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Information about the islands nearby Athens

Very near to Athens are the islands of the Saronic Gulf, Salamina, Aegina , Agistri, Poros, Hydra and Spetses. All of those islands belong to the prefecture of Piraeus and the distance from Athens is to the nearest of those, namely Salamina or Salamis, only 10 minutes from the suburb of Piraeus, Perama. Aegina and Agistri are accessible within an hour and few minutes by boat, Poros is a few miles further to the South of Aegina and finally the islands of Hydra and Spetses 3 to 3 and half hours away by ferry boats and hydrofoils . The Saronic gulf islands are ideal for small excursions from Athens and traditionally used to be the weekend outing for many Athenians .

Before the connection with Salamina’s Paloukia by small ferries, small boats where departing almost every 20 minutes from Piraeus to the most popular resort of Salamina, Selinia, especially on Sundays when the labour class of Piraeus used to spend the Sunday excursion with the whole family in their small holiday house. Many Athenians even today have holiday houses in Salamina, with the difference that the old small houses of 40 years ago today have become luxury villas and the once labour class resorts of Salamina today are luxury villa resorts with new roads and beautiful beaches.

Aegina

aeginaOnce Capital of Greece, still has her charm with the beautiful neoclassical buildings from the 19th century.

The closest island to Athens and a classic solution for day trips and summer vacations, with more and more Athenians acquiring a holiday home here, is constantly renewed in recent years.

The neoclassical mansions of the port have been refreshed, Paleochora is being restored a few, but remarkable new investments add points to its travel profile.
Aegina in the past as well as nowadays is one of the popular day trips for the many Athenians and locals.

Aegina is another island of the Saronic gulf near Athens an ideal destination for Athenian weekenders, for nature lovers, ecologists and also for those that like to hike on the hills of the island. There are many forests and traditional mountain villages, Aegina has many similarities with Skiathos in the Sporades islands in matter of pine trees and nice beaches.

The capital of the island has many neoclassical buildings and a very interesting museum. One of the attractions of Aegina is a coach ride through the town. In the restaurants along the promenade the visitor can enjoy local specialities and fresh fish only a few meters from the beach.

AeginaAegina has a rich historical past 3000 years old. According to the Greek Mythology its first king was Aeacus. The historical past of Aegina is connected with the Minoan and Mycenaean civilisation from founding on the island. During the historical period of Greece 7th – 5th century BC Aegina was an important commercial centre and a sea power .

Aegina today is one of the most beautiful islands of the Saronic gulf. The town of Aegina is worth a visit as well as the beaches in Marathonas, Perdika, Agia Marina and Souvala. The island is famous for its pistachio production. In older years was here a flourishing clay production of house keeping items.

The most important monuments of Aegina is the Temple of Aphaea ( a few kilometres out of Aegina town) and the Temple of Apollo in the town of Aegina on the small hill overlooking the city. At the port there are have been renovations including a yacht Marina. Another huge yacht marina located at the north part of the island.

The trip to Aegina its about 40-45 minutes by hydrofoil from Piraeus there are also Ferries departing frequently to Aegina and the other Saronic islands.

Salamina

salamis

Salamis is a Greek island of Attica, closing the Bay of Eleusis in the Saronic Gulf, of which it is the largest island. It has 28,423 inhabitants1 for 95 km2. During the summer, the population of Salamis increases, according to estimates, to nearly 280,000 people2. It forms a deme of the Regional District of the Islands, like each of the other islands in the Saronic Gulf. The capital of the deme is the eponymous city.

It is about 1 nautical mile (2 km) off Piraeus and about 16 kilometers (10 miles) west of Athens. On the eastern coast of the island is the main port, Paloukia, second in size in Greece after that of Piraeus [ref. necessary]. Since 1881, Salamis has been the seat of the Salamis Naval Base.

Salamis is the homeland of the Homeric king Ajax son of Telamon and the tragic poet Euripides. The island became internationally known for the battle that took place there in 480 BC. BC between the Greek fleet and that of the Persian Empire. The Greeks carry the victory and put an end, definitively, to the expansion plans of the Persians in Europe.

The hero of the Greek War of Independence Geórgios Karaïskákis had his headquarters on the beach of Salamis. The modern Greek poet Ángelos Sikelianós lived on the island from 1933 to 1950, opposite the monastery of Faneroméni

Agistri island

agistriAgistri tiny and green, it looks like a “floating pine forest”. In the heart of the Saronic Gulf, it is located 55 minutes from Piraeus and just 5 minutes from Aegina!

Suitable for families looking for a low profile destination for a budget vacation as well as for fans of free camping, thanks to its beautiful coves and beaches.

The port of Skala is the most “cosmopolitan” place and its sandy beach – without being the most beautiful – is suitable, due to its shallow waters, for families.

Agistri island is located less than an hour from Piraeus as it is only a few minutes away from Aegina by boat. The island is a really green island with many pines and other trees. It is mostly a hidden paradise known by the Athenians and some of them have their holiday houses there.

The island is one of the best destinations in the Saronic gulf for relaxing holidays away from the crowds of package tourism. During the weekends there are more visitors to the island mainly from Athens. In Agistri you will find many sandy and pebble beaches to enjoy , it has as well many locations ideal for scuba diving. There is accommodation in hotels apartments and studios.

agistri

 The island of Agistri has 2 ports the one is Skala where you will arrive from Piraeus and the other in Megalochori or Mylos the capital of the island. You can get there by ferries from Piraeus and Aegina. Both towns have all kind of shops including nice taverns and restaurants where you can enjoy fresh fish and other specialities.
Though a small island Agistri has all kind of comforts and services including a medical centre, banks, pharmacy, bikes and scooter rentals and a cinema.

In the travel agencies you will find information and ferry tickets for the other islands of the Saronic.
On the island there is a horse riding school and you have the opportunity for free horse riding on the hills of the island.
Other activities on the island is hiking, water sports, scuba diving, wind surfing, fishing and coach riding. If you want to get around there is a small bus that makes the route Skala, Megalochori, Limenaria and Aponisos.
Around the island there are smaller islands ideal for picnic and day trips those are the island of Metopi with a small church, the island Dorousa, Spalathronisi and Kyra. During July and August there are organised excursions to the Ancient Epidaurus festival from the cultural club of Aegina
Shopping: You will find almond sweets, olive oil, and various fruit sweets in jars and in some places sweets

Hydra

hydraHydra, the most picturesque island of the Saronic Gulf, with atmospheric boutique hotels in restored mansions, stylish restaurants and vibrant nightlife, is ideal for romantic and secular breaks. Hydra long time before Mykonos and Santorini were discovered by the international jet set, VIP’s and celebrities use to be the most cosmopolitan island of Greece, as well as Spetses.

Hydra is above all a chain of mountains plunging into the sea, about twenty kilometers long and 2 to 3.5 km wide. Its highest point, Mount Eros or Vigla, culminates at 593 meters. Apart from three coves, the coast is rocky and inhospitable to ships, which once favored the defense of the island.

The interior, mountainous, is rocky and covered with maquis, more conducive to extensive livestock farming than to crops. The gray hills often end in coastal cliffs. The water is insufficient and the sources rare and intermittent, despite the name of the island (Hydra or Hydréa, the “well watered”), perhaps inherited from the ancient climate.

 

Spetses

spetsesEqually picturesque Spetses, two steps by dolphin from Piraeus and βήμα half a step by sea taxi from the port of Costa to Argolida (connected 24 hours a day), are a favorite choice of the laity for a stylish getaway, timeless preference of couples and a classic youth date for summer fun, which culminates during the September weekend of the Armata celebration.
The Famous Greek ship owner Niarhos owned the small island of Spetsopoula between Hydra and Spetses famous for its participation in the 1821 Greek Revolution.

This island has as well a cosmopolitan atmosphere and from here you can take the hydrofoil to visit Nafplion in the Peloponesse and return to Athens by road, passing on the way the ancient town of the King Agamemnon, Mycenae and also the ancient city of Tyrins and the famous ancient theatre of Epidaurus which, every summer, performs famous traditional plays from ancient playwrights such as Sophocles and Aristophanes as part of the Athens festival. .

Poros

porosMore low profile, with the picturesque Old Town, the proximity to the Peloponnese and the selected accommodation proposals, Poros has its own fanatical friends.

Poros is known as the green island and has crystal clear sea and idyllic beaches with a small channel separating it from Peloponnesus and the idyllic resort of Galatas with its famous beach in Lemonodasos.

Many Greek films have been made during the 50’s and the 60’s in Aegina and Poros as well as in Hydra, the most cosmopolitan island of the Saronic gulf

Long before the foreign tourists arrived in Greece ‘en masse’ , Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses the islands that are so closed to Athens where popular and well known among the Greeks. Today other islands like the islands of the Cyclades, the cosmopolitan Mykonos, the world famous Santorini, the party island of Ios, the idyllic islands of Naxos and Paros attract thousands of tourists but the Saronic gulf islands are keeping their charm and magic and are always there for us to enjoy their beautiful beaches, landscape, history and tradition.

Today with the fast ferries and the cheap domestic flights from both Aegean and Olympic airlines one can say that all Greek islands are near to Athens. A flight to the beautiful islands of the Dodecanese like Leros, Kos, or Rhodes is less then an hour, while a super fast ferry to the island of Crete can go there within 5-6 hours. The Sporades islands like Skyros, Skiathos, Alonissos and Skopelos can be reached by bus and ferry from Volos a few hours away from Athens. Only the islands of the Ionian sea like Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos and Ithaca are a bit tricky to access from Athens as you have to fly or to travel to Patras and get the ferry.