Skopelos Island is just a little way across from the city of Volos on the mainland. It is a peaceful, verdant Mediterranean paradise, just perfect for people who like a measured pace of life. Because the island is not a major tourist destination, as many of the other Aegean islands are, there are no busy beaches, there is very little intense nightlife and there are no large luxurious hotels. This is a place for easy-going lifestyle and community. The best type of environment for holidays, children, teens, and adults, the kind of place a person would rent for long periods of time or own property.
Here are 5 reasons to live on Skopelos:
Nature
Unlike the majority of the stark Cycladic Islands, Skopelos is green. Very green! Most of the vegetation is low chaparral and large sections are arboreal. Pine trees stretch all the way down to the beaches offering shade and a restful view both toward the sea and from the sea with a sharp contrast. The island is small enough to have day hikes and also offers itself for cycling if that is preferred.
Character
Skopelos has character! Because it is a small island that has little tourist development, it has managed to keep its identity. In fact, by law the two main towns are required to build and maintain their structures according to traditional styles. This adds immense charm to the towns, Skopelos and Glossa, both of which are also ports. These charismatic towns are both also built amphitheatrically on the slopes of the hills above the harbours.
The countryside inland and close to shore is quiet and offers fantastic vistas from almost anywhere. Building codes are more relaxed there but over the centuries, the locals have found the best way to do things according to climate and terrain. It would be wise to follow their lead in this.
Beaches
Being an island, Skopelos has quite a variety of beaches, but if you are just a fan of cooling off, anywhere will do as long as access is available. Some of the beaches are organized, most are not as of yet. One thing is certain, they are all magnificent, and the colours of the surroundings are pure magic. Any beach on the island is well kept and the waters are pristine. The tree lines behind most of them are fantastic if too much sun is not tolerated. Properties are available in many areas of the island close to the beaches, but a real estate agent is necessary to help find it and negotiate for it since language and paperwork can be an issue.
Lifestyle
Skopelos offers lifestyle. Often people equate the Greek islands with nightlife, frantic parties, nudist beaches, good food and a great time! What many fail to see is a truly unique quality of lifestyle. Skopelos is a place where the people live at a totally different pace and have a very good lifestyle. Almost everything is available on the island and what is not, can be brought in or found on the nearby mainland. It is an island built on community. Everything offers itself to a more personal relationship, people, businesses, services, schools a.s.o.
Environment
Skopelos is a closed environment because it is an island. The locals are fiercely protective of their island and it shows. Many of the houses on the property are hundreds of years old, they were built with care. This is why they are still standing today. The people have kept their landscape in good condition taking care not to destroy it. Their beaches are in fantastic condition and are clean; the waters that stretch out from the sands are crystalline. The combination of these, with the lifestyle it offers, make the island ideal to rent property on for holidays or even whole seasons. The option to buy or build your own house and then rent it or live in it permanently is a solid choice.
