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Stories from the North Sporades

Stories From the North Sporades
by Victoria Sandels
(2009) Colour
Pages: 16
Price: 8 €

I wrote this booklet because I have been doing tours to Skopelos and Alonissos for many years. The islands are absolutely beautiful and quite different and as always in Greece, they are full of history, mythology, local legends, superstitions and special places of interest.

Chapters

Introduction

The North Sporades

Skiathos
Skiathos Town & Bourtzi
Tsougria
Arco & Tripiti
Aspronisos & Marago
Kastro
Evagelistria Monastery
Kounistra Monastery

Skopelos

Skopelos Town
The Cliff od Hadoula
John the Baptist (the Mamma Mia Church)
Gourouni - the Pig
The Church of St. Anne
Staphylos
The Ravine of the Dragon
Agnonta
Mt. Delphi
Andrines & Panormos
Dasia, Kastani, Milies & Elios
Old & New Klima
Glossa & Loutraki

Alonissos
The Old Town
Patitiri & Votsi
Kokkinokastro
Steni Vala
The Blue Cave
The Church of the Penniless
Gerakas

The Smaller Islands
St. George's Islands
Dyo Adelfia - the Two Brothers
Peristera
Kyra Panagia
Youra

The Marine Park

Skyros

Evia

Map of the North Sporades



St. Paraskevi (lit. St. Friday) is the patron saint of Alonissos and Evia. She was a Roman maiden who lived in the 2nd century and became one of the first Christian Martyrs. She was believed to be able to cure the blind and has therefore become the saint people with eye problems turn to. In icons she is shown with a pair of eyes in her hands, as well as with a wooden cross symbolising her martyrdom. On Evia there is a church dedicated to St. Paraskevi where people in love go. They place and coin on her icon and if it sticks their love will be reciprocated and if it falls off - bad luck!


The beaches Kastani (front) and Milies on Skopelos. Although both can be seen in the film Mamma Mia, it was really Kastani that was the main beach. Here, a tavern and a jetty were built for the film and several songs were shot here, for example Lay All Your Love on Me and Does Your Mother Know.

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The Church of St. Floros on the small island of Tsougria is one of the quaintest and most unusual churches of the North Sporades. Still active, religious celebrations and weddings are held here. In the 1960's The Beatles supposedly wanted to buy this island but for various reasons Tsougria was never sold. Today the island is partly private and partly belongs to the Evagelistria Monastery.