Skopelos, Greece
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Skopelos Σκόπελος |
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 Skopelos
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Location within the region
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| Coordinates: 39°7′N 23°43′E / 39.117°N 23.717°ECoordinates: 39°7′N 23°43′E / 39.117°N 23.717°E | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Thessaly |
| Regional unit | Sporades |
| Area | |
| • Municipality | 96.229 km2 (37.154 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 681 m (2,234 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Municipality | 4,960 |
| • Municipality density | 52/km2 (130/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 370 03 |
| Area code(s) | 24240 |
| Vehicle registration | BO |
| Website | www.skopelos.gov.gr |
Skopelos (Greek: Σκόπελος) is a Greek island in the western Aegean Sea. Skopelos is one of several islands which comprise the Northern Sporades island group, which lies east of the Pelion peninsula on the mainland and north of the island of Euboea. It is part of the Thessaly region. Skopelos is also the name of the main port and the municipal center of the island. The other communities of the island are Glossa and Neo Klima (Elios). The geography of Skopelos includes two mountains over 500 m (1,640 ft); Delphi (681 m/2,234 ft) in the center of the island, and Palouki (546 m/1,791 ft) in the southeast. With an area of 96 square kilometres (37 sq mi) Skopelos is slightly larger than Mykonos (85 km2/33 sq mi) and Santorini (73 km2/28 sq mi). The nearest inhabited islands are Skiathos to the west and Alonissos to the east.
According to the legend, Skopelos was founded by Staphylos or Staphylus (Greek for grape), one of the sons of the god Dionysos and the princess Ariadne of Crete. Historically, in the Late Bronze Age the island, then known as Peparethos or Peparethus (Ancient Greek: Πεπάρηθος), was colonised by Cretans, who introduced viticulture to the island.
Perhaps because of the legend of its founding by the son of the god of wine, the island was known throughout the ancient Greek cities of the Mediterranean Sea for its wine. The play Philoctetes (first performed at the Festival of Dionysus in 409 BC) by Sophocles includes a wine merchant lost on his way to "Peparethos, rich in grapes and wine".
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Wikipedia