AEGINA island Greece lies in the Argo Saronic bay off the Greek mainland. Suburban doesn't describe too many Greek islands but Aegina, nearer to Athens' centre than some of the city's northern suburbs, pretty well fits the bill.
Many of the 12,000 who live on Aegina commute to the capital. It's also a popular weekend retreat and a favoured retirement island for many well-heeled Greeks. Visitors on Greek Islands holidays find it ideal for visiting the historic sites of Athens
Aegina is roughly triangular island, about eight miles by six. To the north and west are fertile coastal plains, noted for crops of pistachios, almonds and figs.
To the east and south are hills rising to the conical Mount Oros(Zeus, Profitis Illias) and a long rocky ridge with fertile valleys on either side. Aegina islanders who don't commute to Athens either work in tourism or grow pistachios, olives and citrus.
Weekenders from the mainland give Aegina a party atmosphere, especially in the capital and it's popular with tour operators thanks to easy transfers and the many sightseeing excursions to the mainland with Athens just a few minutes away.
Aegina is certainly worth a visit, though maybe not a prolonged one. Beaches tend to be poor and rocky, food and drink is expensive and the main resorts swamped by visitors: so many at weekends that Aegina suffers suburban problems of parking and night traffic noise.
Aegina has a small, but flourishing, artistic community with a reputation for producing very fine ceramics. Shops in the island capital are full of it.
Aegina has its attractions, a colourful and exciting main port, well preserved ruins and interesting sights. Aegina is also ideal as an island base for those exploring Athens or mainland Greece.
Cash point
Buses
Boat hire
Ferry port
Tavernas
Taxis
Aegina harbour
Aegina market
Aegina chapel
Although a busy port, the main town of AEGINA TOWN also looks a bit like a movie set. The crescent shaped harbour is backed by neoclassical houses - some painted in bright colours - with tavernas, coffee shops and cafes trailing along the water's edge.
The waterfront indeed is where everything gravitates - unfortunately including most of the traffic. Dozens of bars and clubs emphasize that this is a party island, yet narrow streets and quiet corners ensure Aegina Town hasn't lost all its charm.
Small cafes abound and the island-grown pistachios are sold everywhere, though most notably and not particularly cheaply, at the growers' cooperative by the harbour gates. Boats moored to the Aegina Town quay also sell fruit, nuts and other delights and, apart from the usual tourist boutiques, there are many shops specialising in locally made pottery.
Tables are put out on the promenade at night and tasseled horses pull the tourist traps (so well named) along the main promenade. A rather austere and much photographed chapel, dedicated to St Nicholas, sits alone at the water's edge looking a trifle out of place.
The proximity of Aegina Town to Athens has made it a favourite with holiday home developers. Rich Greeks have thrown up many downright ugly retirement homes that give some parts of the town a flat, suburban air.
Nevertheless there is much to see in Aegina Town . The Greek Orthodox cathedral of Agios Demetrios is where the first government of modern Greece was sworn in and the old Government House is now a good library.
North of the town at Cape Kolono is a fluted 23-ft high column looking rather lost and decrepit, the last remnant of a temple built in the 5th or 6th century BC to Apollo. Recent excavations in have uncovered a theatre and a stadium, though the jumble of ruins and rubble is rather perplexing. There is a small, sandy beach here called Avra or Kolono beach with sunbeds and tavernas.
The Aegina Town Archaeological Museum, the first museum of its kind in Greece, houses some significant island finds, although the best was shipped to Athens many years ago. There are three open-air cinemas in Aegina Town during the summer with shows at 9pm and 11pm.
Buses Tavernas Taxis
Marathonas
MARATHONAS is what passes for a traditional fishing village these days and can be found about 4km south of Aegina Town almost half-way to Perdika.
It's a pretty village of just 250 or so permanent inhabitants and has a relaxed atmosphere with houses climbing behind the resort on the steep hillside were you can At Marathonas you can get spectacular views out to sea. The hills behind Marathonas also offer opportunities for hill walking and even mountain climbing.
There are two beaches near Marathonas; one pleasantly sandy and the other not so good. There are plenty of tavernas along this part of the coast hoping to catch passing trade out of the main town. Near Marathonas is the imposing monastery of Panagia Chrysoliodis, dating from the 16th century.
Buses Boat hire Tavernas Taxis
Faros water park
The coast road south to Perdika is lined with tavernas opposite sandy coves backed by pistachio groves and eucalyptus trees at AEGINITISSA and PROFITIS ILIAS until you reach FAROS,.
The Faros resort is most noted for some beautiful neoclassical buildings and for a less than classical giant water park - basically a big pool, a couple of decent water chutes and scores of sun beds.
If you take the road to Perdika, after passing the petrol station and turn left after a large pink building and follow the dirt road to Sarpa beach. It has been cleaned and upgraded and there are now umbrellas, a volleyball area and a small cantina.
Cash point Buses Boat hire Tavernas Taxis
Perdika
The pleasant fishing village of PERDIKA has lately been invaded by hotels, though it manages to cling on to some original Greek charm with its picturesque flower-bedecked side-streets and pleasant fish tavernas. Perdika's big problem is the surrounding countryside which, unlike the rest of the island, is a boring and barren moonscape.
Perdika resort itself is perched on a promontory with a large marina where luxury yachts join the small fishing boats. Shady tavernas sit above and behind on the high walls that line the utilitarian strip of battleship grey concrete that tries to pass for a promenade. Excursion boats leave regularly for the islets of Moni just offshore and Angistri, about 4km east.
Just before Perdika, heading south , is a small beach called KLIMA or KLIDI. There is music and dancing on the beach with DJs from Athens Klima is a popular bay for yachts. Turn left at first crossroads before you reach Perdika, turn right (after 500m and follow the sign to Klima, with a left turn just before the beach.
Moni
The uninhabited islet of MONI sits opposite Perdika and there are regular 15-minute ferry trips across from the marina. Someone once tried to build a hotel there and the remains are still evident.
Moni was once owned by the Monastery of Chrysoleontissa - hence the name - but is now apparently the property of the Touring Club of Greece which levies a small charge for visitors and runs a campsite on the northern slopes.
Thickly wooded on its western side, Moni has become something of a nature reserve with deer, rabbits, wild goats - and peacocks that squabble for scraps from day trippers.
There is a path to the summit and the reward is the view of a German bunker left over from the war. The Moni islet has a small sand and stone beach with shallow waters but the rocky shoreline is probably more suitable for those who enjoy snorkeling.
Portes beach
The tiny sea port of PORTES is reached overland from Aegina Town or along the coast road south from Aghia Marina. Portes perches rather dramatically over the sea and has a long but stony beach of little interest.
A little way inland from Portes is the Ekpaz wildlife sanctuary which has handled around 5,000 animals and birds since it was opened. Entry is free and you get a guided tour from 10am to 7pm. It has a small souvenir shop where you can make a donation to the excellent work going on there.
Cash point Buses Boat hire Ferry port Tavernas Taxis
Agia Marina
AGHIA MARINA is the busiest place on the island, utterly devoid of charm and must rank as one of the ugliest resorts in Greece. Busy, noisy and tacky with apartment blocks along the coast, Agia Marina about as attractive as an egg crate.
A pity, as the long, wide sandy beach is the island's biggest and, gently shelving, is ideal for children with every sort of tourist facility - including a bewildering array of watersports - readily available. One of the biggest problems at Agia Marina in the high summer is finding a spare sun bed.
Trees at the back of Agia Marina beach offer good shade and steep wooded slopes lead up to the temple of Aphiaia that perches on the sheltering hills above. On the other side of the harbour are cliffs and shallow waters and the rocky cost to the north leads to some quiet, sheltered coves.
Resort life centres around the busy Agia Marina beach and the streets leading to it. Tavernas, bars,shops and cafes are plentiful and weekending Athenians often pack the marina out with their boats. Agia Marina is also the main dropping off point for those visiting the archaeological attraction at the nearby temple of Aphiaia.
To escape the tourist tat head for the nearby village of Alones where there are some excellent tavernas, or head north along the coast for the quieter coves.
A short walk south out of Aghia Marina brings you to the picturesque inland village of ALONES nestling in a deep green valley, where there are a number of tavernas - the most notable being Kostas and Takis - that are a favourite for tourist Greek night out specials.
Horse-buggies wait to take the more soft-headed romantic diners back to from Alones to Agia Marina afterwards. Who could resist?
MESAGROS is a mountain village much boosted by its proximity to the temple of Aphea. Mesagros is well known for its flowers, many unique to the area, and for its ceramics.
Also of interest is the house of Rodakis, a fine example of 1880s architecture in very good condition. On May 21 there is the Mesagros village festival centred around the church of Agios Konstantinos.
Buses Boat hire Tavernas
Vagia beach
VAYIA or VAGIA is a small port around 4 km east of Souvala. Vayia has a small sand and shingle beach and a couple of old-style tavernas. Eastwards along a coastal path are isolated coves.
In the centre of the Vayia resort are another two tavernas and a cafe. It's fortunate in having missed out on the tourist explosion of the main resorts and has a relaxed air of a bygone age.
Nearby is the village of Agius, smothered in pines and noted for its water jug pottery and the church of the Apostle Crispus.
Boat hire Tavernas
Souvala
Up to the 1960s SOUVALA was a busier trading harbour than Aegina but the explosion in tourism left it trailing behind. Its workaday past is betrayed by some drab industrial buildings and a general utilitarian air but Souvala still has some charm and a small if unremarkable beach of coarse sand and shingle.
Today Souvala is mainly a holiday village for Greeks and crammed with flats and small houses, many of them second homes for rich Athenians - this being the nearest port to the mainland.
There's a good range of tavernas around Souvala harbour where you can see the lights of Piraeus on a clear night. Souvala is also well known for its health spa for sufferers of rheumatism and those with various skin disorders.
Buses TavernasIn the midst of pistachio and olive groves in the north west of the island is the village of KIPSELI with its fine central platia and traditional two-storey homes.
The name Kipseli means 'beehive' and local tales have it that the village was renamed after protests from local girls at the former name of Halameni which meant 'ruined'.
Kipseli is at the heart of the most prosperous area of the island with extensive orchards and farms stretching over the green plain. Kipseli village is noted for its huge number of chapels, another reflection of the area's wealth.
Aphiaia
The temple of APHAIA,(APHAIIA or APHEAE) stands on a pine covered hill around 4km from the bay at Aghia Marina. The 5th century BC Doric temple is well preserved with some 24 limestone columns still standing, making it the main visitor attraction on the island.
It was dedicated to Aphaia - a hunting nymph daughter of Zeus and very much a local divinity - and first excavated in 1811 and again in 1901 when it was stripped of its most important artifacts which now grace the rooms of German museums. Some of the less important finds can be found in the museum in Aegina.
Archaeological work was resumed in 1966 and has continued on and off for 20 odd years. The temple is approached by a ramp from the east near former sacrificial altars. South of the temple are traces of an entrance gate and the priest's lodgings.
A regular bus service goes past the temple from both Aegina Town and Aghia Marina. You have to pay to go in. It's been repeatedly struck by lightning so now there's a thundering great metal rod at one end. The views from here are staggering, at least where pine trees don't stand in the way.
Agia Naktariou
The remarkable AGIA NEKTARIOU or NEKTARIOS is a place of pilgrimage for the sick and disabled, not unlike Lourdes but without the lamentable tourist circus.
A former dean of the School of Theology in Athens St Nectarios was renowned for his healing powers and was the first saint to be canonised by the Orthodox Church in modern times. He is buried here and is the patron saint of those with cancer, heart trouble, arthritis, epilepsy - even the unemployed.
St. Nectarios lived from 1846 until 1920. The church - said to be the largest in Greece - is south of Souvala on the main road from Aegina Town to Aghia Marina and there are plenty of buses.
There is a mass pilgrimage each November which Patricia Storace describes in her book Dinner with Persephone. There is a good taverna opposite when you get tired of trudging around.
Paliochora
South of Aghia Nektarios a track leads to ruins at PALIOHORA or PALEOCHORA and several other variations, once the capital of the island under the Venetians and the Turks when the coast was plagued by pirates.
The former town is set in the side of a steep hill, crowned with the ruins of a Venetian castle. In the 18th century there were around 400 homes here and 20 or so churches.
The town was abandoned in 1826 and most of the houses demolished but a cathedral and some chapels have been restored and many contain excellent frescoes and impressive iconostases though you need permission to view.
Get there early and there is usually someone around to unlock doors and point out the most interesting sights - remember to offer a good tip for the trouble.
On a hill near Perdika is a remarkable Camera Obscura House, with twelve openings. Light enters the covered WW2 gun emplacement to create a 360°12-part panoramic image of the outside world, upside down and reversed on a semi-transparent screen.
The former monastery of the Virgin Chryssoleontissa on the road to Marathon is now a convent and access is restricted. It dates from 1600 and has a splendid carved iconostasis. It stands high in the central hills - a one-hour walk south from Aghios Nektarios. There is a marked road but you still have to walk the last 300 metres or so.
Mount Oros is Aegina's highest mountain, an extinct volcano, 532 metres high. A tiny chapel crowns the summit and on it's lower slopes is the ancient church of Taxiarchis. There are great views of surrounding villages such as Kpotides, Lazarides, Pahia Rahi and Vlahides. A road of stone steps leads from the road in the Pergaene region to an ancient site where it is said that Aeacus established the worship of Zeus.
The island has a land mass of 82sq-km with 57km of coast line - most of it rocky beaches. It lies in the Saronic Gulf, just 26km south of Piraeus. Its highest peak is Mount Agios Ilias (532m). Other high peaks are Parliagos(360m), Mardovouno (307m) and Vouno to Dendrou (250m).
The island is shaped like a triangle and can be split into three main geographical areas The south is mountainous with sheer cliffs falling to the sea. The northeast is hilly with valleys and forests. The northwestern plain is fertile and cultivated with pistachios, almonds and olives.
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Aegina has no airport itself but, as the capital city of Athens is just across the bay, and most visitors arrive by Athens International Airport (ATH).
The E96 shuttle bus goes to the port at Piraeus. There is a 24hr service. You can find it outside the Arrivals hall. The small ticket office is next to the bus stop.
The E96 leaves every 15-20min during the day, every 30min at night. It stops several times on the way. Piraeus is the final stop and the journey takes 45-60min depending on traffic.
The taxi rank is next to Door 3, outside the arrivals hall. The price for Piraeus is 25 - 30euros, more at night and journey time depends on traffic but can be anything from 30-50min.
Aegina lies in the middle of the Saronic Gulf near the main Athens port of Piraeus. Foreign visitors mainly fly to Athens and catch the shuttle bus E96 to Piraeus. A bus leaves every 15mins in the day and every 30mins at night. The journey takes 45mins - 1hr depending on traffic. Taxis are also available outside Door 3 at the arrivals gate. It's quicker (30 - 45mins) but expensive.
Ferries depart from Piraeus regularly during the summer, not so often in the winter. Hydrofoils (Flying Dolphins) are also plentiful(around 16-a-day) and take around 40mins, ferries about twice that time. The main ferry companies are Hellenic (9 ferries daily from 7.30am; Nova 8am and 2pm; Agios Nektarios 10am, 2pm, 4pm; Flying Dolphin 6.10am then every hour on the hour to 6pm.
There are links to the three main ports on Aegina - Souvala, Aghia Marina and Aegina Town. There are regular ferries or hydrofoils from Aegina port to the islands of Angistri, Hydra, Poros and Spetses and links to the Peloponnese (Epidaurus, Hermioni, Porto Cheli, Tolo, Isthmia, Nafplion) and Attica. Some of the connections are seasonal. Spetses, Hydra, Poros, and Methana on the mainland have year-round ferry links but Piraeus can be a better bet for other islands out of season.
The port police go to the trouble of posting a comprehensive list of daily sailing outside their office on the harbour and, not unreasonably, get a little tetchy with tourists who ask for further confirmation.
Yachting information:
Aegina: Shelter excellent shelter, fuel in town, water on quay
Perdika: Shelter good shelter, fuel none, water in towns
Aghia Marina: Shelter good, fuel, water.
The island has a good bus services run by the Aegina Bus Company. The main terminus is in Aegina Town in the square near the harbour. You can buy tickets from the kiosk there. Services run north south and east.
North: Aegina Town - Kipseli - Vathi - Souvala - Nagia
South: Aegina Town - Marathonas - Perdika
East: Aegina Town - Agios Nektarios - Agia Marina
Taxis are plentiful and gather at the harbour as the ferries come in. You can also dial for a taxi - Aegina - 22635; Agia Marina - 32107; Kipseli - 328873; Megasos - 71313; Souvala - 343606
| JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | |
| 6 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 | Avg min °C |
| 12 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 23 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 22 | 17 | 14 | Avg max °C |
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 24 | 6 | 0 | 70°+ days |
| JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | |
| 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 1.6 | 5.7 | 7.7 | 6.9 | Avg rain (cm) |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | Stormy days |
In the sheltered Argo Saronic gulf Aegina enjoys the same climate as Athens but without the smog. Winters are relatively dry and summers cloudless from June to August. May and September have a higher chance of rain.
The beautiful Greek Islands are renowned for their spectacular scenery, magnificent mountainous backdrops, stunning sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. Holidays to the Greek Islands are often most cherished for this combination of sunshine, warm waters and beaches set against truly wonderful scenery. Whether it is a traditional beach holiday you would like or something with a little more history, you'll find that a break away to the Greek Islands is just the answer!
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