Family beach trips can be a bit of a mission. Thankfully, the best of Skopelos’ beaches are perfectly positioned to take the added heat off your summer outings. Furnished with sunbeds and umbrellas so you don’t have to bring your own, they provide lounging comforts without being overrun by cafe-bars. Distanced just far enough from the Chora (main town) to feel special, a good selection of the best beaches are not more than 10 or 20 mins away from its amenities. And while they might get busy, the vibe is never rowdy.
Finding the best beaches for young children is also about finding calm. Sheltered from prevailing northern winds, the south-west coast is a good place to keep to. Panormos, Agnontas and Stafylos in particular are well-tucked into land. It’s always smart to check the wind before your visit and aim for these on windy days. Just note that the rest of the island is likely to be doing the same, so start your day early to secure sunbeds on the beach.
PANORMOS
A sheltered bay framed by pine tree-carpeted rock, Panormos is beautifully tranquil. Even when there’s a crowd. A plethora of beach bars, cafes and tavernas spill onto the gravelly shoreline, giving you the option to go from breakfast to lunch, coffee and dinner in the quaint seaside village. The waters at Panormos tend to be especially calm, and are well-suited for young swimmers. Just watch for the seabed drop a few meters out. Head to Kastani for a gentler gradient.
Espresso Snack Bar offers a basic umbrella and chair set-up (with a €10 minimum spend), while khaki-clad Kraken (with a €25 minimum spend) next door is the upscale option with thickly-padded, wood framed sunbeds and bean bags strewn around. A possibly helpful mention: Clean toilets at Espresso Snack Bar made for a more relaxing time when the kids needed a toilet trip. Cars park wherever they can find along the road behind.
KASTANI
Of Mama Mia! fame, this cosy cove with relatively shallow waters shimmers in dreamy hues of turquoise and blue. And while the colours of neighbouring Milia are similarly beautiful, Milia’s seabed is paved with slabs of bedrock that make walking in with little ones difficult.
In cozy Kastani, a lone, wood-decked beach bar starts from a grassy lawn, filtering into the shoreline. The downside – periodic boat arrivals disgorge a gaggle of tourists causing a small bout of mayhem for 2 hours. On windy days, Kastani is also likely to be wavier than neighbouring Parnormos. If you’ve had enough burgers and sandwiches on rotation, there’s no taverna onsite for proper meals, but plenty to choose from a 5 to 8 minute drive away. Ample parking is available directly behind the beach bar.
STAFYLOS
Cliff-backed Stafylos is quaint, but complete. Umbrella and bed rentals are available for €10 a pair from the makeshift bar in the middle of the beach. Don’t judge quality by appearances – they make surprisingly good coffee and serve a decent menu of sandwich and fruit salad type snacks.
For a proper meal, head to the tavern upslope. From the roadside “parking area”, a quick ramble 50 steps down through a bit of forest will bring you to its entrance. Quite likely, Takis and Katerina are at the foot of the stairs weaving waxed macrame bracelets. Here, my little big spenders found souvenirs for all their friends back home. Even for picky ones with unwavering colour preferences, Katerina whipped up custom options as we lay on the beach.
Stafylos is located just 8 minutes away from the Chora (main village).
