Panormos on the west coast is one of the most beautiful beaches in Skopelos and one of the most sheltered, tucked into a deep bay ringed by pine trees that run down to the waterline. The water is extraordinarily clear and varies from pale turquoise in the shallows to deep blue further out. Part of the beach is organized with sunbeds and a taverna; the far end is quieter. The bay also functions as a small harbour, and the combination of boats, forest, and water makes for a particularly satisfying Aegean scene.
The beach can be reached by road (the last stretch is unpaved but manageable by car), by boat from Skopelos Town, or on foot via a path through the forest. A small community of houses and two or three tavernas provides a base. In the afternoons, when the sun is overhead and the water is calmest, this is as good a spot for swimming as anywhere in the Northern Sporades.