I hate you. No, I really love you. Ok, now I hate you again. I’m so torn. Ugh Morocco, you drive me crazy! I just can’t make up my mind about you.
Now that I’m gone I have a clear head to reflect on you.
Morocco was a tough pill to swallow, especially traveling solo as a female. I have never been harassed so hard and aggressively in my life. I thought I had thick skin, but damn! This trip really tested my boundaries and I often questioned if traveling solo in Morocco was actually a good idea or if it was just plain stupid.
My recent trip to Morocco included half solo travel and the other half with friends. I traveled to Fez, Rabat, Chefchaouen, and briefly in Marrakech solo and then my bff Rachel and her bf Ryan joined me in Marrakech, Essaouira, and the Sahara desert.
I never imagined visiting Morocco would cause so much stress on me. I cried 3 times during my trip (and I’m so not a cryer). It was probably the most emotionally challenging place I had ever visited. I enjoyed my experience, but let’s just say I had never been so happy to see my friends in my entire life when they finally arrived.
Visiting Morocco
Here are the highlights and lowlights of my experience in each Moroccan city:
Fez
My introduction to Morocco started with Fez, probably not the best first impression I must say. I’ve heard mixed reviews about Fez, you either love or hate it…with the majority not fans of it.
Well, I hated Fez. I’ve never been harassed so much in my life. The store owners were the most persistent sales people I have ever met . If I went in and didn’t buy something, most of them got angry and made me very uncomfortable. A few times, they even grabbed me by the arms. Super aggressive and NOT cool.
Not only that, the city smelled really bad and was extremely dirty. Imay get some backlash for saying that, but thats’s my honest observation. The rest of Morocco wasn’t in that condition, just this city.
I think my negative experience started within my first 5 minutes in the medina when I saw some chickens being killed and it scarred me for life. I know that’s life and eat chicken myself, so I’m not trying to be hypocritical here.
But this was different….
I saw this man grab the chicken by the neck, from the backside so its face was visible for everyone to see, and then he took a knife and slowly slit its throat. He didn’t chop it off quickly…he slit it SLOWLY. Like in the scene from Game of Thrones during the red wedding where Caitlin Stark’s throat was slashed. Just like that with all the blood gushing out.
I literally cried and had to leave. I couldn’t eat chicken after that for awhile. I mean, why did he have to kill it in such a brutal way? It was tragic. That picture will never leave my mind. Never.
Honestly, you couldn’t pay me to go back to Fez. But I understand everyone’s experience is different and some may like the madness. It just wasn’t for me, and that’s ok. Never again Fez. Never again.
On the bright side: I did buy an awesome leather bag that I will use as my new camera bag, so something good did come out of visiting.
Rabat
Rabat was such a breath of fresh air after Fez. The capital of Morocco surprisingly had lots of character and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was more calm and less hectic than Fez, which I really appreciated.
However, my trip to Rabat started off on a bad note as well. For the first time ever, I got totally abandoned by my Airbnb host. Stuff happens and I had to book another place last minute. I only had one day in Rabat and this misfortune took almost half my day trying to figure everything out.
What started off on the wrong foot ended up being okay and I really enjoyed Rabat.
If you have time to do only one thing in Rabat, I recommend heading over to the The Kasbah of the Udayas. The walk up to it is a photo treat in itself as the tiny streets are painted bright blue and are so adorable. I felt like I was back in Chefchaouen!
From the Kasbah you can see the surfers riding the waves below and the backdrop is absolutely gorgeous!
Where to Eat in Rabat:
Le Dhow Boat Restaurant–I usually don’t like tourist places, but this was an exception. Only 3 restaurants came up on google maps as being walkable and this was one of them. The funky decorations and the location on the water with a great view of the Kasbah was worth it alone.
Fun fact: the boat was constructed in India and took 2 years to build. It was then lugged all the way over to Morocco. Such a cool story and a great atmosphere.
Oh, and they had wine. All the wine. Wine solves all problems. I ended the day in a happy place!
Side note: wine is super tricky to find in a “dry” country.
Chefchaouen (Blue City)
Ahhhh Chefchaouen (insert bulging heart eyes emoji here). I could have stayed here forever.♥
The blue city is often called “The Blue Pearl of Morocco”, and that it definitely is!
There are 2 main theories on why the city is blue: to protect from mosquitos/heat and the latter as a spiritual symbol. It was believed that Jewish refugees started painting the city blue to symbolise the sky and heaven.
Whichever theory is true, it’s such a spectacularly beautiful place to see!
Chefchaouen was my favourite city in all of Morocco, without a doubt, hands-down. It was also where I got harassed the least and felt the safest. I even felt ok wandering the blue alleys alone after dark.
There isn’t much to do in Chefchaouen, but the magic lies in just wandering around and experiencing the bright blue colors. I couldn’t stop taking photos and it’s one of the most photogenic cities I have ever seen, if not the most photogenic!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLqLk5fjXvy/?
It’s a little (okay maybe a lot) out of the way but SO worth it! I took the CTM tourist bus from Fez and it took 5 hours. Don’t miss this unique city! I have never seen anything quite like it!
Where to Eat in Chefchaouen:
Restaurant Morisco–This one is in the main square, but that doesn’t mean it’s overpriced or super touristy. What to Try:Tahliya (Goat meat tajine with honey, raisins, and almonds). This was the BEST meal I had in all of Morocco. The meat was super tender and the mixture of sweet and nutty blended perfectly. YUM!
Molin’arte-I randomly went into this one as it was near my riad. The food was tasty and the place was so inviting and cozy. And the fruit juices were extremely good!
I really liked Essaouira . It was a very relaxed seaside town with great local fresh fish! Don’t go there without eating fish!
You can walk through the markets and watch them bringing in the fish straight from the nets. There are many restaurants near the fishing area where you can pick your own fish and have them cook it. It is priced based on weight.
Make sure they tell you the price of it before you agree to cook it. We paid around $36 for 3 people for 3 sea basses, and lots of calamari and squid. It was super fresh and not “fishy” at all, just how I like it!
Essaouira is also one of the filming locations for Game of Thrones! The big scene where Khaleesi obtained her unsullied army happened right there in the fortress walls near the fishing area! Surprisingly there were NO signs advertising GOT….which may be a good thing since there weren’t many tourists! #score
For a good sunset: head to Taros rooftop. It’s kinda touristy but they serve alcohol and the views can’t be beat! We highly enjoyed it. Did I mention they have wine? THEY HAVE WINE!
For brekkie/brunch: Yoo
Fresh juices and frozen yogurt parfaits. Healthy, yummy, and in a cute little secluded square.
For dinner: Tiskala
The ambiance of this place can’t be beat. It’s super cozy, dimly lit, with separate little seating areas and comfy couches. The food was pretty good, but I wouldn’t say awesome. But the ambiance won us over and we went back twice!
Marrakech
Ohhh Marrakech, where do I begin? Marrakech is hectic AF! That’s the best way to describe it. There is SO much going on at all times and it’s very fast paced.
You’ll see snake charmers, street food vendors, various performers, monkeys with chains tied to their necks (poor things), henna artists, and so muchmore. You name it. Marrakech has got it.
The Souks of Marrakech
Marrakech has the best souks in all of Morocco, hands-down. It was the best shopping and I highly regretted buying a bunch of stuff beforehand in other cities.
I found the same items for a fraction of the price in Marrakech. Marrakech was my last stop on the trip so it was hard to hold out! Wait til Marrakech to do your shopping! Just do.
Ahhh Marrakech had such unique things! If I hadn’t taken a RyanAir flight with already overflowing luggage, I would have bought SO much more! I wanted it ALL!! I would go back to Marrakech solely for the shopping!
Don’t miss: Fruit juices. The fruit juice stands were abundant in the main squares. Starting at 4 dirham ($.40), we had about 2-3 juices a day! They were so refreshing and so good!
Where to eat in Marrakech if you get sick of Tajines:
Henna Art Cafe for fresh juices, a comfy rooftop, and affordable/unique dishes.
Earth Cafe for healthy veg/vegan options.
Nomad for hearty and flavorful food (also the great rooftop views!).
Note: most restaurants on this trip were picked by my bff Rachel, as she is the foodie in the group and does all the research, so I definitely can’t take credit for it. Thanks wifey!
If you’re not opposed to getting severely harassed/haggled and have a strong stomach, street food is a cheap option.
What to do in Marrakech:
shop til you drop in the souks.
don’t miss tasting the fruit juices.
drink mint tea. As much as you can. Everywhere.
entertainment galore in Jamaa el Fna square.
visit Ben Yousseff Madrasa for beautiful architecture and an inside look into a former traditional Moroccan school
visit Majorelle Jardin outside the medina . It was beautifully decorated and had some really cool plant life (especially the cacti)! A taxi from the medina should not cost more than 50 dirham!
The monkeys on chains for entertainment and the pushy/rude vendors.
When we walked down the food vendor “aisle”, each vendor would aggressively step in front of us so we couldn’t move and shoved a menu in our faces. All we wanted to do was take a look at options, but that was impossible to do when they literally blocked us off from seeing anything else.
I have an issue with personal space and I get really defensive when someone impinges on that, especially if they touch me. A few times, I just wanted them to back the fuck off. Is that too much to ask?
We were even called derogatory names when we didn’t want to eat at certain food cart vendors. They thought we were British and were bad mouthing British people. One yelled at me to go back to my country. Is that really necessary? Not a delightful experience at all.
You can’t go to Morocco and skip the Sahara desert. I feel like this is THE quintessential thing to do in Morocco. But keep in mind that it is extremely far! As in, most your time will be spent driving. It’s 9-10 hours from Marrakech. It’s painful but the Sahara desert totally is worth it!
Despite our shitty tour company, riding camels in the Sahara desert during sunrise and sunset and laying on the sand viewing the Milky Way was one of my best travel moments yet! Nothing can beat that. We also got to stop in Ait Ben Haddou, another GOT filming location, which we were super excited about!
Learn from my mistake: there are several ways to book Sahara tours..online, through your riad or hostel, or on the streets of the medina from various vendors.
Booking in advance online is usually twice as much. It’s cheaper to book when you arrive through your riad/hostel or street vendors. We booked through our riad for €92 for 3days/2nights.
Our riad was great, however, this tour they offered was awful! The accommodation were extremely low budget, the food was complete shit, and our tour guide was terrible/kinda a dick. And worst of all, they didn’t accommodate my gluten allergy like they promised. All they had was bread and a cake for breakfast with no other options, so I went completely without breakfast, watching everyone else eat, leaving me in tears one day because I was starving/hangry.
If you book on arrival, make sure to get ALL the details and have them show you pictures of the accommodations. If I could do it again, I would have paid more to have a better quality tour for sure!
I have such mixed emotions when it comes to visiting Morocco. I don’t like to say never, but I honestly don’t see myself returning to Morocco any time in the near future. I had a crazy time and I got to travel with my bff and her bf for most of the trip so that made it extra special.
It’s definitely not one of my favorite places I’ve visited, but I’m so glad I went because I liked to be shocked and surprised. And that was 100% accomplished! But by the end of it, I was definitely ready to leave and return to calmness, cleanliness, and lack of daily harassment.
I saw some wild and new things, I experienced gazing under the stars in the Sahara desert, seeing the Milky Way, riding camels dressed like Princess Jasmine, drank way too much green tea, walked the maze like streets of the heavenly blue city, was forced into a quick marriage with a local Berber man with a ceremony while visiting a Berber village (joking but it was funny…he even had a quick ceremony in the presence of all our tour members #awkward), bought some unique souvenirs, and experienced a culture so different than what I have ever seen.
Morocco was hard on me, but it’s such an interesting country with so much to experience. I was always on the edge of my seat, my senses were forced into overdrive, and my boundaries were constantly being tested. Morocco is hectic, it’s crazy, it’s dynamic, and at some times shocking, but it’s such a vibrant place you will surely never forget!
If you could only visit 2 places in Morocco, I would definitely say the Sahara desert and Chefchaoen. These 2 places were the highlights of my trip!
Morocco is a 3rd world country, so go in expecting lower standards than you’re used to and you wont be disappointed. If you like madness, you will love Morocco.
Although I’m in no rush to get back, I would definitely recommend anyone to go and visit, Morocco is a must! Weird to hear after reading this, huh? Can you feel the dichotomy here?
Morocco surely gave me thicker skin and now I feel like I can take on anywhere! Bring it on world, bring it on!
Have you been to Morocco? Have you had similar experiences, or completely the opposite? Let’s discuss!
It took me a LONG time to realize that traveling is not as expensive as I thought it was. Mind you, this is the girl who used to travel to Italy from Los Angeles 3 times a year (at about $1,100 a plane ticket….Eeeeeeek!).
Damn, I’ve learned a lot since then. And most importantly, I had no idea about Skyscanner back then. It has seriously been a GAME CHANGER! If you learn how to how to use Skyscanner for cheap flights, you will probably travel more, just sayin’. ♥
Anyways…recently I entered a contest by the lovely Sabina from Girl vs. Globe she hosted with Skyscanner seeing how many continents and countries you can get to with $1000 from your home airport. I got 4 continents and 10 countries for $1000 to my surprise! I posted it on my IG and had a bunch of people comment and message me how I did it. Soooooo…..
I decided it would be a cool blog post to explain it….but I wanted to go one step further. I wanted to see how much it would cost to get to all 7 continents (my dream)!
Through my research I realized that Antarctica is like the most expensive place in the world to get to and super had to get to as well, so I decided to leave that one out. Because honestly it would kinda defeat the purpose of proving how cheap it is to travel by leaving it in there. Sorry Antarctica, you’ll have to wait.
Without further ado…Here is how to get to 6 CONTINENTS and back from Washington, DC, USA for only $1632. If you wanted to start in Los Angeles, it would actually be $25 cheaper! How crazy is that? The old me who spent $1,1000 just to go to Italy would have never believed this!
How to use Skyscanner for Cheap Flights
Skyscanner “Everywhere” Option (life changing)
If you don’t know what this is, you’re about to find out…and you’ll thank me later :). The everywhere option is what makes Skyscanner a complete life-changing game changer.
USA to South America
Step 1: Basically, you put in your home airport and in the “to” field you type in “Everywhere“; for the departure date select “Cheapest month“. I understand this does take some flexibility. But if you don’t have to travel on certain dates, it will save you a shit ton of money! Trust me on this one. ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓
First Step: type in your home airport and in the “to” field type “Everywhere”
Step 2: I searched for the cheapest destination on a different continent, which happened to be in Colombia, South America! So for $116 one-way I can get to Cartegena, Colombia on November 2nd. Who knew it was that cheap?
Washington, DC to “Everywhere”…looks like you can get to South America for only $116!
Rinse & Repeat! I basically did that for each new continent. How simple is that? Got me thinking of the famous Dr. Seuss quote: “oh the places we will go…”♥
South America to Europe
This one-way ticket was a a bit pricier, but hey, these continents are really far away! The cheapest way to get to Europe from Cartegena in November is to fly to London for $346 (I know it says $327 below, but sometimes when you click through to view the flight the prices change a bit…prices and availability are constantly changing so just keep that in mind).
Cartegena, Colombia to “Everywhere”
Europe to Africa
Did you know you can fly from London to Morocco for only freakin $19?!? How in the world?! I don’t even understand, but I’m rollin’ with it!
London to Fez, Morocco for only $19
On that note..look at ALL these European countries you can get to for $13 or less from London! Like, seriously? Come on!
Oh, the endless possibilities…
Africa back to Europe
So I found that it was cheaper to fly back to Europe and then go to Asia from there. I specifically picked Milan from experience. It seems to be one of the cheapest airports in Europe to fly in and out of! BAM $22!
Europe to Asia
This is the result of Milan to “Everywhere”. The cheapest from Milan to Asia is flying to Dubai for $148 on December 2nd.
Asia to Australia
Since I knew the last continent on my list would be Australia, I didn’t use the “Everywhere” option on this one. I simply typed in Dubai to Australia (any). It then displays the cheapest cities on Australia to fly into, which happens to be Sydney for $314.
Australia to USA
So this leg would be the most expensive part by far, getting from Australia back to Washington, DC one-way. When I searched directly, this is what I got: $737 for a one-way ticket. Oh hell nah!
Sydney to Washington, DC one-way costs $737. Ouch.
Instead of flying directly from Sydney, I decided to break it up into 2 legs because most the time it’s cheaper that way on a long route like this one:
SYD-LAX: $580
LAX-WAS: $87
Ok. it’s still expensive as hell, but this way it saved $70 and you get to stop in Los Angeles. Woohoo!
Here’s the Breakdown:
Washington, DC—> Cartegena, Colombia $116
Cartegena, Colombia—> London, England $346
London, England—>Fez, Morocco $19
Fez, Morocco—>Milan, Italy $22
Milan, Italy—>Dubai, UAE $148
Dubai, UAE—> Sydney, Australia $314
Sydney, Australia—>Los Angeles, USA $580
Los Angeles—>Washington, DC $87
Total: $1632 for 6 continents (starting November 2nd and ending January 17th). Hey, you’re gonna need lots of time to see all these countries!
So there you have it, 6 continents from the East Coast of the USA and back for $1632 using Skyscanner.com. Did I mention how much I love this website? It’s my ultimate “go-to” booking site and it’s really one of the main reasons I have been able to travel so much in the last 2 years!
It does take some flexibility and some patience tying to find all the combinations for the best routes, but it can save you a LOT of money and allow you to travel a LOT more. Sometimes you just have to think outside the box!
What are you waiting for? Start checking prices right meow! 🙂
(Disclosure: This little search box contains an affiliate link (my first one ever!), which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using this link, at no extra cost to you).
Did you find this blog post helpful? If so, please let me know in the comments and I will post more articles just like this with more specifics of how to do everything ♥
It would be my first time in Stockholm and my friend Carey and I would be attending a travel blogging conference known as TBEX. We were super excited to be going, but astounded at the prices of hotels (and also Airbnbs) in the center. Eeeek, not what budget (ish) travelers want to hear!
Stockholm is not cheap. I repeat, Stockholm is not cheap! That’s one thing you need to keep in mind when you’re visiting. It’s the capital city of one of the most expensive countries in all of Europe.
To find a great hotel in the center of Stockholm at a good price is not an easy feat. That’s where Hotel C Stockholm comes in. As part of Nordic Choice hotels, I really wanted to stay here because I had been highly impressed by the quality/value trade off staying at one of their hotels in Bergen, Norway earlier this year. You can read my review here if interested! 🙂
The Hotel C Stockholm became the perfect choice during our time in Stockholm. Here are the top 5 reasons why…
1. Biggest Breakfast Selection I Have Ever Experienced at a Hotel. And I mean EVER!
The breakfast at Hotel C Stockholm has forever ruined my hotel brekkie experience from this day forth. Why can’t all hotel breakfasts be like this? When I say the selection was huge, I damn well mean it!
They had about 6-7 rows of food stations, a smoothie section, hot plates (including bacon, eggs, sausage, and American pancakes), fresh fruits, salads, porridge with fresh toppings, homemade jams, cured meats, cheeses, and much, much more!
They also had a whole section marked gluten and lactose free for those with dietary restrictions (like me!). I was in heaven.
For those who happily indulge in gluten, they had a huge counter section of different varieties of freshly baked bread loafs.
Another cool feature offered was 2 juice presses with several varieties of fresh fruits to make your own concoction. So awesome!
2. It’s Own Ice Bar (ICEBAR Stockholm)
You can’t go to Sweden and not go to an ice bar. I had never been so I was super stoked it was right in the hotel!
Upon arrival, they give you a thick lined poncho with gloves. The bar is dimly lit with changing LED lights of purple, pink and blue hues.
Entrance also gives you one free drink. They serve you ice glasses that also change colors. That was pretty neat!
The one thing I will say is that it is extremely small inside, so it might get a bit cramped. Reservations are required.
Don’t be an idiot like me and go in with flip flops/sandals. My toes were frozen after 30 minutes and that forced us to leave.
3. The Best Location in Stockholm. Really.
When you’re right in the center, you can usually walk everywhere and don’t have to spent extra money on transport.
Hotel C Stockholm is located right outside the Arlanda Express at the central station.
Underground art in Stockholm…only a few minutes by metro from Hotel C Stockholm! 🙂
I can’t tell you how great it is to just take a bus from the airport and have it drop you off right next to your hotel. That hardly ever happens. Hauling bags around European streets can be a real pain!
We were literally in the center of everywhere we needed to be and it made the trip super convenient! And the best part was that it was super quiet! We didn’t hear any street noise or commotion outside, it felt like we were in a secluded spot!
4. It’s Own Info Center
Ok, you probably don’t think this is not bey important at all…but have you been to Stockholm? Every info center in the city (and airport) is super busy and require you to take a ticket and wait. At the airport, I waited for 20 minutes just to be seen.
I noticed a big line at other info centers in the city as well. I’m not sure why, but going to an info center in Stockholm can take forever and result in unnecessary frustration.
If you have no patience for wasting time like me, you will come to really appreciate the in-house info center. And look, there’s no one there!
5. Hearts Restaurant has a Great Ambiance and Equally Great Food!
I have a confession. I ate at Hearts restaurant EVERY night of my trip. Ya, that’s right, every night. I even ordered it up for room service a few nights.
After being in a conference all day, and having only a short time until our evening activities, we didn’t have much time to go out to eat anywhere else.
Not only was it super convenient, it was really tasty food! I had a hamburger and fries, potato skins, and the Lobster bucket, all great! My favorite thing on the menu was the potato skin. A half baked potato with jalapeños and cheese on top, so creamy and so good! I may have ordered it more than once.
An extra bonus is that they had gluten free options! #score
Bonus:
Really cool lobby. Hotel C Stockholm had one for the coolest lobbies. The reception greeted you with a white spiral staircase and gold backdrop and hanging glass balls. It gave me the illusion of blowing bubbles. The lobby was spread it on the ground floor with several different seating areas with colorful oversize chairs. It was very warm and inviting.
The Damage
In the offseason, rooms run as low as $85 per night! In peak season you can find rooms for as little as $163! This is super reasonable considering this is Scandinavia!! The value for the price cannot be beat!
Verdict
Overall, I really enjoyed this hotel! The staff was super friendly, the restaurants was great, the beds were super comfy, the room had everything we needed, the ice bar was cool (get it?), and the location could’t have been any better. I really didn’t have any complaints during this stay!
Disclaimer: I was a guest of Hotel C Stockholm during my stay. However, I don’t bulls#*t and I would never recommend somewhere I didn’t truly enjoy! ♥
It’s not just any keychain. The Traveller Collective keychain is composed of a clip with “spacers” that represent each individual country you’ve ever travelled to. Each county has its initials engraved onto each little spacer. Cool, huh? It’s a pretty unique way to track all the different places and adventures you’ve had while travelling! Mine has 55 currently and hoping to add more soon!
Forget the debate about the number of countries you’ve been to and how you shouldn’t “count countries”, it’s not about that. It’s more of a symbol that each spacer on your keychain represents an amazing place you’ve been, a constant reminder of your footprint left on the world.
I sometimes find myself flipping through the spacers while on a long train ride or a flight. First, I try to guess which country it is based on the initials. Then it triggers memories from that particular place:
The time we had our own private little island to ourselves in Belize.
The time I went on a safari in South Africa.
The time I went on a one week sail trip in Croatia that changed my life.
That time I got left behind from our cruise ship on the shores of Barcelona, got heat stroke, and spent the day in the hospital (hey, I never said all memories were good ones haha!).
That time I scuba dived for the first time in the Red Sea.
That little reminder sparks a whole lot of emotion and takes me right back to the moment.
How Will You Leave Your Mark on the World?
Although the keychain is super unique, I like to focus on the concept behind the actual material product. The idea of a close community of travellers, leaving our marks on the world (represented as the spacers), as well as what should be most important to us…giving back to those less fortunate.
We are lucky enough to have a platform to reach many people, and we need to take advantage of that and use that to promote a positive message.
Travelling has taught me so much, and we often forget what a PRIVILEGE it is. So it’s reallyimportant to take some time to give back to the world we are constantly taking from.
Being creepy in Italy with my Traveller Collective Keychain
Making a Difference
What’s really special about this souvenir is that the Traveller Collective company cares about making a difference (and you can too!). So much so that 20% of the profits goes to helping underprivileged communities.
Traveller Collective has partnered up with Imagine1Day on some really great community projects in Ethiopia.
They have previously raised $10,000 to build a sustainable, clean and safe drinking water source in Northern Ethiopia.
Currently, Traveller Collective is aiming to raise $10,000 to help build a school along with providing educational materials for the children of Dum, Ethiopia.
So when you buy a keychain, you’re directly helping make a difference for these less fortunate communities. It’s a win-win if you ask me! ♥
Disclaimer: this post was written in collaboration with Traveller Collective. However, I have my own keychain and I LOVE it! Not only the look, but the important message behind it. It’s something I wholeheartedly support! I would never recommend something I truly didn’t love!♥
Skopelos is known as the green island, and as soon as you pull into the port, you can clearly see why. The island is made up of 45% trees and vegetation and provides a gorgeous background to all the spectacular beaches. Although most people may not have ever heard of Skopelos, it made its introduction to the world as the filming site of the infamous Mamma Mia musical starring Meryl Streep.
Where is Skopelos?
Skopelos is the largest of the Sporades archipelago group, located in the Northeast of Greece. Now you know. 🙂
How to get to Skopelos
Skopelos can be reached by ferry from the mainland ports of Volos and Aghios Konstantinos. Another option is to fly into Skiathos, anothernearby island in the Sporades, and take the one hour ferry ride over. I usually book Greek ferries online with Hellenic Seaways.
Spyrou hotel group-a luxury hotel group that has 4 lovely hotels on the island. I stayed in Skopelos Holiday Hotel & Spa and it had a panoramic view over the port of Skopeos and the surrounding mountains. The staff treats you like royalty and are very attentive to your needs. The hotel has a pool, jacuzzi, and spa as well as on-site restaurant and pool bar. The room I was staying in was overlooking the pool with a spectacular view of the town in the backdrop. It’s about a 25 minute walk to town and they can arrange a ferry pick up and drop of at your request.
I was impressed with the service and treatment at this hotel. I felt like a queen during my short stay! I was also there during shoulder season so I basically had the whole hotel to myself. I think I got extra attention for this fact…something I definitely wasn’t complaining about.
Blue Green Bay-I spent quite a lot of time here lounging and enjoying the most beautiful bay known as Panormos (aka Blue Green Bay). The hotel is on Panormos beach with private loungers and beds. It’s very relaxing and tranquil. It has a pool and beach bar both overlooking the beach.
This is the place to stay when you want somewhere a little more luxurious and private. The tiny little village of Panormos has a few restaurants, shops, and tour agencies close by. It’s secluded, yet close to some amenities if you desire. It’s also closer to some of the best beaches on the island, namely Kastrani and Milia.
What to Do in Skopelos
Skopelos Town-Skopelos town is located along the waterside and is a lot less commercialised than most Greek island towns. For that reason, you can really appreciate the traditional housing throughout the maze like town. Skopelos town has many many stairs, so if you don’t mind the walk, take a stroll to the top and admire the views.
There are 3 main churches in the town worth a visit, my favourite being the Church of Panagitsa tou Pyrgou, pictured below. The pure white structure with the turquoise sea in the background is as picturesque as they come.
I had a mini tour arranged by a lady named Daphne and she was wonderful! She has her very own blog about the island called Skopelos News and she also does private tours around the island, so check her out if you’re in town.
She revealed so much of the history of the island and gave me some interesting facts while navigating through the cute little streets. And who doesn’t like a private tour guide, right? :). The most interesting fact I learned about Skopelos? It has 365 churches, one for every day of the year!
Panormos Beach (aka Blue Green Bay)-as you drive to this beach and come around the corner, you get a sneak peak from above and it is absolutely breathtaking. You can really see the changing colours from deep blue, to turquoise, to emerald green closer to the shore. It’s SPECTACULAR. If you only go to one beach on the island, make it this one!
I went back twice because I loved it so much. It’s very peaceful and beautiful. There are a few little restaurants on the beach, as well as sun beds for use.
No edits on this pic, look at the water changing colors..
Kastrani-this is the main beach used in many scenes of the movie Mamma Mia. This might be the most turquoise waters I have ever seen. It looks as if a turquoise colored highlighter had been broken and leaked into the sea. The white stone and towering trees in the backdrop only add to the beauty of this beach. This is the most popular beach on the island, so in summer, expect a crowd. There is a cute restaurant bar on the beach as well.
Is this not paradise? ♥
Milia-this beach is just on the other side of Kastrani and a little more rugged with white sand. This beach may be a little more quiet than Kastrani if you’re looking for a little R&R. There is also a little restaurant near the beach if you get hungry/hangry.
Glossa– a cute little town perched on the top of a hill with amazing views over the sea. It’s a little more traditional than Skopelos town and is another great place to base yourself when visiting the island.
St. John Church (Agios Ioannis)-this church is where the marriage took place in Mamma Mia. It’s located about 100 meters above the sea on a high rock jutting out over the water. Even if you’re not a fan of themovie, you must go up to the top. The panoramic views over the Aegean Sea are freaking awesome! It takes less than 10 minutes to get to the top and is 100% worth it. Do it!
View from the top…
SUP (stand up paddle board)-I decided I wanted my first SUP experience to be in Greece and I am so glad it was! I had an awesome Irish instructor named Shane and he gave me a one hour one-on-one lesson before we embarked on a sunset tour. We started in Elios beach and paddled north along the coast for a good 3 hours, stopping at a private little beach for some fresh melons and a snack.
The best part about my tour was the puppy that followed us along the shoreline the entire time, jumping over rocks and climbing on narrow ledges to keep up with us. On the way back, the little puppy got stuck on a rock and Shane took him onto his paddle board for the last hour to bring him safely back to where we started. My first SUP experience was extremely memorable to say the least and I highly recommend it!
Shane’s company is called Sporades SUP if you’re interested!
Kayaking-I absolutely love kayaking, especially when I’m in a gorgeous place. It’s such a good workout and allows you to see the coast from a different perspective. On our tour, we even saw a rare monk seal taking a nap on the shore. The tour company Kayaking Greece is run by an English husband-wife team and they were awesome and energetic!
The tour started at Elios beach and went south along the coast, all the way down to Kastrani beach. The scenery along the way was gorgeous and I didn’t want it to end. If you go to Skopelos, you MUST try the kayaking!
Skopelos in a nutshell
Skopelos is for nature lovers, it’s more laid back and quiet than most Greek islands, and there are plenty of water activities to choose from. It’s gorgeous, pristine, and shouldn’t be overlooked as it has so much to offer! It’s a wonderful place to get away from it all!
Note: I was a guest of Spyrou Hotels on this press trip. However, my opinions remain my own and I am in no way obligated to write a positive review. I only recommend places I truly enjoy! ♥
Have You Been to Skopelos? What Was Your Favorite Part about the Island? Do Tell!
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