Traveling to Skiathos and Skopelos? These are all Mamma Mia filming locations in Greece.
Last summer, Mari and I dreamed of a girls’ trip to some of Greece’s lesser-known islands with Star Clippers. When we told Aishah that we had never seen Mamma Mia, the ultimate celebration of girlhood and Greek wanderlust, she was shocked and organized a mandatory movie night. After a themed viewing party and repeated listening to ABBA, we were ready to set sail. Then came the surprise. As we dug deeper into our itinerary, we discovered that we were visiting the two Greek islands where Mamma Mia was filmed!
Last updated: November 5, 2025
It started with a Mamma Mia Watch Party
Without our friend Aishah, we wouldn’t have been so excited to visit these Mamma Mia filming locations in Greece. Her love for Mamma Mia was so infectious that it was hard not to fall in love with it.
Where was Mamma Mia filmed?
The majority of both Mamma Mia and Mamma Mia Here We Go Again were filmed at Pinewood Studios in London. However, the exterior shots of the first film were mostly filmed on the island of Skopelos, plus a few scenes on the island of Skiathos.
As for Mamma Mia Here We Go Again, they filmed the outdoor scenes in Vis, Croatia, instead of back in Greece.
Mamma Mia filming locations in Skiathos
Skiathos from the water
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Mamma Mia opens with a boat scene in the song ‘I Have a Dream’. It’s quite a dark scene, but you can still make out the silhouette of Skiathos from the water.
See more: 15 beautiful beaches in Greece to add to your bucket list
Agios Nikolaos Church and Bell Tower, Skiathos
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Agios Nikolaos Church and its bell tower are also part of ‘I Have a Dream’, which features the scene where Sophie sends her letters to her three future fathers.
Local tip: If you’re a cat lover, there were a lot of cats waiting here, including a sweet, toothless black cat.
Port of Skiathos
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In Skiathos harbor they filmed the scene where Sam and Harry miss the ferry in “Honey, Honey”. It’s a handy location if you arrive in Skiathos by boat as this is where the tenders dropped us off.
Pro tip: Finding this port was a bit confusing because Google Maps had it labeled incorrectly, or because it is not the old port of Skiathos as other guides mention. Use the coordinates above or bring a map to the Monument of Lieutenant General Laskos to find the correct location.
See more: Best Day Trip from Athens
Mamma Mia filming locations in Skopelos
Agios Ioannis Church (Chapel of St. John)
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The following are the locations in Skopelos where they filmed most of the outdoor scenes. The most recognizable location is Agios Ioannis Church, and it happened to be our first stop on the Mamma Mia bus tour.
It’s where Sophie and Sky get married and where Donna runs up the stairs in ‘The Winner Takes It All’. The inside of the actual chapel is small, as you can see in my photo below. Like all the other interior scenes, the wedding scene was also filmed at Pinewood Studios in London.
Even if you’re not a big fan of Mamma Mia, it’s worth going to the top of the chapel to admire the views of the coast.
Pro tip: Don’t forget to pack your red scarf! I had to borrow a scarf from a friend to recreate the running scene.
See more: Essential guide to the Acropolis of Athens
Kastani Beach
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Kastani Beach is where Sophie crawls on the beach in ‘Lay All Your Love On Me’. It was cute to hear that some locals still call it the Lay All Your Love On Me Beach to this day. It’s also where they recorded ‘Does Your Mother Know’.
We went for a quick swim and Mari guided me through the crawl since I had never tried a sexy crawl before. Think of a cat, not a beach whale.
Pro tip: Head straight to the north end of the beach, where most scenes were filmed.
Agnontas Beach
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During the bus tour we passed Agnontas Beach, where many port and arrival scenes were seen, for example the reunion scene between Tanya, Rosie and Donna.
See more: Most charming bookstore in Santorini
Amarandos Bay
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I wish we had stopped by Amarandos Cove on the Mamma Mia bus tour. You could see it from the other side as we drove past. This is where they filmed “Our Last Summer” and some beautiful transition shots. You recognize the iconic two trees. They also filmed “Honey, Honey” here.
I would love to go back and explore more of this area.
See more: Best Place to Watch Sunset in Oia Santorini
Map of Mamma Mia filming locations
How to get to Skiathos and Skopelos?
- Star clippers – we stopped in both Skiathos and Skopelos on the Star Clipper, which is small enough to reach smaller ports, unlike the big cruise ships.
- Fly to Skiathos Airport (JSI). Most likely you will have a stopover in Athens or Munich. Skopelos has no airport, so you will need to take a ferry, water taxi or private boat from Skiathos to Skopelos. Depending on the mode of transport, this can take between 15 minutes and 1.5 hours.
Tips for visiting the Mamma Mia Islands
- If you are prone to getting seasickpack Dramamine, scopolamine patches, and ginger mints (I get mine from Trader Joe’s).
- High season – July and August are the busiest months. It has the most pleasant swimming weather, but the accommodations are more expensive and it will be busier.
- Shoulder season – May to mid-June and mid-September to early October. We went in mid-October and you saw many businesses starting to close their doors for the season.
- Eat and shop before 2:00 PM or after 5:00 PM. Typical siesta hours in Greece are between 2 and 5 hours; However, during high season, many restaurants and shops are open all day. We went during the shoulder season, so the shops were closed.
Planning checklist
Is it a dream of yours to visit these Mamma Mia film locations? Or which Greek islands are on your shortlist?
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Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe adventure can be found near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city every year and are currently settling in Las Vegas.
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