…Stafilos had a dog, so that pushed it ahead of the pack
We visited four beaches (Glisteri, Glifoneri, Panormos, and Stafilos) during our three weeks on Skopelos Island and they each were clean, comfortable, and drop-dead gorgeous.
However, Stafilos Beach had a dog, so Stafilos for the win.
When we visited Stafilos last Friday afternoon, a brown, wiry-haired dog made its rounds to the various beach-goers settled on towels and blankets. It greeted each visitor it met and then flopped down, soaking wet, and wriggled in the tiny pebbles. It was truly this dog’s dream come true, apparently.
Never one to ignore an animal, Mitch and the little dog became fast friends. The dog sat with us on our towel and surveyed the kids and adults sunning, swimming, and snorkeling around us. And then she returned to the water and swam out to her owner anchored out in the cove. With her head just a tiny brown dot on the surface of the water, she amazed us by soon returning to the beach for another dose of interaction with strangers.
Stafilos is just a ten-minute bus ride from downtown Skopelos. Check the bus schedule board at the bus kiosk, arrive at the designated time, board and pay your 1.60€ when the attendant comes to you during the ride.
We headed out in the late afternoon and returned about two hours later.
Make sure you wear good shoes when you go, since you’ll have to walk about 500 yards or so downhill.
The walk is steep, so watch your step. However, pause to catch the gorgeous views.
Once you arrive at the beach, you can just spread out a blanket or towel at no charge or 2) pay 7€ for a beach umbrella and two wooden chaise lounges. You can see the umbrella section at the far left edge of the second photo in this story.
When it’s time to go, don’t forget you’ll have a hike back up the hill.
There are a couple of tavernas you can visit on your walk up. These are casual cafes that serve fresh seafood, salads, and drinks.
As you walk up, look around at the hillsides to see the occasional private Greek Orthodox churches. Here’s another one across from the bus stop:
Also near the bus stop: chickens pecking underneath an olive tree. What a great scene!
We stood across the street in the shade and waited near this sign for the bus. It was right on time!
Marilyn Yung 