Saronic Gulf Islands
The closest islands to Athens are easy to visit
The first time I went to Hydra I saw John Cleese. The hard-to-miss comedian was dining with a group of friends a few tables away from us in the harbour. I pointed him out to my neighbour, a Dutch girl, and she squealed with delight: “Yes! Monty Peethon!”
I was on the kind of holiday which just doesn’t happen any more - a group camping trip, driving from London to Greece and, at the time, the cheapest way of getting there. You’d drive down through Europe, stop one or two nights on the way, get to spend about ten days camping in Greece and then drive back again.
On this particular trip we were camping in Kifissia in northern Athens, and it was easy to get into the city and explore. The group leader suggested we go to one of the Saronic Gulf islands for a day or two, leave our tents behind and find a cheap hotel or guesthouse.
Unfortunately he hadn’t realised that it was Easter weekend, and when we trooped off the ferry on Hydra, there was not a room to be had. We tramped around for a while, until someone suggested we go to the Tourist Police. They flipped through their list of contacts, of places where we might find a bed for the night. We all split up, and I ended up sleeping al fresco in a brass bed that the home-owner had dragged out onto their balcony. The house was on the main street and it felt very strange getting in and out of bed and sleeping just a few feet above the passers-by!
Hydra
If you were staying in Athens and only had time to visit one island, I think I would go for Hydra. It’s got a lot of character, a Bohemian atmosphere from being popular for decades with writers and artists, and it also has no traffic.
Its beaches are mainly rocky, so not a place for sunbathers, but if you enjoy hiking, and hanging out in cafes and tavernas, this is the place for you.
Poros
My second-favourite of these Saronic Gulf Islands, also called the Argo-Saronic Islands, is Poros.
Bear in mind that this is mainly because I’ve had a few holidays on Poros, so got to know it better than, say, Spetses and Aegina, where I’ve only spent a few days. You can get to Poros from Piraeus in an hour on a fast boat, or 2-3 hours on a slower and cheaper ferry.
Poros has that relaxed Greek island feeling, but what I love is that it’s close to the mainland of the Peloponnese. The channel between them is only a few hundred meters, and a small boat goes back and forth all day (and all night!)
One year we rented bicycles and having explored Poros, hauled them over on the boat to the Peloponnese. There we cycled up and down the coast, and inland, with no idea where we were going. One place we did know about was Limonodassos, a vast lemon grove (and some other citrus trees), which is a sensory delight to walk though.
From the mainland port opposite Poros you can also catch buses to places like Epidavros and Nafplion, so Poros is a terrific base if you want to see some of the highlights of this part of the Peloponnese.
Aegina
There are constant ferries to Aegina from Piraeus, taking about an hour on a regular ferry, or maybe 40/45 minutes on a faster one.
Aegina Town is beautiful, and has a lot of history behind it. Aegina also has the Temple of Aphaia, which is older than the Parthenon and said to be one of the finest Doric temples in Greece.
Spetses
Spetses is the other main island in the Saronic Gulf that you makes either a great day trip from Athens, or a place to base yourself for at least a few nights. Spetses has some good beaches, a long maritime history, though no major archaeological remains. It’s therefore the perfect place to chill out.
You can also catch a ferry from here to the Peloponnese. It’s the furthest of the islands from Athens and takes 2-3 hours by ferry.
Visiting the Saronic Gulf Islands
There is another island, Salamina, which is the closest to Athens but this is more of a commuter island with fewer attractions for visitors. It has a population of almost 40,000, rather than just a few thousand at the most for the other islands, so isn’t a place to get away from it all.
All the islands are popular with visitors from Athens, so they’re very lively at weekends and holidays, especially during the summer. If you’re visiting out of season then you can probably just turn up and find somewhere to stay when you arrive. Otherwise you should book ahead, or you might find yourself like me, sleeping on someone’s balcony!
Till next time.
Yammas
Mike and Donna
Thanks for the good information. Unfortunately, Spetses has become overrun with scooters and motorbikes, the noise from which can be rather annoying (not to mention dodging them). Hydra should be on everyone's list.
Again loving your stories. Feel like I'm virtually there on these Greek isles. If I could get to one, just from your description, Hydra would be our kind of place! (Love the donkey transport. :-)