Mamma Mia isle Skiathos is perfect getaway
Abba movie was filmed on the picturesque island and there is no shortage of reminders for curious holidaymakers
IF sun, sea and scenery is the Name Of The Game for you, Skiathos may already be your destination this summer.
After all, it’s where Abba-themed movie Mamma Mia! was filmed.
OK, the scenery might not include Amanda Seyfried questioning her parentage in song but that chapel is a short boat trip away.
The beaches and views are every bit as gorgeous as they appear on screen and there is about as much, or as little, else to do as takes your fancy.
I stayed at Kassandra Bay’s 5H KB Suites & Spa, a few miles from the airport.
Within minutes of landing I was raising a glass to the views from my room.
Kassandra Bay is divided into two parts — the family-friendly Resort and the adults-only KB Suites, both of which boast majestic sea views.
There are three pools, a private beach, a choice of places to eat, well-stocked bar and on-site spa. I’m pretty sure you could live here in contentment.
My room also came with a light-therapy hot tub on the balcony and you can get your own pool for about £39 more a night.
But rather than laze around at the hotel, I spent my first day going to sea, eager to take in some Mamma Mia! sights and, well, laze on a boat.
Following a plentiful buffet breakfast, I set off from the Old Port (about five minutes down the road) for seven hours aboard sailboat Aenao.
Skipper Nickos and first mate Stavros were on hand to guide us around Skiathos and the neighbouring Skopelos, the many uninhabited islands inbetween and more Mamma Mia! locations than you could shake a feta cheesestick at.
And yes, we passed St John’s Chapel, the setting for the wedding in the movie which is every bit as stunning close up.
We also got to snorkel in some of the clearest blue seas around, stop for a la carte lunch in the Aegean and take time out to explore one of the empty beaches only accessible by boat.
All to the on-board soundtrack of Anthony Quinn’s Zorba The Greek, and with a background of mountainous vegetation, pine trees and olive trees.
If it’s possible to feel more immersed in Greece than taking a dip in the Aegean while that album plays, I’m not sure how.
Curiously, such a relaxing day does build up quite an appetite and the two resort restaurants are definitely worth staying on site for.
There are themed buffets most nights, but for a treat I would recommend the Mesoyios a la carte menu, where you are seated a whisker away from the gently crashing waves.
Here I went for the sautéed octopus starter and a main of Rusty Fillet in Jack Daniel’s sauce.
Not only is it the biggest fillet steak I’ve ever seen served up, the sauce was so good I had to find the chef to pinch the recipe.
And while the poolside bar is well stocked and the pina colada, served in a hipster-style jar, is worth a night’s attention on its own, it’s also worth shelling out a few euros on a cab and popping into town afterwards.
The Port area features dozens of tavernas along the promenade.
While some find themselves battling with their neighbours for musical dominance, it’s a relaxed environment and worth a stroll along if only to reach the locally renowned Marilyn at the end — where the beautiful crowd hang out.
Things do start a bit later in Skiathos, so don’t expect too much hustle and bustle before 10pm. Equally, you could keep going into the early hours if you wanted.
The town’s street markets seem to keep similar timings, so it’s a good opportunity to pick up a traditional craft gift.
But if you’re missing Pierce Brosnan’s, ahem, dulcet tones, you shouldn’t worry.
The town’s open-air cinema shows Mamma Mia! three times a week, from 9.30pm, with tickets costing around £7.
If that makes you want to release your inner Dancing Queen, Pure nightclub, as pretty much the only venue of its sort on the island, is the place to go for some even later cocktails and music.
After a night of exploration in the Port area, I decided it was a good idea to slow things down back at the resort the next morning.
Of the three pools to choose from, the pick of the bunch is the raised infinity pool looking down over the coastline.
It’s for Suites guests only, so no kids, and there can’t be many more beautiful, peaceful spots in Greece.
Another ten yards further down is the resort’s private beach, with enough sun loungers along the deck-stripped sands to mean there’s no towel-down at dawn.
If that all sounds a bit too laid back, there are watersports facilities, from stand-up boarding to waterskiing lessons, available at extra cost.
You could also visit the gym or take outdoor yoga classes.
But of course, no trip to a Suites & Spa resort would be complete without a bit of pampering.
If you over-do the sunshine, you can get a specialist After Sun Body & Facial Treatment in the spa.
Skiathos should not be done without a visit to the Bourtzi, a tiny peninsula dividing the Port area.
Originally a fort, it was described to me by one local as “a place where they used to torture enemies”.
Thankfully, it has been converted to an open-air theatre with shows throughout July and August.
If you’re looking for a fly-and-flop vacation with as little or as much Mamma Mia! as you can handle, Kassandra Bay has to be at the top of your destination list this summer.
And I Do I Do I Do plan to return.
GO: Skiathos
GETTING THERE: Aegean Airlines has return flights from Heathrow to Skiathos from £282 per person. See aegeanair.com.
STAYING THERE: Rooms at the adults-only KB Suites & Spa start from £146 per night, based on two sharing a deluxe double, including breakfast.
A Junior Suite with outdoor whirlpool starts at £238, including breakfast. Rooms at the family friendly Kassandra Bay Hotel start from £102 per night, based on two sharing a classic double, including breakfast.
See kbsuites.com or kassandrabay.com.
SAIL AWAY: Visit sailing-aenao.com.