How to Get to Skopelos and Villa Panorama
Getting to Skopelos takes a little more planning than travelling to many other Greek islands, but the journey is part of the experience. The best route depends on your travel dates, flight options and whether you arrive via Skiathos, Volos, Athens or Thessaloniki.
For most summer visitors, flying to Skiathos and continuing by ferry or water taxi to Glossa (Loutraki) is the easiest route to Villa Panorama. Glossa (Loutraki) is the closest port to the villa, approximately 15 minutes away by car.
Below you will find information that may help you plan your journey. For additional travel information, www.skopelos.com or www.skopelos.gr .
Please contact us if you need any additional information or advice about planning your journey.
During high season, the most convenient route to Skopelos is usually to fly to the neighbouring island of Skiathos. From Skiathos airport, take a taxi to the port and continue by ferry or water taxi to Skopelos. For Villa Panorama, Glossa (Loutraki) is the most convenient arrival port.
Another option is to fly to Volos on the mainland and travel by taxi to Volos port, where ferries depart for Skopelos. In high season, there may also be ferry connections from Thessaloniki.
Flying into Athens and spending a night in the Plaka can also be a wonderful start to your holiday. From there, continue by bus or taxi to a mainland port, such as Volos or Mantoudi (Evia), to catch a ferry to Skopelos.
Ferry and flight schedules vary considerably throughout the year. Seasonal services are often published only a few months in advance, which can make it difficult to finalise a complete travel itinerary many months before your stay. This is quite normal for travel to the Greek islands and does not necessarily mean that services will not operate. We recommend checking current schedules as they become available before finalising connecting flights or other travel arrangements.
If your flight and ferry schedules do not connect comfortably, a water taxi may be an alternative, weather permitting.
An overnight stay in Skiathos before your return flight departure date may also be advisable, particularly outside the main summer season or when bad weather is forecast.
Travel with your own car: Travelers who prefer coming with their own car can take a ferry via Italy. Another possibility is to drive either via Zagreb/ Belgrade, via Budapest/ Belgrade or via Croatia and Albania.
Flights
During the main tourist season, direct flights operate to Skiathos from a number of European cities. Flights to Volos may also be available seasonally. Athens and Thessaloniki offer additional options throughout the year.
Flight routes and schedules change from season to season, so we recommend checking current schedules before making travel arrangements.
For current information about flights to Skiathos, see the Skiathos Airport Destinations page.
If schedules for your travel season have not yet been published, the previous season’s schedule shown below may be useful as a general indication of the routes that have operated. Please note that routes, airlines and schedules may change from year to year
Arriving on Skopelos
Regardless of your route, you will ultimately arrive on Skopelos by ferry or water taxi. The island has three ports used by ferry services: Glossa (Loutraki), Skopelos Town and Agnontas. When booking your ferry, check the arrival port carefully, as not all services call at the same ports.
Glossa (Loutraki) is the most convenient arrival port for Villa Panorama, with the villa approximately 15 minutes away by car. From Skopelos Town or Agnontas, the drive to Villa Panorama is approximately 30–40 minutes.
If you rent a car, it can usually be delivered to your arrival port, where a representative from the rental company will meet you to complete the paperwork. Alternatively, you can travel to the villa by taxi or use the local bus service.
Bus service to mainland ports
Comfortable intercity buses connect Thessaloniki with Volos, Athens with Volos, and Athens with Mantoudi (Evia). Advance seat reservations are available on many services. Because schedules and fares can change, please check the bus operators for current information.
Thessaloniki – Volos: KTEL Volou
Athens – Volos: KTEL Volou
Athens – Mantoudi (Evia): KTEL Evias
Bus service between Athens and Mantoudi is, normally, coordinated with the ferry to guarantee the connection. Buses will wait, as required, if the ferry is late. Please confirm this when making your reservations.
Taxi transfer to mainland ports
Private taxi and transfer services are available for connections between the Athens, Volos and Thessaloniki airports and the mainland seaports with ferries to/from Skopelos. For current availability and fares, please contact the operators directly.
City Transfer — Athens Airport and Mantoudi transfers (about €165)
Taxi Thess — Thessaloniki transfers
Volos Taxi Service — transfers between Athens, Thessaloniki and Volos (about €225–€275)
Ferry connections to Skopelos
Ferry services to Skopelos vary considerably by season. The main mainland departure ports are Volos and Mantoudi (Evia), with additional seasonal connections sometimes operating from Thessaloniki and other ports.
Volos – Skiathos – Skopelos – Alonissos
Mantoudi (Evia) – Skiathos – Glossa – Skopelos – Alonissos
Agios Konstantinos – Skopelos (seasonal)
Thessaloniki – Skiathos – Skopelos – Alonissos (seasonal)
If you are arriving by air at Skiathos, regular ferry services also connect Skiathos with Glossa (Loutraki) and Skopelos during the tourist season.
Ferry routes, operators and schedules can change from year to year and throughout the season. Always check current schedules before finalizing connecting flights or other travel arrangements.
Current ferry schedules can be checked at OpenSeas.
Sporades Lines (seasonal)
Sporades Lines operates the Petroula passenger vessel, providing seasonal connections between Skiathos and Skopelos. This can be a useful option for visitors arriving at Skiathos Airport and continuing to Skopelos.
Operating dates, routes, schedules and fares vary by season. Check the Petroula Sea website for current information.
Mantoudi Lines (seasonal)
Mantoudi Lines provides seasonal ferry connections between Mantoudi (Evia) and Skopelos, with services that may call at Agnontas, Skiathos, Glossa (Loutraki) and Alonnisos, depending on the route and season.
Normally, the Athens-Mantoudi bus service is coordinated with the Mantoudi-Skopleos ferry. If the ferry is late, the bus service will adjust / wait to ensure the connection for the travelers. Be sure and confirm this when making your reservations.
Routes and schedules may change, so please check the Mantoudi Lines website for current information before travelling.
Water taxi
Water taxis provide an alternative to scheduled ferries and can be particularly useful when arriving at Skiathos and travelling to Glossa (Loutraki) on Skopelos. Water taxis are smaller boats for 8-15 people.
Private water taxi services may also be available between Skopelos and mainland ports in Evia.
Availability, operating periods and fares vary by operator, season and weather conditions. Please contact the operators directly for current schedules and prices.
For general guidance, fares between Skiathos and Glossa are typically around €150–€200 per boat, shared among the passengers travelling. Transfers between Evia and Skopelos are typically around €270–€300 per boat.
Skiathos Water Taxi (year round)
Jason Sea Taxi (seasonal)
SeaCab (seasonal)
Getting Around on Skopelos
Buses on Skopelos
Local buses operate between Loutraki (Glossa), Glossa, Skopelos Town and other destinations around the island. There is a bus stop on the main road near the turn-off for Villa Panorama, approximately a 10-minute walk from the villa. The name of the bus stop is “Kato Klima” and is stop number 37. Please note that the walk includes a hill.
Bus services are more frequent during the main summer season and more limited outside the season. Check the current Skopelos bus timetable before travelling .
Taxis
Local taxis are available for transfers around the island and between the ports and Villa Panorama. Rania Taxi can be contacted at (+30) 6979777830, 6979031303 or 2424033133.
Renting a car
Magic Cars — car rental on the island of Skopelos. Locally owned and operated by Giannis and Ildi Sardelos. We have had excellent experience since we first started coming to the island. If you rent from them, please mention our name!
We highly recommend renting a vehicle for the flexibility to explore Skopelos and get the most out of your stay. A 4×4 vehicle, if available, can provide additional comfort on some of the island’s steep and unpaved roads.