St. John Chapel at Kastri or Mamma Mia Wedding Chapel
Also known as the Mamma Mia chapel, St. John chapel at Kastri is an attraction that no one should miss out when visiting Skopelos.
Just meters before the village of Glossa, on your right hand, there is a signed road that leads to the famous chapel. It lies on top of a big rock and you will need to climb some 106 steps to reach it (as Meryl Streep and the other Hollywood stars did). However, the magnificent view from above will reward you!
According to tradition, a fisherman saw a flash at the top of the rock while he was on his boat. That night he dreamt of a woman who revealed to him that there was a Christian icon. The next day, the fisherman climbed at the top and found the icon of St. John the Baptist. The fisherman took the icon and transferred it to another location. However, the icon returned to its original position, so the locals built the chapel to honor St. John the Baptist for the miracle.
The famous Mamma Mia movie scene was filmed at the chapel point and made it so popular that many couples around the world travel to Skopelos to exchange vows of eternal faith and devotion.
Folklore Museum of Skopelos Town
Skopelos is an island with a rich cultural heritage. If you want to get acquainted with it or maybe get a taste of its traditions, you should visit the Folk Art Museum in Skopelos Town.
The opened its doors in 1992 and exhibits needlework and many other traditional items, most of which were generously donated by elderly men and women of the island.
In this Skopelos town museum, you will see how homes were decorated in old times, as well as a huge collection of traditional costumes and embroideries. Moreover, you will see individual items made by the island’s craftsmen and an exceptional collection of ceramics, knives, handcrafted models, paintings and other sophisticated artifacts.
The Pavlos Nirvanas house
The house of the Greek author Pavlos Nirvanas is an important modern monument in Skopelos. It is located in the center of the traditional settlement of Skopelos Town (Chora), next to the Church of the Three Hierarchs and bears many elements of the local Skopelian architectural tradition. The house has been a Museum of History of Skopelos since 2018.
Vakratsas Mansion
The Vakratsas mansion is located in the center of Skopelos Town. Housed in a doctor’s 18th-century mansion, it is currently a museum. It displays medical instruments, books, clothes and furniture of the era. It is well worth seeing for the window it offers on to middle-class Greek life in the 19th century.
The mansion, which has been donated to the Municipality of Skopelos, remains unchanged over time, taking the visitor back to the 19th-century atmosphere of the island.
Also, many cultural events take place in its impressive courtyard with the characteristic palm tree.
Sendoukia Pirate Graveyards
At the top of the hill of Karya, the highest point of the island, lie the impressive ancient tombs of kings and pirates, known as Sendoukia – the loot chests. In order to get there, you need to follow the road to Karya. After some point, you will have to continue on foot, following the red signs on the stones.
The view from above is unique as it includes Alonissos, Skiathos, Euboea and the mountains of Pelion. You must not miss it out!
Dracondoschisma or Drakontoschisma or Dragon Crack
It is an impressive rock that looks human-made. It is surrounded by crystal clear turquoise waters, while its cove is only accessible by boat.
Legend has it that 800 years ago there was a dragon on the island killing the locals. For this reason, the island remained uninhabited for about 400 years until Saint Riginos decided to kill the beast. Being a mighty sailor, he traveled there and as soon as the dragon saw him, it jumped into the sea to save itself. The rock from which the dragon jumped cracked, so the area was named Dracondoschima – dragon crack.
The archaeological site of Asclepieion of ancient Peparithos
Dated back to the 4th century BC, it is one of the oldest sanctuaries of Asclepius, the God of medicines. In antiquity, it lied outside the settlement, near the sea. The walls of the ancient buildings were unearthed in 1961. In the excavations that followed, parts of ceramic pots came to light. A shell with the inscription ASKL was evidence that it was the sanctuary of Asclepius. Among the findings of Asclepius are a statue of a girl, a statue of a boy, and a column of human figures.
