Skopelos is the second island of Sporades and belongs to the prefecture of Magnesia.

About 80% of the area is covered by dense pine forests, often described as paradise. Overall it has about 5,000 residents, of whom 3,000 live in the country.

Skopelos as the Archaic period was known as "Peparithos" since, according to legend, the Minoans Peparithos son of Dionysus and Ariadne, the first colonized the island during the Minoan naval. In another version, the first settler was the brother of the grape, which sailed into the bay south of the island and then reigned, where she was discovered and buried.

However, since the second century. BC adopted the current name "Skopelos" by Ptolemy and Hierocles, probably because of apokrimon coast of north-eastern part of the island.

In archaic times Skopelos colonized by Chalcis and flourished from the late 6th century. and early fifth century. BC
In the Byzantine years, Christianity in prominent figure in the 4th century. AD Bishop Riginos, who took part in the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 363 and died during the persecutions of the Emperor Julian. The Riginos canonised and later founded in honor of the basilica located three kilometers south of the city. According to legend, the present church was built in 1728, probably the remains of an older, Byzantine monastery. Cloisters is the sarcophagus of St. Riginos.