E

ver since we saw the movie Mama

Mia! we’ve wanted to visit the island

of Skopelos, where most of it was

filmed. And here we are at last,

heading over the calm seas from

bustling Skiathos to her more sedate

sister island in the Sporades. We

meander gently along the coast,

marvelling at the many white coves so popular with

the tour boats, and then nose into an almost perfect

anchorage at Panormos. It is as beautiful as any that

we have been to over the past six years, and I have

my first swim of the season, carrying the stern ropes

ashore, aware that there will be many more to come

and hoping that for most of them the water will be a

tad warmer than it is today! A handful of boats share

our anchorage and a few more yachts come in as dusk

shades the sky, but despite the company, it is a tranquil

evening and without a breath of wind to ripple the sea.

In the morning, the peace of this little creek is

disturbed only when the day trip boats from Skiathos

briefly putter in, their music systems invariably blaring

out tunes from the Abba musical! Much as we already

love Panormos, we are eager to see the rest of the

island, especially Skopelos Town, so after a second

night, we’re on the move again, grazing along the coast

and nudging into potential anchorages along the way.

Near the tiny port of Agnondas, there is a distinctive

low headland jutting out to sea, with just one tree on

it. It’s instantly recognisable as the Our Last Summer

scene, although today isn’t as bright and cloudless

as the day on which that song was filmed. Despite

the grey overhead, the sea is mirror calm and before

long, we glide through the channel separating Skopelos

from the smaller isle of Alonnisos and reach the

picturesque main port, where we are welcomed by the

harbourmaster, Costas, and swiftly made fast, beam to,

along the wall. The town here is picturesque and so far

east, the Turkish influence is obvious, combined with