage of the aquamarine Aegean Sea by visiting as many of the island’s stunning beaches as possible. I spent every day from early morning until sundown at Glyfteri, Stafylos, Milia or Panormos, getting salty in as many ways as possible: swimming, paddling a SUP, diving, snorkelling… you name it.
Climb the steep cobblestones of old Skopelos town to reach Anatoli, a taverna at the summit which offers traditional dishes and live music every evening, courtesy of the musician-owner and his two sons. The perfect place to drink and dine under the stars.
Sip Skopelos’ local beer, Spiros, at its namesake taphouse, or a mastiha or tsipouro cocktail at one of the many outdoor bars all a stone’s throw from one another in Skopelos town. I went back to The Little Coffee Shop, Oionos (the ‘blue bar’), Vrachos cocktail bar overlooking the port, and Platanos Jazz Café as much as possible.
For breakfast, takeaway lunch to the beach, or a midnight snack, spiralled, heavenly Skopelos pie is the one. Enough said.
Skopelos is known as the greenest island, and green it is indeed: you must take advantage of the island’s hiking trails and explore the lush green peaks, the monasteries perched high within them, and the sweeping views of the ocean. Be sure to set off early in the day before it gets too hot; pick figs or plums along the way and enjoy the peace of an early island morning.
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