According to the legend, Skopelos was founded by Staphylos (Greek for grape), one of the sons of the god Dionysos and the princess Ariadne of Crete.

Pliny the Elder, in his book Natural History[3] writes: The physician Apollodorus, in the work in which he wrote recommending King Ptolemy what wines in particular to drink—for in his time the wines of Italy were not generally known—has spoken in high terms of that of Naspercene in Pontus, next to which he places the Oretic, and then the Aeneatian, the Leucadian, the Ambraciotic, and the Peparethian, to which last he gives the preference over all the rest.

However, he states that it enjoyed an inferior reputation, from the fact of its not being considered fit for drinking until it had been kept for six years.In 1936 excavations in the area of Staphylos/Velanio uncovered a royal tomb of the era of Mycenaean Greece.

There are not many bays and natural harbors, and cliffs steeply fall into the sea in the greatest part of the coast.

The smaller bays of Staphylos, Agnondas on the south coast and Panormos on the west offer better protection.

[6] The main port and municipal center of the island (Skopelos or Chora) is situated in the bay on the northern coast.

The second largest settlement is Glossa village, situated on the northwestern tip of the island, just above Loutraki harbour, with an elevation ranging from 200 to 300 m (656 to 984 ft).

Other settlements include Stafylos, Agnondas, Panormos, Ananias, Klima, Atheato, Loutraki, Kalogiros, and Myloi.

Though tourism is greatest during the summer months, Skopelos is also a year-round retirement destination for Northern Europeans.

The island once had a vital wooden shipbuilding industry and contributed many ships to the War of Greek Independence (1821–1831).

Today the art of building ships and boats in the traditional style is virtually nonexistent and is seen only in the repairing of small wooden vessels.

The local vegetation is chiefly made up of forests of Aleppo pines (Pinus halepensis), Kermes oaks (Quercus coccifera), a small forest of Holm oaks (Quercus ilex), Oleo-Ceratonion maquis, fruit trees, and olive groves.

As "The Green and Blue Island", Skopelos lags behind urban Greece in rubbish recycling and sewage treatment.

Solid and hazardous waste is deposited in a landfill or dumped unofficially on untended public or private land.

Periodically families of Romani people come to Skopelos to collect scrap metal from areas around the island where trash has been illegally dumped.

Major construction and mass tourism development projects for hotels and tourist housing have not yet embraced the concept of alternative resources.

In March 2007 the Municipal Authorities cleaned a wetland habitat near the town beach at the outlet to the sea of Skopelos' only permanently flowing stream.

The Northern Sporades are one of the prime breeding areas of the Mediterranean monk seal, an endangered species.

The establishment in 1992 of the National Marine Park of Alonnissos-Northern Sporades was an effort to protect this species by restricting human encroachment on seal breeding areas.

Wild land mammals include stone martens, brown rats and house mice, the southern white-breasted hedgehog, bats and, though declining in numbers, European hares.

The Balkan pond turtle can be found near fresh water along with the Greek marsh frog, though this habitat is slowly disappearing due to development.

The Erhard's wall lizard is seen regularly in daylight in warm weather and the Mediterranean house gecko at night.

[19] The town of Skopelos was honoured as a Traditional Settlement of Outstanding Beauty (19/10/1978 Presidential Decree 594,13-11/78, signed by President of Greece Konstantinos Tsatsos).

The building code for new construction and renovation within the village reflects some restrictions due to the Traditional Settlement decree.

Some restrictions stipulate that no new buildings shall be more than two stories, there must be a sloped ceramic or stone roof in the traditional style, and doors, windows, and balconies be made of wood.

The oldest existing ecclesiastical structure is the Basilica of Agios Athanasios, built in the 11th century and located in the Kastro area.

[20] Skopelos reflects this trend and the local authorities are hard pressed to deal with the increased traffic and parking issues.

The island is served by commuter hydrofoils and ferryboats from the ports of Volos, Magnesia and Agios Konstantinos, Phthiotis on mainland Greece,[21] which also allows connections to and from Alonissos and Skiathos.

Its territory corresponded with that of the current regional unit Sporades, and included the islands Skopelos, Skiathos, Alonnisos.