Cycladia | Island Products

Local Specialties & Recipes | Local Products

Honey

The honey at Skopelos has a unique taste and flavor, due to the fact that it is forest honey or flower honey made of a combination of flowers and herbs, like thyme, wild clovers, rosemary, oregano, and many others. The forest honey is made of pines and it has a high nutritional value. Skopelos has about 2,000 beehives in total.

Oil and olives

About 67% of the ground that is being cultivated on Skopelos has olive trees. Oil and olive trees are of high quality and travelers may find all different kinds of olives, including green, purple, black and “wrinkled” olives. During the Ottoman occupation, olive trees were considered to be holy, because although they normally fructify every two years, during that period they fructified every year, and oil and olives were used both for nutrition and for exchange with other products.

Noodles and “trahanas”

Made of wheat or semolina, these types of traditional pasta are a good buy, since they do not need to be preserved in a fridge. They are found in shops with traditional products and sometimes in bakeries.

Cheeses

Skopelos is famous for its cheeses, which are mainly goat and sheep cheeses. The island hosts two unique animal species, the “goats of Skopelos” and the “black-eyed sheep”. Feta and mizithra are eaten either raw, or included in many local recipes (like cheese pie or onions pie).

Pottery

There are a few pottery laboratories on the island, some of which go back to the 19th century and use the traditional techniques, i.e. machines operated by foot. Travelers can buy ceramic pots and decorative objects for various uses, which are available in touristic shops.

Hand-made knives

The knives of Skopelos are actually little works of art, which are shaped exactly like the knives of war in Ancient Greece. They are hand-made, their handholds are made of goat horns and their blades are very narrow on the front part and very wide on the back. Unfortunately the art of hand-made knives tends to disappear.

Embroideries

In Skopelos, travelers should definitely buy handmade tablecloths, towels, sheets decorated with lace and many more, all made with the traditional way.

Wine

Skopelos has been famous for its wonderful wine even in the Ancient years. The wine of Skopelos is considered among the best in Greece, but is not produced in large quantities, due an epidemic that destroyed the majority of vineyards in 1940.

Soap with local herbs

Local producers create hand-made soaps based on local olive oil and perfumed with local herbs. They often are biologically produced and are excellent for the skin.

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