The Picturesque Croatian Island That Stood in for Greece in 'Mamma Mia 2' (2024)

FAQs

The Picturesque Croatian Island That Stood in for Greece in 'Mamma Mia 2'? ›

In the original "Mamma Mia," the Greek island of Skopelos played the fictional island of Kalokairi. But to shoot "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again," filmmakers turned to the island of Vis, off the coast of Croatia.

All the inhabitants of Vis island, engaged in the filming of the sequel to this Hollywood hit, after the world premiere, had their own island premiere on July 24, 2018, in Komiža and Vis, where, along with the younger cast members, some of the producers were also present.

Skopelos, Greece

Most of the outdoor scenes in "Mamma Mia!" were filmed on location at various beaches and towns on the island of Skopelos, which is located off the coast of Greece in the Aegean Sea. You can't fly directly to the island, but you can book a flight to the nearby Skiathos Island and then take a ferry.

There is no island called Kalokairi. However, the locations in the movie are not imaginary. They exist and welcome millions of travellers yearly.

Skopelos, Greece

The island is part of the Sporades group that stretches into the Western Aegean from Greece's eastern coast. Its mountainous, wooded interior is best known for its walking trails, olive groves and a rugged coast punctuated by beaches, bays and almost inaccessible coves.

Regarding the decision to kill off Donna in the first place, Craymer said it was born from necessity. She explained that Streep "was hesitant about doing another film because she doesn't typically do sequels," so turning the follow-up into a combined prequel and sequel was a natural next step.

Does Kalokairi actually exist? 🌍 No, Kalokari is a fictional island in Mamma Mia, the real filming location is in Skopelos. The majority of the film was shot on Glysteri Beach and Kastani Beach, close to Skopelos Town, while Sophie's wedding took place at The Chapel of Agios Ioannis.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was filmed across a number of stunning regions, including Croatia, Bordeaux, Stockholm, Oxford, and Hampton. The majority of scenes were shot on the Croatian island of Vis, which boasts its own unique charm with sandy beaches and white limestone cliffs that tower above crystal clear waters.

The series has been filmed in Corfu, Greece, offering an ideal Greek backdrop for the contestants to practice their lines and dances. Comedian Alan Carr, singer-songwriter Jessie Ware, star of Frozen in London's West End Samantha Barks and Olivier Award winner Amber Riley are the judges.

Will It Happen? Judy Craymer, the co-creator of Mamma Mia, expressed her intention to start work on the third installment before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted plans. Craymer mentioned that Universal is keen on a trilogy, indicating that a third movie is likely.

Can you stay in the Mamma Mia Hotel? ›

The answer is no—and yes. Unfortunately, the Villa Donna on Skopelos was a movie set and that exact hotel does not exist. While some exterior sets were built on-site on Skopelos, these were removed after filming was completed. Only a gateway is said to still remain.

Skopelos is yer average middling tourist island for prices. The most expensive islands are Mykonos and parts of Santorini. Ferry - depends exactly when you go in May/June, probably 4-7 times a day. A few Euros like 9€ to 18€ 1p1w.

According to the Mirror, Skopelos must now share its nickname with the Croatian island of Vis, where much of the Mamma Mia! sequel was reportedly filmed because of “hefty government tax breaks.” But this justification didn't comfort the residents of Skopelos.

Greek is the native language of the people of Skopelos. However, many people also speak passable English and some speak German or other European languages.

Dubrovnik lies in the south-east coastal area of Croatia. Once a historic and picturesque town on the Dalmatian coast, Dubrovnik was also a major tourist resort on the Adriatic Sea until much of the town was destroyed during the 1991 war between the republics of Croatia and Serbia.

Pelion were shooting for two days in Damouhari Mouresi in the picturesque harbor (where the scene ends of the Island ( Glisteri Skopelos ) down to the harbor to the song Dancing Queen and where Meryl Streep does a dive from the platform .

Getting There

Skopelos has no airport, so visitors need to fly to Skiathos, where some other scenes in the original "Mamma Mia" were shot, and then take about an hour-long ferry ride to Skopelos. That's the quickest route. You can also drive up the coast from Athens on the fast, good National Highway.

Discover the wonders of Vis Island on this boat cruise from Split. See filming locations from the recent "Mamma Mia" movie, admire stunning lighthouses and hidden beaches, visit a charming fishing village, snorkel in crystal clear waters, and more.

You can reach the island of Skopelos by ferry from 5 ports in mainland Greece: Volos, Thessaloniki, Agios Konstantinos, Kymi and Mantoudi. The ports of Mantoudi and Kymi in Evia, as well as Agios Konstantinos in Phthiotis are the closest to Athens, approximately 2 hours by car.

Split and Vis are connected year-round with a car ferry, In July and August there are up to 4 daily connections which also include a fast ferry/catamaran between Split and Vis, In May, June, September and October there are up to 3 daily departures.