There are many ways to get to know a place: walking every inch of it, living there at some point in your life and associating it with pleasant or unpleasant experiences, to have practiced imaginary trips on a map, planning them until you finally make them happen, to have collected information from primary and secondary sources, weaving them into a creative tapestry. My personal relationship with the language of Skopelos includes all of the above. The journey begins. Anna records with her camera and I with my pencil.

The journey is Easter-like, almost May Day-like, lasting about three hours from the port of Volos. If you are lucky, dolphins will follow you, outdoing each other with their acrobatic tricks. Don’t take out your cell phone to photograph them. See them with the naked eye and not on the screen. It’s hard to capture them on camera anyway. You wait for them here, and there they are, their noses, backs, and shiny tails popping up. And if you’re a musician like Arion, don’t be afraid of anything.

The first stop on the ferry route is Skiathos, where most passengers disembark, especially the younger ones. The second stop is the island of Skopelos. The ferry slows down, stops, and docks at Loutraki. It is the second largest port on the island, but certainly the first one that visitors see. It is the port of Glossa, calm and peaceful.

However, it may not always have been so quiet and peaceful, as this area was once home to ancient Selinus, the third largest city of Peparithos (now Skopelos), founded by the Chalcidians in the 8th century BC. Little remains of it: a section of the southeastern walls dating from between the 5th and 4th centuries and some ruins of a building from the same period, all well hidden behind lush vegetation. At the entrance to the harbor are the islets of Strongylo, Paximadi, Glaronisi, and Dasia, which act as protective shields, making the harbor sheltered and safe.

As soon as we disembark from the ship, suitcases in hand, we are greeted by the statue of the athlete Nikolaos Skiathitis, bronze medalist in rowing at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, wearing a kotinos on his head, a medal around his neck and two oars in his hands. A coffee with a spoonful of fig jam at Eva’s café was enough for us to identify with the place. Loutraki, like us, was sleepy and hungover, as if asking for ten more minutes to wake up. The shops, taverns, and alleys were just beginning to come to life, sprucing themselves up and getting ready to welcome summer visitors. The walls are being whitewashed, branches are being burned, and the sounds of scraping and mowing can be heard everywhere.

Today, Loutraki owes its name to the ancient thermal baths. This is proof of the importance of these places as a reference point in the social life of the area. Today, a few ruins of the Roman baths survive, right next to the sea, in the Katakalo area, and unfortunately a few remnants are visible to the discerning traveler, such as the mosaic floor, half of which is actually in the water. You can see them with a mask or goggles from a boat. Archaeological research has not determined whether these were public or private baths of a luxurious seaside villa.

TOWARDS GLOSSA

You may end up sticking your tongue out in order to climb the slopes of Glossa, but etymological approaches never seem convincing enough to me, no matter how plausible they may seem. One such approach supports the origin of the place name from the ancient city of the Minoan settlers of Knossos and the paraphrase of its name in the modern word “Glossa” (“Tongue”). According to another version, the tongue-like shape of the cave is responsible for this strange name. Choose whichever version you prefer.

Every place has its own history. It is no coincidence that in many schools abroad, the history teacher also teaches geography, because history and geography are intertwined and shape the character of a region. So, like good students, we researched the prehistory and history, not to avoid being caught unprepared by the teacher, but to better understand the secrets of the place. We learned that traces of prehistoric dwellings have been found in Glossa. These are settlements clustered in narrow hollows near the sea and surrounded by walls. In more recent history, the village first appears in sources in a patriarchal letter from the 17th century referring to the Monastery of the Taxiarches. At the end of the 18th century, Dimitrios, Gregorios Konstantas, and Daniel Philippidis recorded 50-60 houses in their “Modern Geography.” A third source, from the early 19th century, mentions that Glossa and its neighborhoods, namely the village of Klima and Kato Mahalas, today’s Atheato, were administratively dependent on the town of Skopelos, while from 1825 Glossa acquired its own administration. During the years of the Revolution, many settlers from Thessaly, Euboea, and Chalkidiki came to live there and in the surrounding area. Their arrival contributed, as is usually the case, to the formation of many aspects of the folk culture of the region.

From Loutraki, you can see Glossa stretching out and gazing at the sea, sometimes lazily, sometimes drearily. Its slopes are covered with olive trees, plum trees, almond trees, and so many plane trees that it used to be called “Platana.” It is the second largest settlement on the island, built 250 meters from the sea, and rivals the first, Chora of Skopelos. In Glossa, the architecture of the houses follows the rural style with Macedonian influences. These are stone-built houses, with one to three floors and wooden balconies with iron railings. You look at the colorful balconies and see a wooden screen at the edge. It is the toilet. You can’t believe it. On the balcony? you wonder. On the balcony, due to lack of space. In full view? Yes, since most houses don’t even have a yard. You take out your stool and sit at the front door. The neighbors from the house next door do the same. Small talk is guaranteed. And, of course, keeping an eye on passersby. “Who are you, man?” If you don’t answer, you can’t pass.

The sloping terrain, combined with the narrow shape of the plots, inspires architectural ingenuity. On one side you are on the ground floor, on the other on the third. That’s why each floor has its own front door, which is why visitors ask, “Where do we go in?” And once we enter, the narrowness of the space again forces us to find living space in every way possible, even if it is only a few inches.

The “petsoma” serves this purpose. It is essentially a small room inside the main house. The lower part is used for storage, while the upper part can be used as a bedroom. Until the 1970s, the color blue prevailed on the walls of houses. Light blue, unless there was mourning, in which case the color darkened like the clothes of the mourner. From the 1980s onwards, white became the dominant color on the walls. As for the shutters, dark green and brown prevail.

After a long climb and exchanging as many “good mornings” as there were people we met, we ended up in the village’s central square. There we found the stately church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, patron saint of Glossa. Two elements impress visitors, one inside and one outside: the amazing white marble iconostasis, the work of a Tinian marble sculptor, and the cypress tree in the courtyard with its legend, which the sacristan recounted to us: When some commissioners cut down the original tree because its roots were damaging the courtyard slabs, something bad suddenly happened to them. Until they replanted a cypress tree, and since then no one has dared to touch it again.

The spiritual center belonging to the church, just above the square, houses the donation of the painter Alexandros Sideris from Glossa, who made his career in America. Forty-two paintings were donated, and their conservation and restoration was undertaken by conservator Michael Larentzakis-Laskaris, who is affable and explanatory, eloquent and passionate about his art. The cultural center functions as an art gallery and, in part, as a conservation workshop.

In the cobbled streets of Glossa, you can still meet women going to “chew” greens or clean lentils, chatting in the authentic Glossa dialect. These are images and local dialects that give the feeling of a real, living village, not a ghost village created for tourist purposes. If I were a cat, I would want to live here. I would climb everywhere, run away from children playing rough games, have the best and most skilled romantic partners in January, and in the summer, at midday, sneak into houses through open shutters to cool off. Glossa is a cat’s paradise.

THE SURROUNDING AREA

Palio Klima (Old Klima)

Klima, amphitheatrical, with unlimited views of Skiathos and Euboea, was divided into two neighborhoods, Epano Klima (Upper Klima) and Kato Klima (Lower Klima), until the early 1950s. Kato Chorio (Lower Village) – as the Klimatians call it – is the older of the two. The village began to decline with the earthquakes of 1950, but was deserted in 1965, when an earthquake shook the earth on Holy Wednesday, destroying buildings and forcing the residents to relocate to Neo Klima (New Klima), also known as Elios. Landslides, subsidence, the rift that was created – you throw a stone and you can’t hear it – but also the need to settle near the sea led to the decision to create a new village. The old abandoned houses were bought and renovated mainly by foreigners, but also by Greeks who live permanently in Volos, Piraeus, or Athens and come here in the summer. They were bought very cheaply, for a song, and are now being sold at exorbitant prices. Those who have memories of the area mention Mrs. Magdalini. A traditional baker and a fighter in life, she refused to leave the village and her bakery despite the evacuation that was imposed. She continued to bake her bread for years, stubbornly resisting fate.

Neo Klima (or Elios)

Neo Klima is not as picturesque as Palio Klima, but its sandy beach, Hovolo, makes up for it. It is a new settlement founded in 1981 and located just below the forest on Mount Delphi. The area used to be a marsh, hence its name. In fact, some old Klimatiani still refer to it disparagingly as “Elos” (marsh).
Looking for the famous red goat, purebred, unruly, and productive, the rare breed that gets the biggest subsidy, we talked to old shepherd Anastasis, who told us: “There are no goats like that, only on Skopelos.” But aren’t we on Skopelos? A basic explanation, then, for possible misunderstandings. Skopelos is both the island and its capital. And also, there is Glossa and there is Skopelos. Two ports, two mentalities, two “lands.”

The people of Klimata are known as the most enthusiastic and tireless revelers on the island. The traditional festivals of the Assumption, Panagia Eliotissa, Agia Paraskevi, and Ai Giannis in Kastri are in full swing. If the pandemic allows, the villages will come alive again with their festivals.

Towards Kastri

On the road from Chora to Kastri, we met beekeepers smoking their hives. They invited us to dip our fingers in the honey, taught us that the ‘alogothymaro plant’ produces good honey, and boasted about their year-round honey, which they harvest until October.

Just before Glossa, we follow a road on the right that leads to the little church of Agios Ioannis in Kastri. No visitor should miss the most photographed spot in the area, especially after the success of the movie “Mamma Mia.” We arrive at the canteen where the path begins that leads to the top of the rock, about 100 meters high, with the little church of Agios Ioannis. We counted 199 steps. Climbing them is the greatest proof of love for the acrophobic lover. And once they reach the top, they light a candle and sign the guestbook, which is full of names, dates, and romantic wishes. The famous wedding scene in the movie “Mamma Mia” renewed the glamour of the chapel.

In such picturesque and otherworldly places, there is always some tradition or explanatory legend. A fisherman from Glossa would see a light on top of the rock every night at dusk. This light haunted him, he even saw it in his sleep, until one night a woman appeared to him in a dream and revealed that there was an icon at the top of the rock. The next morning, he climbed up there and found the icon of Saint John the Baptist. He took it and placed it in the chapel of the Virgin Mary located directly opposite, but the icon magically returned to the rock. This continued several times, until finally the decision was made to build a church on top of the rock.

The chapel celebrates on August 29, the day of the beheading of John the Baptist. On the eve of the feast, the elders set out early to reach the rock before sunset, so they can grab a spot and enjoy the traditional celebrations. This is a rock that stands tall, resisting the wind, the waves, and the ravages of time. A rock that gazes, endures, and trains us in endurance.

On the way to the lighthouse at Cape Gourouni

The route to Cape Gourouni (“Cape Pig”) could be described as a unique hiking experience due to the dense pine forest and the impressive stone lighthouse. However, this route is not yet accessible. It will be in the near future, after the completion of the relevant program to open up the old paths.

Just before the lighthouse, there are two Hellenistic watchtowers that are well preserved but difficult to access, as they are located within fenced properties. The impressive lighthouse building, a 14-meter-high square stone tower without the light cage that adds another three meters to its height, can be reached by car from Glossa, following an 8-kilometer paved road. Then, for 3 kilometers, we take a narrow dirt road with stones and ruts that may be difficult for low cars.

We are at the northernmost point of Skopelos. In front of us stands the lighthouse, a historic listed monument, an impressive building dating back to 1899, according to the date on the lighting mechanism. Its glorious past is evident from the inscription on the lighting mechanism with the rotating diopter: “SAUTER LE MONNIER & S.I.E. PARIS 1887.” The initial idea was to build it 500 meters further north, at the location of Paliofano. However, Cape Gourouni was chosen as the location that would ensure better visibility. The lighthouse keeper’s house and the lighthouse tower have a history parallel to that of the place itself. Initially, the light source was oil. During the dark years of the Occupation, it remained unlit, but it was relit in 1944 with three white flashes every thirty seconds. Its light reaches twenty nautical miles. Electricity came to the lighthouse and the lighthouse keeper in 1984, while in 1989 it was automated and abandoned.

THE HIKING TRAILS

The old trails of Skopelos have begun to take on a new life in recent years. As if resurrected, they are preparing to put on their best clothes and invite people to walk them again, step by step, as they did in the recent and distant past. Hiking groups take care of them in spite of the wild goats, provide signage, build kiosks, connect old villages, locate forgotten Byzantine monasteries, chapels, farmhouses, and footbridges. Heather Parsons, an Englishwoman living on Skopelos, is reviving the island’s trails, while a program to open up the old trails is expected to be implemented. There are many routes that can satisfy both beginners and experienced hikers. We recommend some that meet the criteria of picturesque and carefree wandering, as well as gentle routes that are not too demanding for hikers.

Loutraki-Glossa
The old 900-meter-long cobblestone path connecting Glossa with its port, Loutraki, is well maintained and in constant use, although it has been paved with concrete to accommodate the motorized transportation of modern residents. Loutraki, is well maintained and in constant use, although the upper part has been cemented over for the sake of motorized transport for modern residents, sacrificing picturesqueness for convenience. In just 35 minutes, you can travel from Glossa to Loutraki and vice versa, reviving in your mind the old days when the path was busy, as this was how the residents used to get around.

Glossa-Atheato-Palio Klima-Katakalos Beach-Loutraki
From Leni’s bakery at the entrance to Glossa, we take the downhill paved path to the village of Atheato or Mahala. The name of the place is apt, as for reasons of protection from pirates, the village had to remain unseen. This is the old Glossa. Walking among pink flowering rockroses and wild orchids on the dry stone walls and terraces, or watching out for the presence of elves, if we are light-footed, we cross the old estates with olive trees and vineyards and follow the path to the church of Agioi Anargyroi. Just behind the church, in the cemetery, there is a path that leads to Palio Klima, which does not look old from a distance, because most of its houses have been recently renovated. From Palio Klima, we return along the same route to the church of Agioi Anargyroi. There we find an amazing, well-maintained cobblestone path. We highly recommend following it. On the right is the vegetation, on the left is the sea, and everywhere is the sound of the waves. And if you happen to be there at sunset, you feel like a king. The descent is idyllic until we reach the stream below and Katakalos beach, pass the Roman baths, and find ourselves at the end of the route with Loutraki at our feet. The walk takes about two hours.

Glossa-Keramoto Beach
This is a distance of 2.1 kilometers with a walking time of approximately 30 minutes. Around us are oak trees, heather, holm oaks, and myrtles, with the occasional wild fig tree and abundant oleanders. The vegetation creates natural arches that invite you to walk underneath them. We walk between old estates and stone huts, crossing a cool, leafy ravine. We tread on layers of leaves that crunch almost deafeningly under our shoes, preventing us from hearing the sound of the stream beside us. We descend towards the blue of the sea. We follow the stream to our left and end up at a rocky deserted beach surrounded by an impressive rocky coastline.

THE BEACHES WE LOVED

Armenopetra
Between Palio and Neo Klima, we come across Armenopetra beach. It takes its name from a huge rock. The huge rock looks like you’re playing Jenga. Smaller rocks are stuck on top of it. If you move one, you feel like they will all fall. The beach is not easily accessible and thus has retained its untouched magic. A little sand, fine gravel, and stone are its components.

Hovolo
A sandy beach with small and large pebbles on the shore and clear blue-green waters. A wild beauty composed of imposing white rocks above you and pine trees. You can reach it on foot, at the end of Neo Klima, passing two or three coves. An isolated beach, far from sunbeds and umbrellas, just you, the rocks, and the waves.

Kastani
This is perhaps the most famous beach on Skopelos, as many scenes from the movie “Mamma Mia” were filmed there, such as the one where Sophie and Donna say goodbye to the three fathers. And it is no coincidence that this particular setting was chosen, as it is a beautiful sandy beach with crystal clear, turquoise waters and pine trees that reach almost to the sea. From the coast, you can see the islets of Dasia and Skiathos. Of course, it is very busy, with sunbeds, umbrellas, and all the usual amenities.

Milia
Endless, with golden sand and pebbles, nestled among pine trees, with the islet of Dasia opposite, and a series of rocks that divide it in two and make it stretch in two directions, Milia caters to every preference, as one side is peaceful while the other offers the amenities of an organized beach.

Perivoliou
An exceptional beach, known mainly to locals, at the back of Glossa, for incognito appearances. From there, you can gaze at the endless blue, as cliché as that phrase may sound. Leave your car at the top and walk down the steep path with the carved steps to the coast. If you love sea squirts and are fearless like a wild goat, you can climb the rocks and gather them; they are edible until August.

FACTS ABOUT THE PHYSIOGNOMY

The physiognomy of a place is shaped by the activities of its inhabitants. We asked the locals and learned a lot. First of all, olive cultivation sustained the area for years. From traditional olive presses, known as “kalligries,” and the crushing of olives with millstones to modern olive mills, the journey of olive oil from the tree to our plate has changed little. In recent years, tours have been organized to allow visitors to learn about the olive oil production process step by step, taste bread dipped in oil, nibble on olives, and even buy olive oil from the mill.

Mrs. Loula from the Antoniou family took us on a tour. The old olive mill was located at the entrance to Glossa, where the same family now runs the elegant “P’tharakia” restaurant.

In the summer, almost all the permanent residents would retreat to their huts. When you hear the word “hut,” you expect something small and poor. Initially, the huts were made of stone and served as storage for the harvest. When the schools closed, the farmers loaded the necessary supplies onto donkeys, went to the estates, and stayed in the huts. The livestock were kept downstairs, while the inhabitants slept on mattresses upstairs. However, many huts have now been renovated, mainly for tourist purposes, and are impressive in size and comfort. The huts have private chapels, where the owner often organizes a festival in honor of the saint and invites friends to the celebration.

In any case, the deep religious sentiment of the inhabitants is confirmed by the number of places of worship: monasteries, temples, chapels, private chapels, 360 in number throughout the island, almost one for every day of the year! Every time I visit a temple, especially on an island, I tend to think with a strange religious syncretism. I have the feeling that monasteries and, more generally, all places of worship, when they are surrounded by nature, lose the specific sanctity of a particular religion and a particular dogma and acquire a universal sanctity that touches every god, I don’t know if this is a good thing or not.

And that’s not all. Behind the column, I search for the pillar, I search for the continuation of sacredness, the palimpsest of faith. Something similar probably happened with the church of Agios Nikolaos in Loutraki, as behind some flower pots we discovered a votive column from an earlier period, while in the courtyard of the post-Byzantine Monastery of Taxiarches we saw the remains of an early Christian church from 672 AD.

If we had to recommend visiting just one monastery, we would choose the Monastery of Taxiarches, on the pine-lined road to Perivoli Beach, overlooking the northern side of the island. Deserted and silent today, it had a vibrant communal life in the past, as from 1770 it belonged to the Monastery of Xeropotamos on Mount Athos. It was built in 1672 and renovated during the Ottoman occupation. It was a wealthy monastery, which is why it held a dominant position in the economic activity of Glossa in the 18th century and ceased to operate at the end of the 19th century. Inside the beautiful courtyard, there is an ossuary with skulls visible through a small window, while south of the monastery, a fountain with abundant water—the best according to the locals—quenches the thirst of pilgrims. On the feast day of the Archangels, the faithful light the fireplace, eat local goat with pasta, and drink plenty of wine.

LOCAL PRODUCTS

If language were a fruit, what would it be? That is the big question. A plum or an almond? Probably both… Definitely both.

The plum

Prunus domestica is the scientific name for the plum tree, and its fruit, the plum or damask plum, can be found everywhere. Dried, sweetened with sugar syrup when the yellow plum is still hard, with potatoes in the oven, with pork, with chicken, with roe, covered with chocolate, jam, liqueur… Skopelos plums are divided into three types: the avagato, the sour variety used for cooking, and the famous French variety Azan, a black, juicy, and sweet plum from the French city of Agen, which is said to have been brought to the island inside a potato. Today, the tourist development of the area has pushed plums to the sidelines. It has been years since the wood-fired drying ovens in the huts have been lit, and the straw drying racks stand idle. However, wherever you wander, you will find plum trees stubbornly resisting in the abandoned fields, low trees that insist on bearing fruit, even without care.

The Almond

Almond trees are everywhere, on the edges of roads and in olive groves, but also in entire fields that stretch all the way to the sea. Almonds, crunchy and fragrant, are found in every home, accompanying life in its joys and sorrows. They are used in sweets, drinks, spreads, to decorate other sweets or hidden in their ingredients, usually peeled. An undisputed trademark of Glossa is “haimalia”: finely ground white almonds mixed with sugar and a hint of rose water. They are shaped in the traditional way. A round sweet with pointed corners that fits in the palm of your hand, or they make them like small pears. It is the “welcome” treat, the sweet of weddings, name days, and the companion of Greek coffee in the afternoon. It is the treat for every occasion. The blanched almonds, ground in a mortar for a more authentic result, become a compact paste and are served as a spoon sweet from a jar, added to baklava in greater proportions than walnuts, and even dominates in koliva – one part wheat, one part ground almonds, a unique flavor.

Capers

When we say “pickled capers” in Skopelos, we don’t mean the fruit but the twig from the plant. It accompanies tsipouro, just like “tsitsirayla” in Pelion. It has broad leaves, a dark green color, a strong aroma, and grows near the sea. In the spring, it is harvested, blanched, and preserved in jars throughout the year.

THE PEOPLE

What else is a place but its residents? The 2011 census recorded the permanent residents of Glossa: few, less than a thousand. But in the summer, the village comes alive, like the rest of Greece’s villages. They too live the life of Persephone: hibernation and confinement during the six cold months of the year, liveliness and openness when the weather improves and summer arrives. Traditionally, the inhabitants of Glossa were mostly vine growers, sailors, and boat builders. There are also many expatriates and repatriates.

The women of the area are combative and feisty. It is no coincidence, then, that the name Andromache and its variations, Machi and Machoula, prevail. They all celebrate Saint Andrew’s Day. And a beach, Andrines, takes its name from a female pirate of the area. As the village developed slowly and gently as a tourist destination, the women managed to combine traditional confectionery with tourist demands and so, in 1999, twenty-four of them joined forces and founded a women’s cooperative in Glossa. They prepared and sold “haimalia” and “rozedes” – all based on almond paste – spoon sweets, mainly almond and plum but also with seasonal fruits, jams and tray bakes, as well as the famous Skopelos cheese pie, which is fried rather than baked. Today, the cooperative is in decline. Five women remain. We found the two Elenas. “The young girls don’t help,” they tell us, “they want money right away.”

Among the permanent residents are some foreigners who have chosen to live on the island. Marc Held, known as Markos to the locals, is a renowned French architect who lives in Loutraki and has designed unique houses on the island. He became known as a photographer in the 1950s and as a designer in the early 1960s with his famous Culbuto armchair. He has published books on the island’s folk architecture. He opened his home to us and we were impressed by the simplicity and elegance of the design and decoration, as well as the wise combination of aesthetics and functionality. Evergreen and restless, despite his age, he revealed to us the secrets of his prosperity: pollen, royal jelly, and the “top” of the oil when it is extracted at the oil mill.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We owe our thanks for this tribute to Antonis Maridakis, a Cretan and leading figure in the local business community (Aegean Wave Hotel), who became our guide and tour leader. To Eleni Polychroniou, who immediately accepted our suggestion to prepare sesame cookies with prunes in her workshop, to Spyridoula, who offers coffee and shade on Perivoliou beach, To Nantia for her gastronomic touches to the text. To Chara at the Briki café, who roasts her coffee in a traditional pot, to Nikos at Rouga with his wonderful meze, and to all the young people who resist the lure of the city and dare to build their lives and businesses in small, remote places. Perhaps because they fell in love with the place, as Antonis and Marc told us in unison at an unsuspecting moment.

EPILOGUE

Every journey, regardless of destination, is a collection of experiences. Would Odysseus have been so resourceful if he had not known so many people? Would he have survived without the accumulated experience of so many journeys? Travel is a way of learning. So, here’s what I learned from my trip to Skopelos: I realized once again the inseparable relationship between humans and their environment. I would change Heraclitus’ saying “ἦθος ἀνθρώπῳ δαίμων” slightly, enriching it with one more word: place. Man’s destiny is his character, but it is also his place. Topography determines people’s temperament, customs, behavior, diet, architecture, and aesthetics.

And most importantly: travel is a way of stretching time. A day spent traveling condenses a week or even a month of time. Here is a way to cheat our mortality and our expiration date, to make tomorrow truly feel like tomorrow, to paraphrase Cavafy.